Layout Optimization of Chemical Process based on Individual Risks

Economically efficient layout of chemical processes has been researched widely and many great algorithms or methodologies have been found. However, layout of chemical processes requires not only the economic feasibility but also the safety consideration since they contain many dangerous equipment and/or hazardous materials. In particular, quantitative risks to humans near the process include workers inside the process site and public people outside the process boundary should be controlled to minimize the damage from possible accident. In this study, individual risk (IR) is used as a risk indices of process equipment to account the direct risk to humans. By converting IR to safety distance and implementing it into layout optimization framework, economically optimal layout of facilities that satisfies the risk tolerance limit can be found.