Systematic process intensification using building blocks Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • 2017 Elsevier Ltd We present a novel method for systematic process design and intensification. We depart from the classical unit operation-based representation of process units, flowsheets and superstructures and propose a new representation using fundamental building blocks. These building blocks can be associated with different process phenomena, tasks and unit operations. An assembly of blocks of the same type obtains a classical unit, while an assembly of blocks with different types results in an intensified unit. This allows to systematically identify and incorporate many intensification pathways using a general block-based superstructure. We design an intensified process by optimizing a performance metric for given raw materials and product specifications, material properties and bounds on flow rates. The overall problem is formulated using a single mixed-integer nonlinear optimization (MINLP) model that can be solved using commercial solvers. We show the applicability of our approach using several design and intensification case studies.

published proceedings

  • COMPUTERS & CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

author list (cited authors)

  • Demirel, S. E., Li, J., & Hasan, M.

citation count

  • 95

complete list of authors

  • Demirel, Salih Emre||Li, Jianping||Hasan, MM Faruque

publication date

  • October 2017