Multi-objective optimization of sustainability criteria in the design of chemical plants

Assessing and enhancing the sustainability of chemical processes is a key challenge for chemical engineering. Sustainability is usually conjugated in three distinct but interconnected dimensions or pillars: economic, environmental, and social. In order to develop a sustainable process, the three pillars should be harmonized. In most cases, these pillars conflict with each other and a compromise may be found by solving a multi-objective optimization (MOO) problem. This paper proposes a solution strategy for the MOO of sustainability in the conceptual design of chemical plants. Two different approaches are analyzed and discussed, based on Pareto's fronts analysis and scalarization technique.