An index for operational flexibility in chemical process design. Part I: Formulation and theory

TLDR

Flexibility, the ability to operate over a range of conditions while meeting performance specifications, is a key component of chemical plant operability. The paper proposes a general framework and a quantitative index to analyze flexibility in chemical process design by measuring the feasible steady‑state parameter space achievable through control variable adjustments. The authors formulate the index mathematically and conduct a detailed study of its properties. The framework is illustrated through an example demonstrating its application in design.

Abstract

Abstract One of the key components of chemical plant operability is flexibility—the ability to operate over a range of conditions while satisfying performance specifications. A general framework for analyzing flexibility in chemical process design is presented in this paper. A quantitative index is proposed which measures the size of the parameter space over which feasible steady‐state operation of the plant can be attained by proper adjustment of the control variables. The mathematical formulation of this index and a detailed study of its properties are presented. Application of the flexibility in design is illustrated with an example.