Investigating the use of path flow indicators as optimization drivers in batch process retrofitting

Improvement of batch processes has gained much attention in industry due to the competitive market and stricter environmental legislation. This paper focuses on a process flowsheet decomposition based methodology resulting in path flow indicators which are able to highlight process alternatives with an improved performance. The novel aspects introduced in this methodology are the implementation of a new path flow indicator category that focuses on unit occupancy time and the multi-objective process assessment in order to reveal sustainable retrofitting actions. Furthermore, the retrofit alternatives are not only classified according to the diverse objective functions but also to the differences observed in the path flow indicator matrix of the generated retrofit alternatives compared to the base case. This classification enables a more detailed analysis of the retrofit alternative impact and illustrates the potential of path flow indicators as optimization drivers. The methodology is exemplified in an industrial batch process case study.