# SFILES 2.0: An extended text-based flowsheet representation

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2208.00778 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.00778/

## Key facts

- Cited by 10 papers in the map (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 0 of its 26 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 25 Jul 2022.

## Built on by (most cited first, 10 of 10)

- [Toward automatic generation of control structures for process flow diagrams with large language models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.05583/) (2022)
- [Learning from flowsheets: A generative transformer model for autocompletion of flowsheets](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.00859/) (2022)
- [Deep reinforcement learning for process design: Review and perspective](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.07822/) (2023)
- [Generative AI and Process Systems Engineering: The Next Frontier](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2402.10977/) (2024)
- [Toward autocorrection of chemical process flowsheets using large language models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2312.02873/) (2023)
- [Graph-to-SFILES: Control structure prediction from process topologies using generative artificial intelligence](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2412.00508/) (2024)
- [Context is all you need: Towards autonomous model-based process design using agentic AI in flowsheet simulations](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.12813/) (2026)
- [Data augmentation for machine learning of chemical process flowsheets](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2302.03379/) (2023)
- [CRAFTS: Collaborative Role-Adaptive Fine-Tuning of LLM Agents for Chemical Process Simulation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.01369/) (2026)
- [LLMs in Process Diagram Engineering: From Optimal PFDs to Validated P&IDs](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2608.11220/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

SFILES are a text-based notation for chemical process flowsheets. They were originally proposed by d'Anterroches (Process flow sheet generation & design through a group contribution approach) who was inspired by the text-based SMILES notation for molecules. The text-based format has several advantages compared to flowsheet images regarding the storage format, computational accessibility, and eventually for data analysis and processing. However, the original SFILES version cannot describe essential flowsheet configurations unambiguously, such as the distinction between top and bottom products. Neither is it capable of describing the control structure required for the safe and reliable operation of chemical processes. Also, there is no publicly available software for decoding or encoding chemical process topologies to SFILES. We propose the SFILES 2.0 with a complete description of the extended notation and naming conventions. Additionally, we provide open-source software for the automated conversion between flowsheet graphs and SFILES 2.0 strings. This way, we hope to encourage researchers and engineers to publish their flowsheet topologies as SFILES 2.0 strings. The ultimate goal is to set the standards for creating a FAIR database of chemical process flowsheets, which would be of great value for future data analysis and processing.