Optimization aspects for reactive batch distillation

The optimal operation problem of a reactive batch distillation column is so lved for various types of models and also for different objective functions , As the base case a detailed model, including a dynamic energy balance, is developed for the process producing ethyl acetate, The reflux ratio and th e heat duty are selected as the variables to be optimized and are assumed t o be piecewise constant. First, the effect of the number of piecewise constant time periods on the v alue of the objective function is investigated. The result indicates that t he performance is considerably improved with an increase in the number of t ime periods. The optimization results, evaluating the effect of the reactio n on the trays, show that, compared with the case where the reaction occurs only in the reboiler, the reaction on the trays sometimes has a negative i mpact on the progress of the reaction, The results obtained from the models of different preciseness show that the assumptions of an algebraic energy balance sometimes overestimate the performance of the column. The effects o f the holdup dynamics, the type of objective function, and the non-ideality of the VLE model are also discussed by comparing various optimization resu lts.