Optimization of multi-stage adiabatic catalytic reactors. An example of choice of decision variables for engineering students

Simulation and optimization of multi-stage adiabtic catalytic reactors is now well developed in chemical industries, design and companies and universities. In a first part we present briefly a program package developed in our laboratory, first for chemical industry, and secondly for chemical engineering education. In this presentation we show how it is possible to take into account new possibilities in direct optimization procedures and new terms in objective functions. In a second part we examine design problems of optimization, including many sub-problems in the definition of objective functions. Then we try to show how it is possible to sensibilize our students on the possibilities of choice for decision variables by using this package.