Alternative Process Configurations Research Articles

Innovative vanillin yielding from lignin: process modelling and assessment

In this work, we present the modelling of a novel process to promote vanillin production from lignin using PODIC®. The model includes the PODIC® production, lignin depolymerisation, and final product separation. Furthermore, a complete assessment of the proposed process in terms of economic and environmental performance was carried out. Regarding the economic evaluation, a comprehensive study was done leading to high investment (13.76 €/kg lignin) and operational (5.16 €/kg lignin) costs. The main reasons for the elevated costs were identified and alternative process configurations were evaluated. Despite this, the main result was that the proposed process is challenging to commercialize. An environmental analysis of the environmental impacts generated by the overall production process of vanillin and phenolic compounds was carried out considering energy consumption, human health, greenhouse gas emissions, water consumption and human toxicity. Electricity consumption of the PODIC® reactor was identified as the hotspot of the system. The CO2 emissions were also compared with the Borregaard process and found to be similar.

Unraveling the alternative process configurations for more environmentally friendly Maleic Anhydride production

This study aims to propose and evaluate alternative configurations for producing maleic anhydride (MA) through the n-butane oxidation pathway to enhance overall environmental friendliness. Seven alternative configurations, which vary in the number of non-adiabatic reactors and heat exchange methods, as well as the stripping agents used for recovering MA in the purification section, are rigorously designed and comprehensively compared. Among the proposed configurations, we have found that the one utilizing single reactor with co-current cooling and water as the stripping agent (Scheme 2) shows the most promise. It has an optimal yield of 70.0 %, an energy efficiency of 97.52 %, and exergy efficiency of 44.92 %. A cradle-to-gate life cycle impact assessment determines a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of 0.091 kg-CO2eq/kg-MA from this scheme. In contrast, a techno-economic evaluation determines a minimum required selling price (MRSP) of 0.965 USD/kg-MA from this scheme. All these indicators are superior compared to those documented in the existing literature, suggesting a higher level of environmental friendliness. Subsequently, a suitable control strategy is proposed for the optimized Scheme 2 and evaluated by rejecting various kinds of feed disturbances (i.e., ± 10 % change in feed flowrate, ± 5 % change in molten salt flowrate, 1 % and 2 % of i-butane as feed impurity, and catalyst deactivation up to 40 %). Enhanced controllability is achieved by regulating the flowrate ratio between the flashed liquid and the n-butane (FL/NBU), which promptly indicates the reaction conversion during production. Based on the findings, we have concluded that overall environmental friendliness can be significantly enhanced with moderate modifications in the process configuration, which are easily feasible in the industry.

Bio-methanol with negative CO2 emissions from residual forestry biomass gasification: Modelling and techno-economic assessment of different process configurations

The paper presents a techno-economic comparison among five alternative process configurations for bio-methanol production from the gasification of residual forestry biomass. Process design and simulations are performed in Aspen Plus for mass and energy balance calculation, followed by preliminary sizing and economic analysis. Process schemes include a gasification island (state-of-the-art low-pressure gasification compared against a high-pressure gasifier) with syngas conditioning and compression, heat recovery, syngas composition adjustment (by CO2 capture or addition of hydrogen produced by electrolysis), methanol synthesis and purification and a heat recovery cycle for power generation. CO2 capture is performed with conventional chemical absorption in the benchmark cases, while low-temperature partial condensation of CO2 is modeled in the advanced scenario. Methanol output is 14–15 kt/y in the CO2 capture cases and 36 kt/y in the H2 addition option.Configurations with a pressurized gasifier and phase-change-based CO2 separation are the most efficient ones, with a primary energy efficiency of 50 % and a Levelized Cost of Methanol (LCOM) of 700 €/tMeOH. In comparison, LCOM increases to 730 €/tMeOH in the case with conventional capture or between 792 €/tMeOH and 831 €/tMeOH (depending on the CCS technology) if the gasification pressure is conservatively reduced to 2.5 bar. In the H2 addition scenario, LCOM increases to 821 €/tMeOH due to the significant impact of the electricity consumption for H2 production, (only partly compensated by the increased methanol production). Scenarios with CO2 capture feature negative CO2 emissions, in the range −1.64 to −1.84 tCO2eq/tMeOH, as a result of the capture and storage of biogenic CO2 (BECCS approach).

