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During the analysis of a large process system, the vaJues of certain design variables must
be preassigned to allow the solution of the design equations. A careless selection of these dis-
tinguished variables can lead to trouble, magnifying computational problems above what need
be. A method is proposed for determining a set of design variables which could minimize the
computational labor associated with process analysis. This work is part of a larger project on
the computer aided design of process systems.
Fig, 2, The diversity condition not satisfied. Fig. 5. The precedence order of equations.
F= 7-5=2
Fig. 3. The pipartite graph of Equation (3).
v. is a design variable;
1 delete it.
Fig. 9. Vj, V4, and Ve as design variables.
System:
Design Equations:
Mixer:
fi qi + q& — <72 — 0 total mass balance
/2 qici + qscs — q&z = 0 component balance
Reactor:
/s </2 — qa = 0 total mass balance
ft q%C2 — tfsCa — R(CS, T, V) = 0 component balance
R is the reaction rate relationship Fig. 16. The ordering of Figure 12.
Separator:
/5 c/s — qi — q& = 0 total mass balance
fe 73^3 ~ 94^4 — <7sCs = 0 component balance Preferred Design Variables
/7 S = Cs/Ci separation ratio
For purely practical reasons the engineer may prefer to
.The variables of interest are qfs and c/s, and V, T, and have close control over certain variables, and may elect
S. The number of design equations is IV = 7. The number to elevate such preferred variables to the level of a design
of variables is M = 13. variable regardless of the logical structure of the problem.
For example, if quality control restrictions are imposed on
Graph: a product concentration, the engineer may wish to com-
pute only designs which meet those restrictions. This can
be achieved by selecting that concentration as a design
variable, the value of which is free to be selected directly.
This preference offers no difficulty. Such preferred vari-
ables are assigned prior to the use of algorithm I. If a re-
striction exists on the flow rate into the reactor, in the pre-
F = 13-7 = 6
Fig. 12. The bipartite graph far the system.
Fig. 23.
FINAL COMMENTS
We have demonstrated a systematic approach to the
selection of design variables based on the criterion that
acyclicity is desirable. System acyclicity will be obtained
by use of these algorithms if it is obtainable merely by
selecting the proper design variables. However, there are
several points which require further comment.
It was implied in this report that information flow re-
versals can be made at any equation or any system com-
ponent without difficulty. This is not true. It is well known
that difficulties are often encountered should one attempt
to compute certain variables, such as the kind of plates to
use in a distillation tower, and that it is better to specify
such variables and compute the consequences. The direc-
tion of information flow in the system determines the ease
of component computation. Thus, in certain situations it
may pay to tolerate cyclic structure in the system to ease
the computation of a troublesome component.
However, before one can begin to understand the im-
plications of partial acyclicity and the role that component
difficulty scores may play in systems analysis, the limited
case discussed in this paper must be presented. Hence, in
Fig. 24. this report the problem of systems analysis with completely
In most rate process problems, the original experimental data must be differentiated to ob-
tain the derivatives, which are the information actually sought. For first derivatives all the
commonly used methods give about the same result. However, the common methods of calculat-
ing derivatives can give very different second derivatives for the same set of starting data.
Thus, in problems in which the desired result is a second derivative, the answer obtained is a
strong function of the method used to calculate second derivatives. This is illustrated by
several examples.
Churchill (1) has pointed out one important similarity In some cases these rates can be obtained from steady
between heat, mass, and momentum transfer and reaction state experiments, for example, steady state heat transfer,
kinetics. In all of these fields, the engineer is interested in steady state mass transfer, chemical reactions at constant
determining rates (heat, mass, momentum transfer, and composition (continuous stirred-tank reactors), or from
chemical reaction rates). These rates are generally ob- force measurements on supported bodies. Even these data
tained by differentiating integral data. For example, the are often differentiated to obtain more interesting informa-
momentum transfer rate to a particle (force) is propor- tion; for example, steady state chemical reaction data are
tional to the acceleration. The most common way (14) differentiated with respect to space velocity to elucidate
to obtain such accelerations is to differentiate position- kinetics (16).
time (integral) data twice to obtain d?x/dt2. Similarly, Thus, in all these fields the desired derivatives are ob-
chemical reaction rates are determined by differentiating tained from integral data. Given a table of x-y data, there
composition-time (integral) data and heat transfer rates are several widely known ways to find dy/dx and d2y/dx2.
by differentiating temperature-time or temperature-dis- As will be shown here, all give practically the same values
tance data. of dy/dx, but they can give very different values of