Sub-Coordinator: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Sebastian Engell
Researcher: M.Sc. Corina Nentwich

State of the art

The goal of C1 is the control of process development in the early development phase through model-based optimization considering uncertainties. Models of different modelling depths can be used. Optimization under uncertainties provides information about the best and the unthoughtful process alternatives as well as promising process windows. Thus, optimization supports the planning of the experimental work for the reduction of uncertainties and improves the models. The models developed within the InPROMPT framework will be integrated into an overall process model.

Research goals

In the second funding period, the software Flowsheet Superstructure Optimization (FSOpt) developed in the first funding period, was further developed and implemented. The specific objectives of C1 for the second funding period are:

• Determination of optimal overall processes for the hydroformylation and hydroesterification and control of the process development
• Inclusion of complex thermodynamic models
• Inclusion of energy integration
• Consideration of a greater number of uncertainties
• Integration of results from C3 for global optimization
• Consideration of technical risks in the control of process development

Recent Publications

Benski, F.; Nentwich, C.; Engell, S. Optimization-based early phase design of a homogeneously catalysed process in a themomorphic solvent system. Comput.-Aided. Chem. Eng., 40, 715-720, 2017. [doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-444-63965-3.50121-5]

Nentwich, C.; Engell, S. Application of surrogate models for the optimization and design of chemical processes. IJCNN, 1291-1296, 2016. [doi:10.1109/IJCNN.2016.7727346]

Steimel, J.; Engell, S. Optimization-based support for process design under uncertainty: A case study. AIChE J., 62(9), 3404-3419, 2016. [doi:10.1002/aic.15400]

Steimel, J.; Engell, S. Conceptual design and optimization of chemical processes under uncertainty by two-stage programming. Comput. Chem. Eng., 81, 200–217, 2015. [doi:10.1016/j.compchemeng.2015.05.016]

Dissertations

Steimel, J. Model-based Conceptual Design and Optimization of Continuous Chemical Processes under Uncertainty. Technische Universität Dortmuntd, 2016. [More]