Implementing a sustainable process for the recovery of palladium from spent catalysts at industrial scale: A LCA approach

Due to its unique physicochemical properties, palladium is widely used in several industry applications (e.g., vehicle emission control). In view of the circular economy, it is essential to explore secondary sources of palladium, such as urban mines. Current technologies for effective palladium recovery involve high energy consumption and severe environmental impact. More recently, a novel green method for recovering palladium from spent catalysts through a combination of mild acidic leaching and photodeposition on ZnO nanoparticles was proposed on a laboratory scale. In the present study, the environmental impacts of this recovery method, properly upscaled and modelled, was assessed by employing the LCA approach. Specifically, a comparative LCA was carried out for the process with as well as without recycling key components, such as Cu (II) and NaCl for the leaching solution and ZnO. The outcomes identified critical areas and drove the investigation of alternative process configurations to reduce its environmental footprint, such as the use of carbon dioxide in the photodeposition process with the aim of decreasing the resulting terrestrial ecotoxicity. This study marks a significant step forward in advancing research toward industrial−scale implementation of palladium recovery. It provides valuable insights for researchers in the field of green physicochemical processes for metal recovery, thus offering guidance for future decision−making towards more sustainable practices.

Conceptualization and application of an environmental dashboard to benchmark technical aspects in photocatalytic hydrogen production

There is a growing interest in direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion, for which photocatalysis is often considered a promising option. Although environmental advantages can be expected for such systems, several aspects should be considered when evaluating its environmental suitability. In this sense, while a complete life-cycle assessment of photocatalytic systems typically involves concerns linked to the low maturity of these technologies and its associated lack of data, this article proposes a novel methodological approach, in the form of a scoring dashboard, to environmentally benchmark technical aspects in photocatalytic hydrogen production. It is based on the identification and quantification of technical and environmental hotspots and thresholds for photocatalytic technologies targeted at producing green hydrogen. In order to illustrate the proposed approach, a case study with alternative process configurations is implemented in the methodological framework. Through this case study, the proposed configurations are assessed in terms of carbon footprint by focusing on three key aspects: sacrificial agent, power consumption, and direct CO2 emissions. In particular, two options for methanol as the sacrificial agent and two options for electricity as energy required for pumping and hydrogen compression are explored. The results show a relevant influence of the sacrificial agent source on the carbon footprint of the produced hydrogen, for which its bio-based origin would be key for the produced hydrogen to be deemed green. The proposed methodological approach is concluded to be a practical solution to benchmark photocatalytic hydrogen production systems, representing a straightforward way to define technical objectives and guide research efforts.

Selection of eco-efficient downstream separation configuration for isopropanol–butanol–ethanol purification process

Nowadays, renewable and cleaner biofuel requirements increase with the increase in economic, environmental, and social concerns. Biobutanol is a preferable alternative fuel due to its outstanding properties compared to other alcohol-based biofuels. Two alternative downstream process configurations are designed in this study to obtain high-purity alcohol products from isopropanol–butanol–ethanol (IBE) fermentation broth with the same feed flowrate and compositions. In process configuration 1, the excess amount of water in the fermentation broth is mainly taken away using a preconcentration column. In process configuration 2, an extractor-extractive distillation hybrid system is used to remove the excess amount of water from the system. The results show that the first configuration is superior with a 62% reduction in total annual cost (TAC). Besides economic superiority, process configuration 1 is also quantitatively better than process configuration 2 in terms of gas emissions and energy demand to purify butanol. As a result, process configuration 1 is found as an eco-efficient downstream separation sequence for IBE purification process.

SAF production from cameline oil hydrotreatment: A technoeconomic assessment of alternative process configurations

In the recent years, the increasing demand of air transportation, the concern about the fossil resources depletion and the global warming caused by greenhouse-gas emissions have increased the interest for the viability of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). The hydrotreatment of vegetable oils can be considered a technologically-feasible alternative to produce SAF compatible with the current aviation technology. This process also generates by-products suitable to be valorized through different pathways to obtain hydrogen and/or power, required in the process, which shall be assessed to find the most feasible solution. With this aim, this work proposes and evaluates different process configurations for kerosene-range hydrocarbon production based on camelina oil hydrotreatment and alternative scenarios for the valorization of the co-produced light-gases. These alternatives, comprising steam reforming, autothermal reforming and power generation, are assessed from a technoeconomic perspective. The results indicate operational costs dominated by the camelina oil price and strongly influenced by hydrogen and electricity prices. The levelized cost of fuel estimated ranges between 0.57 and 0.64 € per kilogram of fuel, depending on the studied scenario, which demonstrate the techno-economic feasibility of the proposed systems.

