Purpose of Performance Testing

3 Efficiency and Performance Testing 14.3.1 Purpose of performance testing 

The incentive for collecting performance data on a malfunctioning column is obvious. On the other hand, when the unit performs well, there appears to be little incentive to carry out a performance test, because other problems are more pressing. The latter reasoning is usually fallacious. A performance test is essential even for a well-performing unit, for the following reasons  

When the unit malfunctions at a future date, availability of performance test data tremendously reduces the troubleshooting effort. 

A unit may appear to perform well, even while it is running at nonoptimum conditions. For instance, energy usage may be excessive a pinch condition may reduce the apparent efficiency. Because of overdesign, these factors may be hidden. This reduces the profit 

Computer simulations are often used to determine best running conditions and to assess the effectiveness of proposed modifications. These computer simulations may be misleading unless tested against reliable plant data. 

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