Model-based Optimization of the Operation Procedure of an Emulsification Process

This work addresses the model-based optimization of the operation procedure of an emulsification process using a stirred vessel in combination with a colloid mill and a recycle. The computation of input trajectories (i.e. the stirrer and rotor speed in time), for reaching a certain predefined drop size distribution in minimal time, is studied. It is argued that gradient based optimization techniques do not give satisfactorily results for this optimization problem. In Stork et al. (2002) the optimization of an emulsification process using a stirred vessel only is studied. In the suggested approach the original minimum time problem is approximated as a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP). The solution of the MILP is a good solution of the original optimization problem. In this work this approach is extended to the optimization of the operation procedure of the total system. An optimization study shows the feasibility of the approach and it illustrates the benefit of using model-based optimization for improving the operation procedure of emulsification.