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SummaryThe evaluation and optimization of flexible chemical processes remains one of the most challenging problems in Process Systems Engineering. In this paper an overview of recent methods for quantifying the property of flexibility in chemical plants will be presented. As will be shown, these methods are gradually evolving form deterministic worst-case measures for feasible operation to stochastic measures that account for the distribution functions of the uncertain parameters. Another trend is the simultaneous handling of discrete and continuous uncertainties with the aim of developing measures for flexibility and reliability that can be integrated within a common framework. It will be then shown how some of these measures can be incorporated in the optimization of chemical processes. In particular, the problems of retrofit design to improve flexibility at minimum cost will be discussed as well as the optimization of flexibility for multiproduct batch plants.

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