Symmetry as the Primary Driver of Process Efficiencies

In general, the description of a process will contain factors which represent inefficiencies with respect to energy use, equipment size, waste production, modeling complications, human workload etc. Because symmetries can set the contribution of individual factors in a process description to zero, all of these diverse inefficiencies can be addressed in a generally similar manner.

As an example of this reasoning, symmetric fluid transporting fractals have been designed which perform as functional alternatives to the energy dissipative and uncontrolled characteristics of turbulence (a particularly asymmetric phenomena). These devices can be used in place of turbulence in distributors, mixers and reactors.