Process complexity measurement - A tool for assessing process options

The complexity quantification method proposed by Koolen (2001) was developed by incorporating additional factors and weightings identified by an expert survey. The number of subsystems that an operator has to control extensively was considered separately from the quantification method. Both of these analyses were key parts of a framework developed for assessing process options on the basis of a process plant operator's perceived complexity. Using the example of the methyl acetate process before and after application of process intensification, it was demonstrated using the process complexity quantification method that such a step can result in a significant reduction in complexity. However, the feedback from the expert survey undertaken suggested opposing evidence to this finding. Process intensification could in fact result in a more complex design and operation step. Further research found that the reduction in complexity calculated, involved a trade-off between the complexity of an overall plant and complexity within one particular device or piece of equipment. Process intensification could potentially result in a higher operator perceived complexity. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 7th World Congress of Chemical Engineering (Glasgow, Scotland 7/10-14/2005)