Equivalent alternative constraints

In these cases there is no well defined notion of a looser constraint, the choice is then either to force those variables to be equal in x and y, or to find some path from their value to a constraint on another inter- or intrasituational variable and thus be able to show that their values in jc, y should obey some ordering based on these other constraints. This topic is the subject of current research, but is not limiting in the flowshop example, since no such constraints exist. Lastly, it is not enough to assert conditions on the state variables in x and y, since we have made no reference to the discrete space of alternatives that the two solutions admit. Our definition of equivalence and dominance constrains us to have the same set of possible completions. For equivalence relationships the previous statement requires that the partial solutions, x and y, contain the same set of alphabet symbols, and for dominance relations the symbols of JC have to be equal to, or a subset of those of y. Thus our sufficient theory can be informally stated as follows ... 

Although, as explained in Chapter 9, many optimization problems can be naturally formulated as mixed-integer programming problems, in this chapter we will consider only steady-state nonlinear programming problems in which the variables are continuous. In some cases it may be feasible to use binary variables (on-off) to include or exclude specific stream flows, alternative flowsheet topography, or different parameters. In the economic evaluation of processes, in design, or in control, usually only a few (5-50) variables are decision, or independent, variables amid a multitude of dependent variables (hundreds or thousands). The number of dependent variables in principle (but not necessarily in practice) is equivalent to the number of independent equality constraints plus the active inequality constraints in a process. The number of independent (decision) variables comprises the remaining set of variables whose values are unknown. Introduction into the model of a specification of the value of a variable, such as T = 400°C, is equivalent to the solution of an independent equation and reduces the total number of variables whose values are unknown by one. 

A separation process is sought that can satisfy both our present economic and enviromental constraints. It would also provide an alternative to present practice that relies on expensive azeotropic or extractive distillation processes used in the recovery of products from low relative volatility streams. As an example, virtually all industrial butadiene recovery processes now rely on extractive distillation using acetonitrile or other equivalent agent to enhance the relative volatility of the C4 components. The use of supercritical or near critical separation of these streams may satisfy these requirements provided certain pressure, temperature and recompression criteria can be met. Such a process would also reduce the need for a complex train of distillation towers. 

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