A new method to process algebraic equation systems used to model a MSF desalination plant Original Research Article

This work presents a new method, called heuristic selection (HS), to process algebraic equation systems (AEs). These systems are part of all chemical processes models that respect the state space models form. For given AEs, the proposed method produces a set of decision variables, a set of subsystems, a set of variables for iteration, a set of equations for verification, and all of the possible calculation sequences. The method allows assigning degrees of preference to each variable. These degrees are considered when the method has to select an output variable for a given equation. The goal of the method is to select the decision variables and the calculation sequence that either minimizes the size of the subsystems or minimizes the set of variables of iteration and, at the same time, selects the output variables in order to maximize the sum of the corresponding degree of preference. Finally, this method was used to develop a dynamic simulator for a MSF desalination plant.