(204o) Modified Triz Algorithm for Chemical Process Innovation

An algorithm called chemTRIZ is developed by applying TRIZ to solve several problems needed to be improved in chemical processes. TRIZ is a problem-solving tool based on patterns of invention discovered from decades of study from the world’s most inventive patents. In addition to simplifying and expediting problem solving, these patterns of invention can be used to predict trends in technological systems, as well as improve and expand the scope of patent filings. The case applied TRIZ, but is presented only in the field of industry and safety. If the problems occur in other fields, finding the solution is difficult relatively. Furthermore, TRIZ is difficult to access in chemical processes due to inapplicability and ambiguity of terminology. This study focuses on the development of a modified algorithm called chemTRIZ to be applied for innovation of chemical processes.

This study is shown how chemTRIZ helps solve technical contradictions during the development process. ChemTRIZ selects the 39 technical variables again in accordance with chemical processes to solve problems of any existing TRIZ. ChemTRIZ is classified into four main factors of common problems in the chemical processes:Process Design, Operation, Material, and Safety. Those are classified by types of problems that happen mainly in chemical processes based on the probability to occur. ChemTRIZ is composed as what follows. Step 1: Select parts to improve or solve. Step 2: Separate and focus on a specific part that can cause a problem. Step 3: Identify parameters for improvement in each part. Step 4: Formulate a contradiction like, ‘I want to improve the parameter X, but the parameter Y gets worse', Using the table of chemical engineering elements and the corresponding parameters. Step 5: If X is Y, contradiction is physical contradiction. If X isn't Y, contradiction is technical contradiction. Step 6: If contradiction is defined not to solve the separation rules and contradiction, the algorithm returns to step 4.

The proposed chemTRIZ algorithm is applied to four kinds of cases that have been studied: the efficiency of the transporting pipe in the batch process of UPR (Unsaturated Polyester Resin), the effectiveness of partitioning walls structure with reactions in the sewage treatment plants, the space use and refrigerant recovery system of waste pretreatment process, and the temperature control system of the water heater. First, the problems of UPR process are in the transferring of a reacted polymer resin from the reactor to the thinning tank and the stirring of the impeller in the reactor. The proposed algorithm gives a solution by using the principles of asymmetry, increasing curvature and partition. Second, the problems of sewage treatment plants are the shortness of HRT (Hydraulic Retention Time) and the discharge of phosphorus. The HRT needs to be longer and the phosphorus wasn't absorbed enough in the aerobic bioreactor because the return sludge was in poured in the anaerobic bioreactor. Local quality, asymmetry, and intermediates are proposed as the principles to solve this case. Third, the problems of waste pretreatment processes are the efficient uses of the space and refrigerant recovery. The waste pretreatment system takes up large space because the processes were processing in the two-line process and the sedentariness. We propose the principles of local quality, reversal, dimension changes, and continuity of useful actions to improve the problems. Last case was the temperature control system of the water heater. The temperature control system had some difficulties to control due to sudden changes of steam pressure. The proposed algorithm uses the principles of local quality, feedback, and intermediate, self-service, and parameter changes to make an efficient control system.

This study proposes a ChemTRIZ algorithm to improve the problems that happen in chemical industrial processes. The proposed algorithm has been tested with four kinds of chemical processes and can give some effective solutions for the process innovation in the chemical process industry.