Authors: Maurizio FERMEGLIA, Gennaro LONGO and Letitia TOMA
Affiliations: Molecular Simulation Engineering Laboratory, Department of Chemical, Environmental and Raw Material Engineering, University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, Trieste 34127, Italy and International Centre for Science and High Technology, ICS-UNIDO, AREA Science Park, Trieste 34012, Italy
Reference: Fermeglia, M., Longo, G. and Toma, L. (2009), Computer aided design for sustainable industrial processes: Specific tools and applications. AIChE J., 55: 1065–1078.
Abstract: “Chemical Process Sustainability can be estimated using different sustainability indicators.The quantitative estimation of those indicators is necessary (i) for evaluating the environmental impact of a chemical process and (ii) for choosing the best design among different available alternatives. To accomplish these goals, the computerized calculation of sustainability indicators requires the use of at least three computer tools:(i) process simulation, (ii) molecular modeling and a (iii) sustainability indicators software code. In this work, a complete software platform, Process Sustainability Prediction Framework, integrated with process simulation programs, which support the CAPE-OPEN interfaces, is presented and discussed…”
DOI: 10.1002/aic.11730
Comment: the authors chose CAPE-OPEN to develop special unit operations capable of evaluating “toxicological effects of the substances, present in the process flowsheet, and their quantities. According to the authors “The choice of the CO technology has been made according to a precise goal: to develop a module able to interact with all the process simulator software programs which support the CO interfaces. Once the module is created it is ready to be used anywhere, being independent of the process simulator software used. This is one of the greatest advantages offered by the CO technology. Four CO Modules have been developed (two CO Modules for 3D Indicators and two CO Modules for 1D Indicators).”. Thiis work was developed before the development of a CAPE-OPEN Flowsheet Monitoring interface specification. The solution developed by the authors was succesfully tested in Aspen Plus, PRO/II and COFE. However Flowsheet Monitoring, once implemented in the major process simulators, should prove a much easier approach.