Inherent Safety Evaluation in Chemical Process Design
Summary
Inherent safety evaluation in chemical process design constitutes a proactive framework aimed at removing or reducing hazards at their source rather than relying on add-on protective measures. It is founded on four guiding principles—minimisation of hazardous inventories, substitution of less dangerous materials, moderation of process conditions and simplification of equipment and procedures. These principles have been translated into quantitative indices, consequence-modelling tools and integrated risk-assessment frameworks that balance safety with economic and environmental objectives. Contemporary approaches harness data-driven decision support, uncertainty quantification and multi-criteria optimisation to ensure robust design choices. The global impetus for sustainable development, stringent regulations and decarbonisation strategies is accelerating the adoption of inherently safer designs across sectors, from clean-fuel systems and advanced polymer processes to emerging biochemical production routes, thereby enhancing operational resilience and societal well-being.
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Inherent Safety Evaluation in Chemical Process Design publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in inherent safety evaluation in chemical process design across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
inherent safety: A design philosophy that seeks to eliminate or minimise hazards at the source rather than control them through added safeguards.
inherently safer design: The systematic incorporation of inherent safety principles—minimisation, substitution, moderation and simplification—into chemical processes from the earliest stages.
Monte Carlo analysis: A statistical technique using repeated random sampling to evaluate the impact of uncertainty on system performance or risk metrics.
fuzzy inference system: A logic-based framework that translates qualitative expert knowledge into quantitative assessments under uncertainty using fuzzy set theory.
hazard footprint: A composite measure of the spatial extent and severity of potential hazard impacts, used to compare inherent safety performance across design options.
References
- Development of an inherent system safety index (ISSI) for ranking of chemical processes at the concept development stage. Journal of Hazardous Materials (2021).
- A Knowledge-Driven Model to Assess Inherent Safety in Process Infrastructure. Safety (2023).
- Hazard footprint of alternative fuel storage concepts for hydrogen-powered urban buses. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy (2024).
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