PROCESS SYNTHESIS FOR REACTION SYSTEMS WITH COOLING VIA FINDING THE ATTAINABLE-REGION

The attainable region (AR) technique is used to find the optimum proce ss design for an exothermic reversible reaction system where allowance is made for external cooling using two different constant temperature utilities. Heat exchange with the two utilities has different associa ted costs. The general optimum process structure (equipment) for the s pecified system was obtained via finding the attainable region. The te mperature progression required for the exothermic reversible reaction was obtained by a sequence of structures. The hot reaction mixture was adiabatically reacted in a CSTR followed by a plug now reactor then c ooled down in a differential cold shot converter. This was followed wi th external cooling of the reactor, firstly with the hotter utility an d then with the colder and more expensive utility. The optimum control of the cold shot cooling as well as the external cooling was determin ed using the AR technique.