Daniel Vos

A math enthusiast with passion for technology. Winning time & results does not always have to be a trade-off if we make smart decisions.

As an automation consultant, I am fulfilling multiple project related roles in the process automation industry. For this function, it is key to have knowledge of process automation systems (PLC and DCS) to lead clients to their goal, whilst keeping compliant towards the international industry standards. I have worked for several clients in the chemical industry, tank terminal business, offshore high voltage grid, solar energy farming and waste treatment.

As an automation consultant I have:

• Defined functional decompositions and procedural models in line with ISA-88.
• Written Process Control System RFQ packages for multi-disciplinary projects in the process industry.
• Identified alarm management gaps between client and IEC 62682 and advised best practices.
• Constructed an alarm database and took the lead in alarm rationalization workshops.
• Identified OT cyber security gaps between client and IEC 62443 and advised best practices.
• Designed a business flow management application and defined Power BI metrics to give insight in business performances.

Familiar with the following industry standards:

• ANSI/ISA-95                  Enterprise-Control System Integration
• ISA-88                           Batch Control Industry Standard
• IEC 62682                     Lifecycle Management for Alarm Systems
• IEC 62443                     Standard for OT Cyber Security

During my time as an external workforce at a Vopak tank terminal, I was responsible for all automation & DCS (CENTUM VP) related matters. I was not only responsible for improvements of the process control system, but I’ve also completed multiple large multi-disciplinary terminal projects. They key role  was to understand & implement the requirements of the operations department, whilst maintaining the demands from process engineering, & safety standards. Close communication and collaborations with E&I department were important to align the correct installation of interface communications between systems.

Key tasks:

• Understanding the operational procedure and operational requirements.
• Designing functional scope according to ISA-88.
• DCS Engineering & on-site implementation.
• Instruct and supervise DCS engineers from the third party DCS vendor.
• Understanding and being able to argue the hardware & software possibilities and limitations.
• Alignment with planning & operations to ensure hardware & software implementations are executed safely with minimal downtime.
• Coordinate FAT, SAT and commissioning project phases.
• Assisting the technical response service.
• Review E&I design and system architecture.
• Participate in HAZOP procedures.

MSc Applied Mathematics Track: Optimization

Average course grade: 7.1

• Modeling & solving LP & MILP problems
• Cutting plane & branch-and-cut algorithms
• Applications to MILP such as scheduling, TSP, queuing theory, vehicle routing, Max-flow etc.
• Linear programming duality & gap analysis
• Heuristic algorithms

MSc Systems & Control

Average course grade: 7.7

• Control methods (PID, pole-placement, LQI, LQR, multivariable feedback, Adaptive control, knowledge based control, MPC)
• System identification methods (LMS, RMS)
• Stability analysis (bode-plot, eigenvalues, Nyquist criterium)

MSc thesis: Computational Strategies for Model Predictive Conrol on SMPL systems        Grade: 8.5

For my MSc thesis, I got to use my mathematical knowledge to solve model predictive control problems for switching max-plus linear (SMPL) system problems. This relates to a subset of NP-hard scheduling problems that can be modeled as an MILP. I developed my own branch & cut algorithm, and 3 heuristic algorithms: Model-based partitioning, tabu search and simulated annealing.