Optimal capacity and operation of deteriorating chemical production service facilities

In this paper, we propose a model for the allocation of identical service facilities for restoring deteriorating production (e.g., batch chemical) processes. The problem is motivated by and solved for the new Dead Sea Works Ltd. magnesium plant. The production system consists of a number of identical production cells, each requiring a set of service tasks. The model determines both the optimal number of servers and the service rate allocated to each service task. The model takes into account the breakdown and repair processes for the service facilities. Thus, the optimal service rate is calculated and assigned according to the random number of available service facilities. Insightful results are provided by both analytical and numerical sensitivity analysis.