Process optimization

This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (December 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Process optimization is the discipline of adjusting a process so as to make the best or most effective use of some specified set of parameters without violating some constraint. Common goals are minimizing cost and maximizing throughput and/or efficiency. Process optimization is one of the major quantitative tools in industrial decision making.

When optimizing a process, the goal is to maximize one or more of the process specifications, while keeping all others within their constraints. This can be done by using a process mining tool, discovering the critical activities and bottlenecks, and acting only on them.

Fundamentally, there are three parameters that can be adjusted to affect optimal performance. They are:

• Equipment optimization

The first step is to verify that the existing equipment is being used to its fullest advantage by examining operating data to identify equipment bottlenecks.

• Operating procedures

Operating procedures may vary widely from person-to-person or from shift-to-shift. Automation of the plant can help significantly. But automation will be of no help if the operators take control and run the plant manually.

• Control optimization

In a typical processing plant, such as a chemical plant or oil refinery, there are hundreds or even thousands of control loops. Each control loop is responsible for controlling one part of the process, such as maintaining a temperature, level, or flow.

If the control loop is not properly designed and tuned, the process runs below its optimum. The process will be more expensive to operate, and equipment will wear out prematurely. For each control loop to run optimally, identification of sensor, valve, and tuning problems is important. It has been well documented that over 35% of control loops typically have problems.^{[citation needed]}

The process of continuously monitoring and optimizing the entire plant is sometimes called performance supervision.

• Calculation of glass properties, optimization of several properties
• Deficit irrigation to optimize water productivity
• Process simulation
• Taguchi methods

• TORSCHE Scheduling Toolbox for Matlab, a freely available software toolbox of scheduling and graph algorithms