Energy consumption hierarchical analysis based on interpretative structural model for ethylene production

Interpretative structural model (ISM) can transform a multivariate problem into several sub-variable problems to analyze a complex industrial structure in a more efficient way by building a multi-level hierarchical structure model. To build an ISM of a production system, the partial correlation coefficient method is proposed to obtain the adjacency matrix, which can be transformed to ISM. According to estimation of correlation coefficient, the result can give actual variable correlations and eliminate effects of intermediate variables. Furthermore, this paper proposes an effective approach using ISM to analyze the main factors and basic mechanisms that affect the energy consumption in an ethylene production system. The case study shows that the proposed energy consumption analysis method is valid and efficient in improvement of energy efficiency in ethylene production.

The energy consumption hierarchical analysis for ethylene production plants could be more accurate through ISM analyses. The procedure of the method is as follows: (1) select energy consumption data from different techniques or from different scales and carry out data consistency test PONA value and normalization, (2) establish the partial correlation coefficient matrix using the inverse matrix of r, (3) transform adjacency matrix A to reachability matrix R, (4) obtain the advanced set and reachable set of reachability matrix R, and the first level of elements can be obtained by the definition of ISM, and (5) build ISM of energy consumption based on the elements from each level and analyze energy consumption data of the ethylene plant.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide