Patent ID: 8788068

Claim:
A method for operating a production facility comprising: (a) programming a computer to construct a mathematical model of the production facility, wherein the mathematical model includes a representation of a first process unit, a second process unit, and a tank production entity; wherein the first process unit and the second process unit transform materials that enter and exit the first and the second process units; wherein the tank production entity stores materials handled by the production facility; wherein the first process unit is represented by a submodel containing a set of equations that model the behavior of the first process unit, a number of equations in the submodel for the first process unit being related to a number of operational time intervals for the first process unit; wherein the second process unit is represented by a submodel containing a set of equations that model the behavior of the second process unit, a number of equations in the submodel for the second process unit being related to a number of operational time intervals for the second process unit; wherein the tank production entity is represented by a submodel containing a set of equations that model the behavior of the tank production entity, the number of equations in the submodel for the tank production entity being related to the number of operational time intervals for the first process unit and the number of operational time intervals for the second process unit, wherein the mathematical model further includes decision variables relating to a duration of each of the operational time intervals of the first process unit and the second process unit; (b) solving the mathematical model to obtain solution results for the first process unit, the second process unit, and the tank production entity; (c) using the solution results to determine an operational plan for the production facility; and (d) operating the production facility according to the operational plan.