DESIGN TARGETS OF SEPARATOR AND REACTOR-SEPARATOR SYSTEMS USING CONCEPTUAL PROGRAMMING

In the absence of any systematic procedures, heuristics and hierarchic al decomposition methods have been extensively used for screening and scoping of process flowsheets. This work introduces a new technology i n this area in the form of Conceptual Programming. Conceptual Programm ing combines engineering insights and shortcut design models with math ematical programming technology. Using only basic information, Concept ual Programming targets the performance of the chemical process ahead of simulation and screens for the few promising layouts that need to b e validated further with rigorous models. The basic idea of Conceptual Programming is first outlined with a sequencing problem where generic screening tool has been proposed as a mathematical programming model set up without the need for simulation, iterations or fine tuning of i ts parameters. Once constructed, the model is tested against an extens ive list of examples without additional time or effort required in its development. The paper also illustrates applications of Conceptual Pr ogramming with complex separation system and reactor-separator problem . In all the cases Conceptual Programming outsmarts previous technolog y available in the form of heuristics, shortcut methods, pure mathemat ical programming or methods making use of expert systems and inference rules.