Effects of process-thermal configuration on energy, exergy, and thermo-economic performance of solar driven supercritical water gasification

An investigation of the effect of process-thermal configuration on the thermodynamic and economic performance of a solar driven supercritical water gasification (SCWG) of microalgae biomass has been presented in this study. Traditional and intrinsic exergy analysis (transiting and utilizable exergy) of the base SCWG model (Configuration I, four heat exchangers) were used to assess other process-thermal configuration options for optimal performance. Two alternative process configurations (II and III; three and two heat exchangers) were re-produced from the first SCWG configuration and analysed. The two new configurations were modelled by considering the inlet temperature of the water separator units, flow exergy, heat transfer optimization, and point of entry of recycled hot water. The results show that higher SCWG gasification temperature resulted in increased energy efficiency, carbon efficiency, and exergy efficiency with Configuration III having the best performance at 600–610 °C and 1000–1100 °C for optimal gasification and reformer temperature, respectively. While energy efficiency increased with microalgae concentration, exergy efficiency declined due to losses at the heat exchangers, thermodynamic irreversibilities associated with increased char formation and higher system transiting exergy. Lower inlet exergy in the high-temperature separator unit (HT-SEP) resulted in higher transiting (unaccounted) exergy and less utilizable exergy for improved process conversion and overall system efficiency. Increased utilizable exergy was achieved through minimum heat recovery by reducing the number process streams and heat exchangers leading to higher exergy potential for the HT-SEP and minimal process heat duty. The intrinsic exergy efficiencies of the HT-SEP unit, for instance were 58.1%, 72.5% and 82.4% compared to traditional exergy efficiencies at 44%, 23.8%, and 15.1%, for the three configurations, respectively. The best performing SCWG configuration had overall energy efficiency, thermal energy savings, intrinsic exergy efficiency, and carbon efficiency at 81.26%, 56.84 MW, 75.44%, 98.68%. The findings of the exergy assessment in this study establishes intrinsic exergy analysis, as opposed to traditional exergy analysis, as a more realistic assessment and understanding of process efficiency and performance for SCWG processes. Configuration III with a solar PTC-natural gas energy integration resulted in the lowest MFSP (∼49 AUD/GJ) and the closest to the target price for renewable energy-based syngas which emphasizes the benefits of process-energy configuration trade-offs for improved techno-economic performance.

Technical and economic performance assessment of post-combustion carbon capture using piperazine for large scale natural gas combined cycle power plants through process simulation

The main challenges to the commercial deployment of the solvent-based post-combustion carbon capture technology include high energy consumption and high capital and operating costs. New solvents and alternative process configurations are being pursued to reduce the energy consumption and costs of the process. This paper investigates the technical and economic performance of the process using piperazine (PZ) solvent for a 250 MWe natural gas combined cycle power plant. Three different configurations of the process using PZ were evaluated and compared to the standard process using 30 wt% monoethanolamine (MEA) solvent. The technical performance of the process was evaluated using the rate-based model developed in Aspen Plus® V8.4 and the economic evaluation was carried out in Aspen Process Economic Analyzer®V8.4. The technical results showed that the total energy demand of the process reduces from 5.34 GJ/tCO2 using 30 wt% MEA to 3.56 GJ/tCO2 using 30 wt% PZ. The lowest energy demand of 2.76 GJ/tCO2 was achieved with the advanced flash stripper using 40 wt% PZ. The economic results show that the lowest total annual cost of M$26.58 per year and CO2 capture cost of $34.65 per tonneCO2 were obtained using the advanced flash stripper (AFS) with 40 wt% PZ. It was concluded that the 40 wt% PZ solvent would bring practical technical and economic benefits to the large-scale applications of the capture process compared to the current 30 wt% MEA solution. Therefore, this study will inspire policymakers and researchers towards the large-scale deployment of solvent-based PCC process.

