Complex Process Networks: Passivity and Optimality

We introduce a novel modelling framework for studying dynamics,distributed control, and optimization of complex networks made up of chemicalprocesses. We are interested in developing self-organizing structures so thatstability and optimality follows as a consequence of how the networks are puttogether and how they are connected with boundary conditions or other networks.By considering only the topology of the system and basic conservation principles,a result analogous to Tellegen's Theorem of electrical circuit theory is produced.Using this result and passivity theory, a network is shown to converge to astationary point when the °ow relationships are positive. Also, under similarconditions, it is shown that the network is self-optimizing in that the entropyproduction is minimized.