Framework for Designing Flexible Steady State and Dynamic Chemical Processes

University Of Connecticut, Storrs CT

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT PI: Luke E. Achenie Institution: University of Connecticut Proposal Number: 0097936 This research aims at developing novel mathematical algorithms and associated software for systematic determination of optimal design margins for chemical processes (CP). These design margins guarantee that flexibility of the CP at the operation stage. A flexible CP is able to operate reliably in spite of the use of inaccurate mathematical process models during the design of the CP. The flexibility of a CP is a very important concern in the design of chemical processes, from economic, safety and environmental points of view. Model uncertainties that impact flexibility are primarily of three kinds: (a) model structure uncertainty, (b) parametric uncertainty (introduced as a result of determining model parameters in the presence of measurement uncertainty), and (c) operational uncertainty. In this work, the PIs are concerned with (b) and (c). Flexibility issues have traditionally been considered through the use of over-design factors, which are based on rules of thumb and experience. Over-design factors are inherently empirical and often lead to costly and inefficient use of resources. The broader impact of this project is to develop methodologies that will reduce the need to use empirical over-design factors in industrial design. Specifically, the following problems will be addressed: (i) estimation of the flexibility of the CP (i.e. the CP's ability to sustain an acceptable level of performance even when external and internal factors change in an unpredictable fashion within certain known bounds), and (ii) CP optimization under uncertainty at the design stage.