Very High Gravity Bioethanol Revisited: Main Challenges and Advances

Over the last decades, the constant growth of the world-wide industry has been leading to more and more concerns with its direct impact on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Resulting from that, rising efforts have been dedicated to a global transition from an oil-based industry to cleaner biotechnological processes. A specific example refers to the production of bioethanol to substitute the traditional transportation fuels. Bioethanol has been produced for decades now, mainly from energy crops, but more recently, also from lignocellulosic materials. Aiming to improve process economics, the fermentation of very high gravity (VHG) mediums has for long received considerable attention. Nowadays, with the growth of multi-waste valorization frameworks, VHG fermentation could be crucial for bioeconomy development. However, numerous obstacles remain. This work initially presents the main aspects of a VHG process, giving then special emphasis to some of the most important factors that traditionally affect the fermentation organism, such as nutrients depletion, osmotic stress, and ethanol toxicity. Afterwards, some factors that could possibly enable critical improvements in the future on VHG technologies are discussed. Special attention was given to the potential of the development of new fermentation organisms, nutritionally complete culture media, but also on alternative process conditions and configurations.

Energy Performance Analysis of Post-combustion Carbon Capture using Piperazine for Large-scale Natural Gas Combined Cycle Power Plants

Post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) via chemical absorption has the potential to reduce CO2 emission significantly. The main challenges to this technology include the high energy consumption and high capital and operating costs. Alternative process configurations and new solvents are being pursued to reduce the energy consumption process. In this study, the rate-based model of the PCC process using piperazine (PZ) was developed in Aspen Plus® V8.4. The model was validated at pilot scale with experimental data. The model correctly predicted the CO2 capture level, rich loading and reboiler duty measured in the pilot plants. The validated model was scaled up to a PCC plant capable of processing flue gas from a 250 MWe natural gas combined cycle (NGCC) power plant. Three different configurations of the large-scale PCC process using 30-40 wt% PZ were simulated and the energy consumption was evaluated to determine which combination of configuration and solvent gives the best energy performance. The energy performance of the PCC process using PZ was also compared to the standard process using 30 wt% monoethanolamine (MEA) solvent. A regeneration energy of 4.97 GJ/tonneCO2 was obtained for the PCC process with 30 wt% MEA. Compared to the lowest regeneration energy obtained using the standard PCC process with PZ, the regeneration energy reduces by 35%, 41%, and 45% respectively for 30, 35 and 40 wt% PZ concentrations. The minimum regeneration energy of 2.41 GJ/tCO2 was achieved with the advanced flash stripper (AFS) process using 40 wt% PZ.

Preparation of Synthesis Gas from CO2 for Fischer–Tropsch Synthesis—Comparison of Alternative Process Configurations

We compare different approaches for the preparation of carbon monoxide-rich synthesis gas (syngas) for Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis from carbon dioxide (CO2) using a self-consistent design and process simulation framework. Three alternative methods for suppling heat to the syngas preparation step are investigated, namely: allothermal from combustion (COMB), autothermal from partial oxidation (POX) and autothermal from electric resistance (ER) heating. In addition, two alternative design approaches for the syngas preparation step are investigated, namely: once-through (OT) and recycle (RC). The combination of these alternatives gives six basic configurations, each characterized by distinctive plant designs that have been individually modelled and analyzed. Carbon efficiencies (from CO2 to FT syncrude) are 50–55% for the OT designs and 65–89% for the RC designs, depending on the heat supply method. Thermal efficiencies (from electricity to FT syncrude) are 33–41% for configurations when using low temperature electrolyzer, and 48–59% when using high temperature electrolyzer. Of the RC designs, both the highest carbon efficiency and thermal efficiency was observed for the ER configuration, followed by POX and COMB configurations.

An Agent-Based Decision Support Platform for Additive Manufacturing Applications

The effective estimation and consideration of process cost, time, and quality for additive manufacturing operations, when a series of suitable technologies and resources are available, is very important for making informed product design and development decisions. The main objective of this paper is to propose the design, deployment, and use of an agent-based decision support platform, which is capable of proposing alternative additive manufacturing resources and process configurations to design engineers while reducing the number of communication steps among engineering teams and organizations. Different computer-aided systems are utilised and interfaced for automating the information exchange as well as for accelerating the overall product development process.

