A novel method for the globally optimal design of fixed bed catalytic reactors

Abstract

Fixed bed reactors are usually designed using simulation approaches by trying different dimensions as well as operating conditions followed by verification if the desired conversion is achieved. This trial and verification procedure does not guarantee optimality, just a feasible and reasonably good design (depending on the expertise of the designer). Cost minimization or profit maximization using optimization procedures is more rigorous, but it has been rarely employed. The methods usually employed in the literature for solving this design problem present limitations. In this article, we solve the design problem of fixed bed catalytic reactors globally. We use Partial Set Trimming followed by Smart Enumeration, a recently developed rigorous global optimization procedure. The reactor investigated is composed of a tube bundle, filled with a catalyst, inside a shell containing boiling water. We compare the performance of the proposed approach with the use of metaheuristics-based tools, which do not guarantee optimality.