Hypertargets: a Conceptual Programming approach for the optimisation of industrial heat exchanger networks - I. Grassroots design and network complexity

The paper proposes a new design approach for the optimal synthesis of heat exchanger networks. The approach combines thermodynamics, engineering knowl edge, and mathematical programming and leads to Conceptual programming meth odology with a clear potential to address industrial applications from a sy stematic and rigorous perspective. The methodology employs a Conceptual Pro gramming model, the Area Target Model, to screen and scope the solution spa ce for primal, promising options. The model embeds targeting terms from the pinch analysis and supports the development of Hypertargets, a graphical t argeting tool with functions similar but much more general and rigorous tha n Supertargets. Following the targeting stage, a network optimisation stage is facilitated with an extended mathematical formulation that handles comp lexity issues, and accounts for the development of functional layouts witho ut the need for evolution. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserv ed.