Campaign Operation Optimisation - Industrial Case Study

Multiperiod Campaign Operation Optimisation - Industrial Case Study 

Mujtaba and Macchietto (1994) presented an industrial case study in which dynamic optimisation method of Mujtaba and Macchietto (1993) is utilised for the development of the optimal operation of an entire batch distillation campaign where 100 batches of fresh charge have to be processed with secondary reprocessing of intermediate off-cuts. The process involved a complex separation of a five-component mixture of industrial interest, described using non-ideal thermodynamic models. In addition, the operation of the whole production campaign was subject to a number of resource constraints, for example - 

The problem was to find the best operation of each batch so as to maximise the profit over the available plant time subject to these resource and operational constraints. 

The column description, product specifications, total plant operation time, number and size of available storage vessels, etc. are given in Table 6.8. For proprietary reasons the names of the components in the feed mixture are disguised and thermodynamic data ore omitted. Relative product values and feed costs are given in Table 6.10 (operating costs have also been scaled). 

Reflux ratio levels and the length of the intervals were optimised to minimise the batch time for the task. Three reflux intervals were used for each main-cut and 2 for each off-cut operation. The final conditions of a preceding distillation task were used as the initial conditions for the next task. 

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