CHEMICAL PROCESS OPTIMIZATION METHOD THAT CONSIDERS CHEMICAL PROCESS PLANT SAFETY

摘要

A method for assuring safety of a particular chemical process plant includes measuring, for each of a plurality of sets of proposed process conditions for a chemical process within the chemical process plant, a pressure rise rate following a deliberate contained ignition of at least one material used within the chemical process. A particular pressure rise rate that allows for a safe operation of the chemical reaction within the chemical process plant may be selected from the resulting pressure rise rates that correspond with the plurality of sets of proposed process conditions. The chemical process may be implemented within the process plant while using a set of process conditions from the plurality of sets of process conditions that corresponds with the selected pressure rise rate. In addition, the particular chemical reaction may also be optimized with respect to an ancillary parameter, such as product yield or feedstock utilization.