Comparative analysis of qualitative models when the model changes

Abstract

Abstract An important application of the recently developed techniques in qualitative mathematical modeling is to qualitatively predict how changes in the operation of chemical units affect their behavior. Weld (1987, 1988a,b) has developed a series of comparative techniques that analyze the effect of perturbations to the parameters of a given qualitative unit model. In this article we demonstrate a system, based on the qualitative process theory of Forbus (1984), which extends comparative analysis in two ways. First, it predicts the effects of changes in the qualitative equations and in parameter values. Secondly, it compares physical descriptions, rather than comparing models directly, and builds and compares the associated models automatically.