An agent cloning approach for process design of discrete plants

Abstract

This paper describes an agent cloning methodology for designing discrete processes. The objective is to find the best mix of technologies that meet raw material and product requirements. Process alternatives are evaluated based on manufacturing cost, throughput time, and toxicity. In the proposed methodology, agents design equipment and initiate process design tasks according to a recursive algorithm based on dynamic programming and the branch and bound method. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.