Presented at the AVI 2010 workshop on Interactive Data Exploration and Knowledge Discovery, Rome, May 2010.

1. Design Visualisation Conclusions
An interactive exploration environment for complex
process design
Eric S Fraga
Centre for Process Systems Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
UCL
25 May 2010
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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2. Design Visualisation Conclusions
The problem of design
Process design should be informed by robust optimisation with
condence in results to aid in insight generation.
Diculties
Cost versus Pressure
complex non-linear, non-convex,
discontinuous noisy models,
1500
1400
1300
combinatorial search space,
1200
Cost (k$/yr)
1100
1000
900
800
small, possibly non-convex, feasible
700
600
regions,
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Pressure (atm)
ill- or un-dened objective function
and constraint equations outside
feasible regions, and
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3. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Visualisation and interaction
Computer based tools for design and optimization are
intended for use by non-experts.
Visual representations critical for ease of use.
Interaction can enable engineer to apply own intuition.
Strategy is to combine data analytics, visualisation, and robust
(hybrid) optimisation.
Applications in energy, water, carbon capture, sustainability,
and control.
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4. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Example: Heat integrated design
Task
Identify potential
integrations for given
conguration.
Enable process
modication for
better integration.
Help engineer identify
design alternatives.
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5. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Motivation
Complex interactions which are dicult to visualise:
1
Normalised values
0
R1 R2 P1 P2 P3 R3 R4 P4 $ Qh Qc
Design variables and objectives
Motivates need for design specic visualisation methods.
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6. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Requirements
The visualisation and interaction tool must address the
following issues
represents the underlying designs
indicates relative performance for one or more criteria
is scalable for large design spaces
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7. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Solution: 2-d representation
Features: units represented, designs connected, scalable
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8. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Connectivity
Procedure
discrete sampling of space
generated by rst stage search
procedure.
connectivity represented by an
acyclic graph
edges connect neighbours based on
similarity.
neighbourhood identication
algorithm is greedy so could be
improved.
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9. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Scalability
Properties
current design centred.
specic unit highlighted.
other designs are smaller the
further away they are.
vertical position depends on
Example with 1000 direction of design changes.
design points.
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10. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Solution: 3-d representation
Features: relative performance of designs indicated
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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11. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Interaction: Model-view-control
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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12. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Demonstration
Steps
Controller
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13. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Demonstration
Steps
Controller
Initial 3d view
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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14. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Demonstration
Steps
Controller
Initial 3d view
Rotating. . .
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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15. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Demonstration
Steps
Controller
Initial 3d view
Rotating. . .
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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16. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Demonstration
Steps
Controller
Initial 3d view
Rotating. . .
Next point . . .
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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17. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Demonstration
Steps
Controller
Initial 3d view
Rotating. . .
Next point . . .
. . . and next . . .
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18. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Demonstration
Steps
Controller
Initial 3d view
Rotating. . .
Next point . . .
. . . and next . . .
. . . and again . . .
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19. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Demonstration
Steps
Controller
Initial 3d view
Rotating. . .
Next point . . .
. . . and next . . .
. . . and again . . .
. . . to the best.
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20. Design Visualisation Conclusions
3-d scalability
Steps
Initial 3d view
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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21. Design Visualisation Conclusions
3-d scalability
Steps
Initial 3d view
Rotating . . .
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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22. Design Visualisation Conclusions
3-d scalability
Steps
Initial 3d view
Rotating . . .
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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23. Design Visualisation Conclusions
3-d scalability
Steps
Initial 3d view
Rotating . . .
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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24. Design Visualisation Conclusions
3-d scalability
Steps
Initial 3d view
Rotating . . .
Next point . . .
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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25. Design Visualisation Conclusions
3-d scalability
Steps
Initial 3d view
Rotating . . .
Next point . . .
and rotated.
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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26. Design Visualisation Conclusions
3-d scalability
Steps
Initial 3d view
Rotating . . .
Next point . . .
and rotated.
Next point . . .
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27. Design Visualisation Conclusions
3-d scalability
Steps
Initial 3d view
Rotating . . .
Next point . . .
and rotated.
Next point . . .
and rotated.
An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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28. Design Visualisation Conclusions
Summary
interactive M-V-C
design exploration
scalable
representation of
alternative designs
targeted design
problem visualisation
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An interactive exploration environment for complex process design
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