Reference: Renaud, J.E., G.A. Gabriele., 1992, “Approximation in Non-Hierarchic System Optimization,”, Fourth AIAA/USAF/NASA/OAI Symposium on Multidisciplinary Analysis and Optimization, Cleveland, OH, Sep 21-23, pp1032-1033.
Description: The Alkylation process optimization is a process optimization problem. The problem has two components; one is the Reactor and the other Fractionator. Olefin and isobutene are fed into the reactor along with fresh acid as well as recycled isobutene from the fractionator. The hydrocarbon product which comes out of the reactor is then fed into the fractionator. Fresh acid introduced into the reactor acts as a catalyst and the spent acid is taken out of the reactor. The process can be conceived as a Multidisciplinary problem having two process subspaces one being the reactor and the other being the fractionator.