Global Optimization for Flexible Heat Exchanger Network Synthesis of Chemical Plant

LAUTARO BRACCIA; LUCAS NIETO DEGLIUOMINI; PATRICIO LUPPI; MARTA BASUALDO

Computer-Aided Chemical Engineering 33

Elsevier

Año: 2014; p. 199 - 204

In this work a new systematic methodology of global optimization to perform synthesis of a flexible heat exchanger network (HEN) is presented. It is based on a previous model, named SynFlex, which uses a promising superstructure to obtain flexible HEN. The synthesis is projected to operate over a specified range of expected variations in the inlet temperatures and flow rates of the process streams. The main objective of SynFlex is that the total annual cost (TAC) involving the utility consumption and the investment be optimized simultaneously. The framework is based on the operability analysis where the design variables are chosen and favors to follow with the control structure design as a next step. Hence, SynFlex is enhanced by introducing a new special-purpose global optimization procedure, which relies on turning as convex specific non convex terms. Two examples are given in this work to illustrate the achievements since the SynFlex model can exclude optimal configurations due to the isothermal mixing assumption. Specially, the obtained application results from a hydrogen production plant from bioethanol with fuel cell, illustrates about the global optimization and computational efficiency for this complex case study.