An Optimisation-based Framework for Simultaneous Process Synthesis and Heat Integration

As technologies develop, new bio-based platform chemicals with appropriate properties are expected to gradually replace current petrochemicals in producing high value products such as the polymer, cosmetics and medicine. Meanwhile, the need for the screening methodologies to identify the most promising bio-derived material and its synthesis route will grow simultaneously. In this paper, we introduce an optimisation-based framework for the simultaneous process synthesis and heat integration with the goal of finding the most profitable bio-based platform chemical and its production pathways from a number of alternatives. With the facilitation of a process superstructure, the problem is formulated as a mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model to screen and determine the optimal process configuration along with the heat integration cascade using simple data. The solutions to the problem reveal key information of the optimal flowsheet such as the maximum economic performance the process can achieve and the minimum cooling and heating duties required resulting from the heat integration analysis. A case study is solved to illustrate the applicability of the proposed approach.