A Network Structure Expert System and Operation Optimization

This paper proposes that double level programming technique may be adopted in synthesis strategy. Optimization of heat exchanger network (HEN) structural configuration (i.e., the master problem) maybe solved at the upper level, leaving the rest operating conditions(i.e., the slave problem) being optimized at the lower level. With the uniqueness in mind, a HEN synthesis expert system may be applied to both the logical constraints and the global operation parameters optimization with enhanced Sequential Number Optimization theory and Genetic Algorithm (GA).