Model Based System Design to Support Variability and Flexibility, and Early Bidding Phase of New Procurement

Abstract

A generic design of a complex industrial system allows the reduction in engineering cost and time to market because of the ability to adapt a technical solution given a particular context. We present in this study a model-based design approach that allows managing variability and flexibility in design to support both near- and long-term decisions. A case study addressing a solar desalination combination problem illustrates this approach. The produced models are organized in an open-web decision support system, which governs access to an integrated suite of models. This suite includes computational models for the operation of three desalination and two solar technologies and a life-cycle investment model, first developed as stand-alone applications and then modularized with the web platform to provide a set of linked models. In addition, to assist a collaborative design of solar desalination plants, a possible application of this work is to support a new e-bidding process.