Optimization Strategy for Maximizing Production of Cyclohexanol

The main issue objective of this work is to implement an optimization strategy through a two-layer structure where the search for optimal operational variables is made through of the algorithms optimization Successive quadratic programming – SQP. The considered process is based on the hydrogenation of phenol for production of cyclo-hexanol in the presence of a nickel catalyst. The objective function to be considered for the optimization is to maximize production of cyclo-hexanol, through a steady-state model while maintaining the conversion of phenol at the exit of the reactor under environmental constraints. Factorial design and response surface analysis in a simulation study of a three-phase catalytic slurry reactor is used to identify the impact that each variable has on the system as well as the interaction among then. An improvement of 5.5% in cyclo-hexanol conversion was observed for the optimized variables (QH = 259 kg/h, QNi = 53 kg/h).The resulted model for the response surface was used as a first objective function for the SQP optimization. The optimization results can be then used as set-point values to the advanced controller. Copyright © 2003 IFAC