Sensor Network Design for Maximizing Process Efficiency: An Algorithm and Its Application

Sensor network design (SND) is a constrained optimization problem requiring systematic and effective solution algorithms for determining where best to locate sensors. A SND algorithm is developed for maximizing plant efficiency for an estimator-based control system while simultaneously satisfying accuracy requirements for the desired process measurements. The SND problem formulation leads to a mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) optimization that is difficult to solve for large-scale system applications. Therefore, a sequential approach is developed to solve the MINLP problem, where the integer problem for sensor selection is solved using the genetic algorithm while the nonlinear programming problem including convergence of the tear stream in the estimator-based control system is solved using the direct substitution method. The SND algorithm is then successfully applied to a large scale, highly integrated chemical process. (c) 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 464-476, 2015