Optimal Process Design for the Synthesis of 2,3-Dimethylbutene-1

This paper is concerned with the computer-aided optimal design of reaction-distillation processes. The production of solvent 2,3-dimethylbutene-1 by isomerization of 2,3dimethylbutene-2 is considered as an innovative benchmark problem. Possible process candidates are a reactive distillation column, a reactor coupled to a nonreactive distillation column or a reactive reboiler with a nonreactive distillation column on top. Local MINLP optimization indicates that the reactive distillation has the lowest total annualized costs. However, due to the non-convexity of the underlying mathematical problem better solutions for the other process candidates cannot be excluded. For this purpose a new global approach is proposed which is based on discrete optimization of the underlying model equations and which proves globally that reactive distillation is the best option.