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National Technical University of Athens

School of Chemical Engineering


Department II: Process Analysis and Plant Design

Lecture 5: System decomposition

Instructor: . Kokossis
Laboratory teaching staff: . Nikolakopoulos
Decomposition methods, partitioning and ranking

Overview
Motivation

Assignment problem

Partitioning methods

Precedence order
Decomposition methods, partitioning and ranking
Example Let us examine the system:
f1 : x1 + x 4 10 =
0
f 2 : x 22 x 4 x 3 x 5 6 =0

2 ( 4)
f 3 : x1 x1.7 x 8 =0
f 4 : x 4 3x1 + 6 =0
f 5 : x1 x 3 x 5 + 6 =0

Non-linear system. Direct solution requires the solution of a 55 system


with successive linearizations and iterations based on one of the known
methods
Alternatively we would like to
solve smaller systems (decomposition)
defined in a particular order (ranking)
That are solved one by one (partitioning), basically reducing the
requirements of the bigger problem
Decomposition methods, partitioning and ranking
Indeed, as we shall see in the sequel

f1 : x1 + x 4 10 =
0
f 2 : x 22 x 4 x 3 x 5 6 =0

2 ( 4)
f 3 : x1 x1.7 x 8 =0 S1: 2x2 S2: 1x1 S3: 2x2

f 4 : x 4 3x1 + 6 =0
f 5 : x1 x 3 x 5 + 6 =0

Our system can be analysed into three subsystems


One system S1: 22, one unit S2, and a third also S3, 22
Thus we can solve : S1 > S2 > S3 instead of the initial
Objective: Generalized and systematic methods
what/how much subsystems can be created
what is the order that these have to be solved
Decomposition methods, partitioning and ranking

Methodology

Problem representation

Equation-variable assignment problem

Analytical and heuristic subsystems selection methods (partitioning)

Calculation sequencing and convergence algorithm development


(precedence order)
Incidence matrix
Analysis based on systems structure (not the solution of equations)

Incidence (or occurrence) matrix

We can permute the order of appearance of the rows and columns in the
matrix

What is the significance of these permutations;


Permutations and transformations
By changing
Columns: (f2, f3); (f2, f4); (f2,f5); (f3,f4)
Rows: (x2, x4); (x2,x3)

Our system has indeed analyzed into three subsystems


S1: (f1,f3)x(x1,x4)
S2: (f4)x(x2)
S3: (f5,f2)x(x3,x5)
That can be solved in this order: S1>S2>S3
Is there a systematic way to find these permutations?
The assignment problem

Assignment problem:
(Steward 1962)
Match each variable with ONE and ONLY ONE equation

The variable assigned to each equation is called output variable for that
equation (implying that the system can b solved for that variable using
other variables that have been already been calculated)
x1 output variable of f1, x5 of f2 etc.
Assignment problem theory
If the is no matching then the matrix is structurally singular, i.e. we have a
number of redundant equations
When the assignment problem has a unique solution then (and only then)
the system can be full partitioned, i.e. the system is decomposed into the
smaller possible subsystems, where each one of them consists of one
variable and one equations
In our example we have multiple solutions, therefore it is no possible to
end up into a full partitioning

or

How do we find these assignments?


Analytic and heuristic assignment methods
Heuristic methods

Basic heuristic

Choose the column (or row) with the smaller number of elements

From this column, select that row with the less number of elelments

The common element column/row is the output variable of the equation


that corresponds to this line

The simple method is now sufficient, but through variations (e.g.