Optimized energy consumption in electrochemical-based regeneration of RAS water

The rapid expansion of the aquaculture industry and seawater recirculating aquaculture systems (SW-RAS) parallel to the human growth require more efficient water consumption while preserving water resources. Cost-effective purification technologies to remove the highly toxic ammonia nitrogen (TAN), whose accumulation is produced by the fish metabolism, are fundamental to this goal. The high chloride concentration in seawater is at the same time an obstacle to conventional biological technologies and an opportunity to apply the chlorine-based oxidation of TAN. Thus, this work focuses on TAN oxidation by electrogenerated chlorine and considers alternative process configurations, (i) one-step electrochemical oxidation and, (ii) two-steps breakpoint oxidation after chlorine electrogeneration.The experimental assessment highlights that both process alternatives are effective in the total removal of ammonia and combined chlorine, when model SW with TAN concentration of 10 mg NH4+/L is treated. The specific energy intensity defined as kWh/mg NH4+ has been calculated for both configurations; being the two-stage process 2 times more energy efficient. Thus, this work provides the guidelines for the design of optimized electrochemical RAS water remediation with minimum energy consumption.

A Hybrid Framework for Simultaneous Process and Solvent Optimization of Continuous Anti-Solvent Crystallization with Distillation for Solvent Recycling

Anti-solvent crystallization is frequently applied in pharmaceutical processes for the separation and purification of intermediate compounds and active ingredients. The selection of optimal solvent types is important to improve the economic performance and sustainability of the process, but is challenged by the discrete nature and large number of possible solvent combinations and the inherent relations between solvent selection and optimal process design. A computational framework is presented for the simultaneous solvent selection and optimization for a continuous process involving crystallization and distillation for recycling of the anti-solvent. The method is based on the perturbed-chain statistical associated fluid theory (PC-SAFT) equation of state to predict relevant thermodynamic properties of mixtures within the process. Alternative process configurations were represented by a superstructure. Due to the high nonlinearity of the thermodynamic models and rigorous models for distillation, the resulting mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem is difficult to solve by state-of-the-art solvers. Therefore, a continuous mapping method was adopted to relax the integer variables related to solvent selection, which makes the scale of the problem formulation independent of the number of solvents under consideration. Furthermore, a genetic algorithm was used to optimize the integer variables related to the superstructure. The hybrid stochastic and deterministic optimization framework converts the original MINLP problem into a nonlinear programming (NLP) problem, which is computationally more tractable. The successful application of the proposed method was demonstrated by a case study on the continuous anti-solvent crystallization of paracetamol.

Feasibility of Selective Exhaust Gas Recycle Process for Membrane-based CO2 Capture from Natural Gas Combined Cycles – Showstoppers and Alternative Process Configurations

This work presents the limitations of the Selective Exhaust Gas Recycle process for post-combustion capture from natural gas combined cycles using membranes and proposes a novel oxygen enriched air combustion with exhaust gas recirculation process that overcomes the limitations.

Optimization of the Post-Combustion CO2 Capture Process Applied to Cement Plant Flue Gases: Parametric Study with Different Solvents and Configurations Combined with Intercooling

The present study is related to Aspen HysysTM simulations of the post-combustion CO2 capture process by absorption-regeneration. More precisely, the purpose of the works is to quantify the interest in terms of solvent regeneration energy of combining alternative process configurations (“Lean/Rich Vapor Compression” (L/RVC)) with an intercooled absorber (ICA). Water-wash sections were also added in the flow sheet for a more accurate simulation of the global process. The Norcem Brevik cement plant flue gas was taken as case study and three different solvents were considered, namely: monoethanolamine (MEA), piperazine (PZ) and piperazine-methyldiethanolamine (MDEA) blend. For each configuration and solvent, parametric studies were carried out in order to identify the operating conditions ((L/G)vol., intercooling temperature, stages and flow rate) minimizing the solvent regeneration energy. Total equivalent thermodynamic work and utilities costs were also analyzed. It could be highlighted that implementing ICA leads to supplementary energy savings. More precisely, the MDEA+PZ blend with RVC+ICA configuration leads to a regeneration energy of 2.19 GJ/tCO2 (35% energy savings in comparison with MEA 30% conventional configuration), the utilities costs being also lower (24.5% savings) in comparison with the same reference case. As perspectives, an other blend will be investigated (namely DEA + PZ) with the same configurations (LVC or RVC + ICA).

