SGER: Fundamental Study on Chemical Process Operational Security Assessment

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ResearchThis project will focus on the fundamental study of fast, quantitative, and accurate security assessment of chemical processes. The goal is to develop a useful knowledge base for fast, quantitative and accurate assessment of process safety and security. The knowledge base will contain a general process security dynamic modeling method and a process security assessment method (with a basic enhancement capability). The study will lay the foundation for a future effort to develop a more comprehensive process security enhancement methodology.Chemical plant security is one important aspect of homeland security since the potential for severe environmental and economic consequences is great. The approach is to look at: (i) is a plant operationally secure if it is attacked by a technically knowledgeable terrorist, (ii) if not, how much time is available before a disaster occurs, and (iii) for a given plant, how can the most critical factors for secure operation be identified. The work will look at assessment accuracy and be applicable to the chemical process industries (CPI). If successful, it will provide critical guidance on how to develop fast, effective process security and enhancement methodologies for industrial facilities.Broad ImpactThe knowledge base generated could provide a comprehensive understanding of plant security, which can be used by industry to pursue process security enhancement over and above traditional process safety measures. The PI is planning to involve students from underrepresented groups in the project, thus besides the obvious importance to homeland security, the project will also have educational and outreach value.