Introduction to

Optimum Design

Cheng-Liang Chen

PSE

LABORATORY

Department of Chemical Engineering

National TAIWAN University

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Introduction to Design
Several systems can usually accomplish the same task,
and some are better than others
Any problem in which certain parameters need to be
determined to satisfy constraints can be formulated as
an optimum design problem
The design of systems can be formulated as problems
of optimization where a measure of performance is to
be optimized while satisfying all the constraints

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Iterative Design Process

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Conventional Design Process

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Optimum Design Process

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Conventional Design Process

vs Optimum Design Process
Conventional Design:
An objective function measuring system performance is not
identified
Trend information is not calculated to make design decisions for
improving systems
Most decisions are made based on designers experience and
intuition

Optimum Design:
Optimum design process forces designer to identify explicitly
a set of design variables, a cost function to be minimized
(a performance function to be optimized), and the constraint
functions for the system
( proper mathematical formulation of design problem)
Using trend information to make decisions
Aided by the designers interaction

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Basic Terminology and Notation

US-British SI Units

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Basic Terminology and Notation

Sets and Points
A point or vector in n-dimensional space

x1
h
iT
x2

x=
.. = x1 x2 xn (x1, x2, , xn)

xn

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Geometrical representation for the set



2
2
S = x = (x1, x2) | (x1 4) + (x2 4) 9

Note: (0, 0) 6 S,

(3, 3) S

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Basic Terminology and Notation

Notation for Constraints
The set S defines points within and on the circle of
radius 3 centered at (4, 4)


2
2
S = x = (x1, x2) | (x1 4) + (x2 4) 9

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Basic Terminology and Notation

Norm/Length of A Vector

(x y) = xT y =

n
X

xiyi

i=1

v
uX

u n 2

||x|| =
x x = xT x = t
xi
i=1

x y = ||x||||y|| cos
n
X
y = Ax =
a(i)xi

yi =

i=1

xT Ax = (x Ax) =

n
X
i=1

xi

n
X
j=1

n
X

aij xj

j=1

aij xj =

n X
n
X
i=1 j=1

aij xixj

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Basic Terminology and Notation

Functions

f (x) = f (x1, x2, , xn)

gi(x) = gi(x1, x2, , xn)
h
iT
g(x) = g1(x) g2(x) gm(x)

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Basic Terminology and Notation

Continuous and Discontinuous Functions
A function f (x) of n variables is called continuous at a point x if
for any  > 0, there is a > 0 such that |f (x) f (x)| < 
whenever ||x x|| <