Planning and optimization of dynamic plant operation

Dynamic optimization is currently gaining attention in the design, synthesis and operation of industrial processes. Recent developments in the optimization algorithms, in the commercial tools and in the computation power of computer systems make it possible for process engineers to optimize the dynamic plant operations. Planning a plant operation can also be made in the scope of optimization. Dynamic optimization is usually used for developing optimal operation policies for new operational situations such as startup procedures, load changes, product changeovers. This paper attempts to give an overview to the methods, available tools and their properties for the planning and dynamic optimization of chemical processes. We will report our experiences in process optimization and show the results achieved in several practical applications: startup for distillation columns with and without sidestreams; heat-integrated distillation columns; multiple-fraction reactive batch distillation. The realization of the developed optimal policies to the real plants shows the benefit and potential of the optimization.