The 3rd Process Systems Engineering (PSE) State of the Art Workshop Held Successfully

From April 7th to 10th, 2024, the 3rd Process Systems Engineering (PSE) State of the Art Workshop was successfully held at the Jinxi Hotel in Hangzhou. Hosted by Zhejiang University, the workshop received the support from the College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, State Key Laboratory of Industrial Control Technology, International Joint Research Center of Quality-targeted Process Optimization and Control, and Zhejiang Association of Automation. The workshop focused on 7 topics which are Opportunities and Challenges in Process Systems Engineering Planning, Scheduling and Supply Chain  Batch Process Control  Sustainable Development  Process Modeling and Optimization  and Special Industrial Topics and invited 24 international experts and scholars from top universities across Asia, Europe and America, as well as five experts from industries to give speeches.

Professor Chen Xi, Director of Institute of Industrial Intelligence and Systems Engineering, Zhejiang University, and Professor Rafiqul Gani, former President of the European Federation of Chemical Engineering, served as the chairs of the organizing committee. Professor Shao Zhijiang, Director of the International Joint Research Center of Quality-targeted Process Optimization and Control, served as the chair of the executive committee. Nearly 100 scholars and students attended the workshop.

During the opening ceremony on the morning of April 8th, Professor Rafiqul Gani and Professor Chen Xi, on behalf of the organizing committee, reviewed the history of the workshop and outlined the prospects for this year. Professor Shao Zhijiang, on behalf of the organizer, delivered a welcoming speech, introducing the College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University and the International Joint Research Center, and warmly welcoming the guests.

Subsequently, Professor Gonzalo Guillén-Gosálbez from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich, Professor David E. Bernal Neira from Purdue University, Professor Antonios Armaou from Pennsylvania State University, Professor Dominic C.Y. Foo from the University of Nottingham Malaysia, and Professor Zhao Jinsong from Tsinghua University elaborated on the frontier advancements and future trends in process systems engineering from different perspectives. The reports covered research prospects and challenges in areas such as safety feasibility, quantum computing, environmentally friendly photo-polymerization processes, carbon capture processes, and intelligent dynamic risk warning systems.

On the afternoon of April 8th, Professor Metin Turkay from Koch University in Turkey, Professor Mariano Martin from the University of Salamanca in Spain, and Professor Kosan Roh from Chungnam National University in South Korea introduced a series of methods for solving planning, scheduling, and supply chain problems. Professor Furong Gao from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology and Professor Lu Jingyi from the East China University of Science and Technology showcased advanced control strategies for various batch processes.

On the morning of April 9th, Professor Marianthi Ierapetritou from the University of Delaware, Professor Mauricio Sales-Cruz, Vice President of the UAM-Cuajimalpa in Mexico, Professor Zhou Teng from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou), Professor Amornchai Arpornwichanop from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand, and Professor Lin Dongqiang from the College of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Zhejiang University introduced new technologies in process systems engineering to promote sustainability.

On the afternoon of April 9th, Professor Chen Xi shared the mechanism of process modeling and data integration methods, while Professor Luis Ricardez-Sandoval from the University of Waterloo in Canada and Professor Li Xiang from the College of Control Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University shared new algorithms for integer programming and global optimization in process optimization.

Subsequently, experts from the industries such as Gong Han, CEO of the Shanghai Amino Chemical Co., Ltd, Li Lei, one of the department directors of SINOPEC Engineering Incorporation, Chen Bo, one of the department directors of SINOPEC (Dalian) Petrochemical Research Institute Co., Ltd, Jiang Ke, Engineer from Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd, and Feng Yongjun, one of the department directorsof China Kunlun Contracting and Engineering Corporation discussed innovative industrial applications of process systems engineering from the perspectives of intelligent manufacturing, digital twins, industrial intelligence, and process control.

On the morning of April 10th, Professor Hirokazu Sugiyama from the University of Tokyo, Professor Syeda Sultana Razia from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, Professor Zhang Lei from Dalian University of Technology, and Professor Luke Achenie from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, USA detailed new methods in hybrid modeling and deep learning. Subsequently, Professor Rafiqul Gani delivered a report titled PSE Perspectives: the Good, the Very Good and the Not So Good providing a systematic outlook on the future development of process systems engineering. Finally, Professor Chen Xi and Professor Gani concluded the workshop.

Throughout the workshop, focused discussions with corresponding speakers were organized after each speech and report. Attendees actively exchanged ideas, asked questions, and discussed enthusiastically. Many students and corporate delegates also actively participated in the discussion, creating a lively atmosphere. Each discussion session lasted for nearly an hour.

The workshop also attracted numerous attendees from universities, research institutes, and industries, including Zhejiang University, Tsinghua University, Tianjin University, Dalian University of Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, East China University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, China University of Petroleum, Ocean University of China, Hefei University of Technology, Zhejiang University of Technology, Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Wenzhou University, Xiamen University of Technology, Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, Huzhou Industrial Control Technology Research Institute, Quzhou Research Institute of Zhejiang University, and the SZ-HK Collaborative Innovation Research Institute, HKUST, as well as enterprises such as SINOPEC Engineering Incorporation, SINOPEC (Dalian) Petrochemical Research Institute Co., Ltd, Wanhua Chemical Group Co., Ltd, Shanghai Amino Chemical Co., Ltd, and China Kunlun Contracting and Engineering Corporation.

The workshop promoted the exchange of the latest research results and technologies in the international field of process systems engineering, deepened academic exchanges between domestic and international process systems engineering, promoted the transformation of the latest scientific and technological achievements, and facilitated the integration of industry, academia, research, and application. Experts and scholars will continue to work together to promote the innovative development of process systems engineering and make positive contributions to addressing future challenges in this field.