(54cn) Bacterial Foraging Optimization Algorithm for Safety Based-Process Plant Layouts

The following article approaches application of inherent safety principles to a process plant layout design based on a bacterial-foraging optimization algorithm. Our approach seeks to maximize the inherent safety level, quantifying it with previously proposed inherent safety frameworks. A computational tool is produced for risk assessment, based on the Inherent Safety Index Module (ISIM) and the Integrated Inherent Safety Index (I2SI). Both approached indices employ process information, such as operating conditions and equipment sizing to develop quantification of damage for fire and explosion cases, although the former includes risk calculation based on consequence and probability estimation modules. Layout-based considerations, such as equipment life cycle, ease of escape and firefighting, wind direction and location of off-site facilities are also considered. The algorithm, inspired on bacterial foraging, places a set of main process units within a specified area and evaluates the aforementioned aspects in order to assess the suitability of a given layout in economic terms. The proposed solution approach provides an alternative to hard-optimization methods, by allowing greater flexibility in accounting for both safety and economic aspects, while providing high quality solutions in a limited computation time. The aim of our proposed solution approach is to provide support to expert decision-making during the early plant layout design stages. A case study based on an acrylic-acid production plant, which has been used by several other articles in the literature, serves the purposes of showing the appropriateness and effectiveness of the method.