An exact optimization approach for an integrated process configuration, lot-sizing, and scheduling problem

We study an integrated process configuration, lot-sizing, and scheduling problem, which appears in a real production environment in the packaging industry. Products are produced by alternative process configurations. The production quantities and capacity consumption depend on which process configurations are used, how long they are used for, and in which sequence. For the particular case studied here, configuration decisions are generated at the same time as lot-sizing and sequencing decisions, which involve sequence-dependent setup costs and times. Due to dependency of these decisions, the model is nonlinear. Even though a linearization technique can be applied, the problem is still difficult to solve by a mixed integer programming (MIP) solver due to its complexity. This paper aims to develop efficient solution methods to deal with this integrated production planning problem. An exact branch-and-check (B&Ch) algorithm based on a relaxed formulation and using logic-based Benders cuts is proposed to find optimal solutions. In addition, symmetry-breaking constraints are applied to strengthen the formulations. Results show that in general, the B&Ch outperforms the linearized models solved by an MIP solver. To efficiently solve large instances, an MIP-based heuristic is then proposed to find good quality solutions in shorter computing times. Although the problem studied here is based on the packaging industry, the logic of the B&Ch and the proposed heuristic can be adapted to other applications where lot-sizing must be determined simultaneously with process configuration decisions.

Polymer extraction and ex situ biodegradation of xenobiotic contaminated soil: Modelling of the process concept

An integrated model of a two-step process for the ex situ bioremediation of xenobiotic contaminated soil has been formulated. The process is characterized by an initial extraction step of the organic contaminants from the polluted soil by contact with inexpensive and commercially-available polymer beads, followed by release and biodegradation of the xenobiotics, with parallel polymer bioregeneration, in a Two-Phase Partitioning Bioreactor (TPPB). The regenerated polymer is cyclically reused in the extraction step, so reflecting the robust and otherwise-inert properties of such polymers. The model was calibrated and validated for a soil contaminated with 4-nitrophenol (4NP) and treated with the DuPont polymer Hytrel 8206. In the model calibration, the partition coefficient polymer-soil, Pps, and the mass transfer coefficient, K, were evaluated, as 105.3 and 0.24 h−1 respectively. A diffusion coefficient within the polymer of 6.3 10−8 cm2 s−1 was determined from the fitting of sorption/desorption data. The model was then tested for two alternative process configurations consisting of either one or two soil extraction units, followed by the biodegradation/bioregeneration step. The latter configuration resulted in more effective polymer utilization and is suitable if each extraction step requires a shorter time than the regeneration step. The model predicted that an extraction time of 12 h was sufficient to reach removal efficiencies ≥90% while the biodegradation/bioregeneration step required 24 h to reach efficiencies ≥93%, with a good agreement with experimental data (R2 > 0.98 for both cases). The simulation of the process operated with two extraction units showed a better performance with a final concentration ∼0.2 g4NP kgds−1 vs. 1.69 g4NP kgds−1 obtained with single extraction unit, for a soil contaminated with 10 g4NP kgds−1. Corresponding extraction efficiencies were 96 and 83%, respectively.

A coupled process configuration, lot-sizing and scheduling model for production planning in the molded pulp industry

This paper proposes an application-oriented model for a coupled process configuration, lot-sizing and scheduling problem in the molded pulp industry. In this case, products are obtained by alternative process configurations, which can produce one or more types of product simultaneously. A process configuration consists of defining a feasible setup state for the main components of the production line, i.e., the molding machine, where molds to shape the products are attached, and a set of conveyors, where products are transported. Production quantities depend on the configurations selected and the time that each one is used over the planning horizon. The number of possible configurations is large and sensitive to the characteristics of the production environment, the size of the molding machine and the number of conveyors. Therefore, determining all possibilities beforehand is a challenging and extensive task. We propose a novel formulation to support production decisions in molded pulp companies, which generates the process configurations implicitly at the same time that lot-sizing and sequencing decisions are made. This optimization problem involves challenging operational and synchronization constraints, and sequencing decisions which include three types of setups. The objective is to minimize the total setup, inventory and backlogging costs. Several sets of instances based on real data and market information were tested. Computational experiments using a commercial Mixed Integer Programming (MIP) solver show the capability of this approach to represent the problem decisions and to provide production schedules for different production environments. Comparisons with real schedules and others formulations show the practical savings and the advantages of this formulation over enumerating modeling approaches. A simplified version of this new formulation is also presented to solve more efficiently particular problem instances. In addition, a heuristic solution strategy is proposed to find feasible production plans for all data sets in shorter computing times.