Design for the Operability and Controllability of Chemical Processes

在大多数化工过程设计中，设计者首先使用近似模型分析简单的结构。随着设计的逐渐发展，更详细的模型被用来解释更复杂的交互作用，这些交互作用可以影响设计的成功。这些复杂的现象通常是新设计具有更有效潜力的原因；例如，更节能或更节约成本。然而，更复杂的相互作用模型通常具有更丰富的解空间；也就是说，它们为一组给定的规范展示了更多的解决方案。溶液的数量和稳定性随规格和模型参数的不同而不同。在流程设计中，当算法收敛于物理上不正确的解决方案时，可能会出现问题。在设计阶段，实验数据通常是不可用的，设计师可能会根据错误的解决方案继续工作。首席研究员建议创建一个原型软件环境，以允许对复杂系统的控制结构设计进行实验。PI将开发解决稳态和动态模拟问题的新技术，以展示这些技术在化学过程设计中的实用性。重点将放在分析和算法的方法，使设计过程合理化。

In most chemical process designs, the designer begins by analyzing simple structures using approximate models. Gradually as the design evolves, more detailed models are used to explain more complex interactions which can make the difference in the success of a design. These complex phenomena are often the reason that a new design has the potential to be more effective; for example, more energy or more cost efficient. However, models of more complex interactions usually have a richer solution space; that is, they exhibit more solutions for a given set of specifications. The number and stability of the solutions varies with the specifications and with the parameters of the model. In process design, problems can arise when algorithms converge on a solution that is not physically correct. In the design stage, experimental data often are not available and the designer may continue to work based on a wrong solution. The Principal Investigator proposes to create a prototype software environment to permit experimentation with the design of control structures for complex systems. The PI will develop new techniques for solving both steady state and dynamic simulation problems to demonstrate the utility of these techniques in the design of chemical processes. Emphasis will be placed on the analytical and algorithmic methods that rationalize the design process.