Decomposing the information-flow net is the first task in process simulation of a complex process flowsheet. Among the efforts since the 1960s dedicated to this subject for finding the best set of tear streams that guarantees fast convergence and minimal computation time

most strategies involve two stages of decomposition

namely

indentification of loops in the net

and tearing them afterwards. The optimal solution of the decomposition problem usually cannot be obtained without considerable expenditure of computation time. The new method for decomposition of nets in this paper avoids the need of identification of loops and any matrix operation. By converting two-dimensional net to a onedimensional node sequence according to the decreas ing magnitude of "node weights"

which can be easily counted in terms of the adjacent matrix of the"joint nodes"

each of which connects three or more streams

followed by adjusting the node positions in the sequence in such a way that the total of weights of counter-streams decreases after the adjustment

one quickly reaches the optimal set ef tear streatns and the final node sequence

which determines the computation order in simulation. The decomposition procedure and its advantage are demonstrated by seven examples commonly referred to.