Optimization-based Formulations for Operability Analysis and Control of Process Supply Chains Optimization-based Formulations for Operability Analysis and Control of Process Supply Chains

ii Process operability represents the ability of a process plant to operate satisfactorily away from the nominal operating or design condition, where flexibility and dynamic operability are two important attributes of operability considered in this thesis. Today’s companies are facing nu-merous challenges, many as a result of volatile market conditions. Key to sustainable profitable operation is a robust process supply chain. Within a wider business context, flexibility and responsiveness, i.e. dynamic operability, are regarded as key qualifications of a robust process supply chain. The first part of this thesis develops methodologies to rigorously evaluate the dynamic operability and flexibility of a process supply chain. A model is developed which describes the response dynamics of a multi-product, multi-echelon supply chain system. Its incorporation within a dynamic operability analysis framework is shown, where a bi-criterion, two-stage stochastic programming approach is applied for the treatment of demand uncertainty, and for estimating the Pareto frontier between an economic and responsiveness criterion. Two case studies ar