Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/K51204/01
Title:	OPTIMISATION TOOLS FOR INTERGRATED PROCESS ENGINEERING OPERATION
Principal Investigator:	Fletcher, Professor R
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	School of Computing
Organisation:	University of Dundee
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 April 1996	Ends:	31 March 1999	Value (£):	108,950
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Design of Process systems
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Chemicals Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The proposal arises from an industrial need for reliable and efficient large-scale process optimisation software. The project provides an important tool in the operation and control of inustrial processes, both on a plant-wide and site-wide basis, which would also aid the design of such processes. Efficient solution of large-scale problems is particularly desirable for on-line applications where optmisation in real time is used to determine the control of a plant or site. Models of an integrated process plant are typically composed of sub-models for unit operations (columns, reactors,etc.) connected by streams (material and energy flows). It is often possible to break a large process down into smaller sub-processes by assuming values for a relatively small number of streams. This structure suggests the use of decomposition methods in which the sub-processes are solved by standard techniques such as NLP (nonlinear programming). The overall process is then optimized by a master problem which determines the best values of the linking variables. This is a nonsmooth problem which requires special techniques. A main thrust of the programming is to address the theoretical and organisational issues that arise, leading to the development of effective algorithms and software. Another aim of the research programme is to study methods for formulating and generating very large process models. Important issues relate to choice of interfaces, consistency of models and reliability of solution.
Key Findings
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Potential use in non-academic contexts
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Impacts
Description This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk Summary Date Materialised
Sectors submitted by the Researcher
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
Project URL:
Further Information:
Organisation Website:	http://www.dundee.ac.uk