Abstract
This paper highlights the need for a new class of computer aided tools applicable for a wide range of chemicals-based product synthesis-design and the sustainable design of their corresponding manufacturing processes. The new tools are needed to meet the current and future challenges through innovative and more sustainable solutions that the currently available tools may not be able to provide. For example, even though process simulators are among the most used computer-aided tools in industrial research and development as well as in education, they may have reached their limit in terms of the problems they can solve. Since the process simulators are based on unit operations and predefined process flowsheets, they are unable to find innovative new solutions with new unit operations. Also, employing process simulators as the basis for synthesis, design and/or operation-control of processes does not appear to be the most desirable option. While in the area of process engineering at least several computer-aided tools have been developed and are used routinely, in the area of product engineering, the development of computer-aided tools with similar functions as the process simulator have only recently been reported. This paper gives an overview of a new class of computer-aided tools, using two recently developed tools as illustrative examples. The basis for this new class of tools are software components that can be configured according to the specific needs of the user or problems. Also, through their predictive model-based solution techniques, they are able to provide innovative and more sustainable solutions to a wide range of problems of interest.