Steward path) it can replace analytical methods

Analytical methods

Formulate and solve an optimization problem (Gupta 1974)


Heuristic methods

Column selection: choose among x2 (2), x3 (2), x5(2);

Select x2(2)

Row selection: choose among f2(4), f3 (3);

Select f3

Assign f3-x2: x2 is the output variable of f3

Delete columns/rows and continue


Heuristic methods (2)

Column selection: choose among x3 (2) x5 (2); select x3(2)


Row selection: choose among f2(3) f5 (3); select f2

Assign f2-x3: x3 is the output variable of f2


Heuristic methods (3)

Column selection: select x5 (2); Row selection: select f5

The next steps select x1-f1 and x4-f4


Analytical mthods
The assignment problem can be expressed as

, = 1 , = 1,2,

, = 1 , = 1,2,

Where
i,j: rows and columns of the matrix
Yi,j: binary variable that defines if xj is an output variable of fi (Yi,j=1) or
not (Yi,j=0)
The problem is theoretical difficult in large systems, BUT we can prove
that by relaxing the binary variables as continuous, the problem is solved
to an integer solution (thus it is practically easy).
Partitioning and ranking
Directed graphs:
Represent each equation as a graph
Define directed arcs between
graphs fi and fj when and only when
the output variable of fi appears in fj

f1 f2 f3 f4 f5
Partitioning and ranking
Partitioning procedure:
Basic idea: Systematic grouping of graphs into subsystems with parallel
classification of the resulting subsystems
Begin by any graph recording moves from directed arcs.
The arcs will end
a) Either in graph already visited
b) Either in a graph without an output
In case (a) we merge the graphs between two consecutive visits to a group
(partition groups). We merge graphs and arcs and we continue.
In case (b), the graph that is recognized without output passes into a ranking
list. Then we remove the graph and all its connections from the system and
we continue.
Example

f1 f2 f3 f4 f5

Route f1 > f3 > f2> f5 > f2. From (a) we merge f2-f5 in one graph

f1 f3 f4 f2 f5

Repeat route: f1 > f3 > f2f5, without exit. From (b) we cancel graph f2f5 and
we pass it into a ranking list.
Ranking list
f2f5
Example

f1 f3 f4

New route: f1 > f3. Without exit. From (b) we cancel graph f3 and we pass it
into the ranking list
Ranking list
f2f5 f1 f4
f3

Route f1 > f4 > f1. From (a) we merge f2-f5 in one graph. We add the
merged graph into the ranking list

Ranking list
f2f5 partition group 1
f3 partition group 2
f1f4 partition group 3
Partitioning and ranking properties

Partitioning recognizes automatically the subsystems required by the


sequential simulator
The method results in parallel partitioning and ranking
The assignment problem can have many solutions but the partitioning
problem has only one (Steward, 1962)
The only variation in different partitioning solutions can result from the
permutations in the order of equations that constitute the partitioning
groups
Ranking list Ranking list Ranking list
f2f5 group 1 f2f5 group 1 f5f2 group 1
f3 group 2 f3 group 2 f3 group 2
f1f4 group 3 f4f1 group 3 f1f4 group 3
Equation solving

Partitioning offers some obvious advantages


A big problem can be solved trough smaller problems
Initialization is required only for the first partitioning group. Initialization is
not required for the remaining groups
The tool that have been developed
Assignment
Partitioning
Ranking
Do not refer to a particular type of simulation and can be applied in
combination with alternative convergence methods (e.g. sequential or
simultaneous simulation)
Simulation example for Flash vessel

Simple flash solution for three components.

Initial system: 15 equations, 20 variables


We define F, z1, z2, P, T. The resulting
system is 15x15
Assignment methods can be used to
define is the combination of the variables
is acceptable
The system can be solved as it is (it is
already sparse enough)
Alternatively we can partition it
Simulation example for Flash vessel
Partitioning: 8 unit subsystems and one 8x8
system
The 8x8 system can be solved directly or with
tearing
What variable should be selected for
tearing;
Partitioning in 7x7 system
3 subsystems 2x2. f14 becomes the
convergence equation
Notes

Partitioning
Can be applied either at the large system of the flowsheet or in the
solution framework of the solution of the process balances of the
flowsheet
Tear variables
Are related to the incidence matrix and can be selected based on its
structure
Appear, as in the partitioning case, either in the total flowsheet
framework, either in the framework of a particular process.

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