Stochastic Modelling in Process Technology This is volume 211 in MATHEMATICS IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING Edited by C.K. Chui, Stanford University A list of recent titles in this series appears at the end of this volume. Stochastic Modelling in Process Technology Herold G. Dehling DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS RUHR-UNIVERSITÄT BOCHUM BOCHUM, GERMANY Timo Gottschalk DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS RUHR-UNIVERSITÄT BOCHUM BOCHUM, GERMANY Alex C. Hoffmann DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERSITY OF BERGEN BERGEN, NORWAY ELSEVIER Amsterdam – Boston – Heidelberg – London – New York – Oxford Paris – San Diego – San Francisco – Singapore – Sydney – Tokyo Elsevier Radarweg 29, PO Box 211, 1000 AE Amsterdam, The Netherlands Linacre House, Jordan Hill, Oxford OX2 8DP, U.K. First edition 2007 Copyright © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior written permission of the publisher Permissions may be sought directly from Elsevier’s Science & Technology Rights Department in Oxford, UK: phone (+44) (0) 1865 843830; fax (+44) (0) 1865 853333; email: