Optimal operation of heat exchanger networks under uncertainty

Heat exchanger networks (HENs) usually do not operate at their design points. When some inlet parameters of process streams in an HEN deviate from their design values, the output temperatures of process streams will also deviate from their target values. In order to maintain the target output temperatures, the other inlet parameters of process streams need to be adjusted. If there exist more than one sets of adjustment solutions, the optimal set need to be determined. Thus the selection task of the optimal adjustment scheme of HEN under uncertainty becomes a problem of optimisation, i.e., how to find the optimal adjustment scheme which yields the maximum energy recovery of HEN under the constraints that the target output temperatures of process streams will be maintained.