A perspective on alignment between steady-state design and control for a distillation system in the context of flexibility analysis

This perspective paper discusses the alignment between steady-state design and control (dynamic) simulation in the context of flexibility analysis for distillation systems. Operational variations, such as fluctuations in feed composition or flowrate, can stem from external factors like raw material quality or temperature variations. These disturbances need to be mitigated to ensure optimal industrial performance. Traditionally, these process uncertainties are usually considered in a sequential manner, where the steady-state flowsheet is established first, and control performance is analyzed afterwards. However, recent studies have started integrating flexibility index into the design phase to account for process uncertainties. While this integration has improved design strategies, aligning steady-state and dynamic control simulations for comprehensive flexibility analysis remains underexplored. In this paper, we wish to share new perspectives and insights we have observed by analyzing the existing literature. We highlight some points not immediately apparent in our previous studies, hoping these insights will serve as guidelines for future research in this direction. We believe that validating results between steady-state and control simulations is a long-term endeavor that cannot be conclusively addressed soon. However, we hope this paper will be valuable to future researchers, contributing to advancing this field and reaching those who will appreciate and build upon these insights. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).