Global Capital/Total Annualized Cost Minimization of Homogeneous and Isothermal Reactor Networks

Abstract

The minimum capital cost/total annualized cost (MCC/MTAC) problem is investigated, within the infinite-dimensional state-space (IDEAS) framework, for homogeneous and isothermal reactor networks. The resulting mathematical formulation is an infinite-dimensional program with linear constraints and a separable concave objective function to be minimized. The global optimum of this infinite program is approximated through global solution of a series of finite-dimensional programs with concave separable objective functions and linear feasible regions. A branch-and-bound algorithm is used to solve globally each of these finite programs. The proposed methodology is illustrated with a reactor network synthesis case study aiming at capital cost minimization.