MODELING, SIMULATION, AND OPTIMIZATION OF AN ELECTROORGANIC PROCESS FLOWSHEET

Simulation and optimization techniques that have not been previously applied to electrolytic applications have been implemented for an electroorganic process flowsheet. A model of an electrochemical reactor based upon fundamental principles was developed for the electrolytic oxidation of secondary butyl alcohol to methyl ethyl ketone in an aqueous sulfuric acid solution. Experimental measurements were performed to calculate rate constants for an adsorption isotherm for butanol on platinum in order to elicit a kinetic expression for use in the electrochemical reactor model. The entire process flowsheet was simulated and optimized by varying the fraction conversion of alcohol in the reactor so as to maximize the discounted cash flow rate of return for the flowsheet.;The results indicate that the ASPEN process simulator can be used as an effective design tool for simulation of electrolytic processes. Although the optimization method employed was effective in locating the optimum fraction conversion for the flowsheet, a simultaneous modular concept adapted to the simulator would more than likely prove to be a more efficient optimization methodology.