Flexible multiproduct batch plants

R. Fletcher, J. A. J. Hall, and W. R. Johns. Flexible retrofit design of multiproduct batch plants. Comp. Chem. Eng., 15(12) 843, 1991. 

In order to illustrate the approach, a case study is considered. The case study is a multi-stage multiproduct chemical batch plant demonstrator with a plant topology similar to flexible flow shops. Two recipes to produce the end-products are given. The end-products blue (B) and green (G) are produced from three raw materials, yellow (Y), red (R) and white (W). Each batch of the product results from two batches of the raw materials. The production process considered is two batches of material Y and W reacts to produce one batch of B similarly two batches of R and... 

Nevertheless, the focus in this chapter is on scheduling of (chemical) processing plants. While many chanicals are produced in large-scale continuous processes, many products are stiU produced batch wise. This is especially common in facilities that produce low-volume products. These plants are often made flexible to changing consumption markets and can produce different products in the same equipment (multiproduct). These multiproduct production facilities can be found especially in the production of line chanicals, pharmaceuticals, foods, and to a certain extent polymers [2],... 

Batch and semi-batch processes are used in many process industries, including microelectronics, pharmaceuticals, specialty chemicals, and fermentation. Batch and semi-batch processes provide needed flexibility for multiproduct plants, especially when products change frequently and production quantities are small. Figure 1.2 shows four representative batch and semi-batch processes ... 

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