Department of Chemical Engineering, IIIT RK Valley, RGUKT-AP.

Chemical Engineering Process Optimization (CH3201, CH4201- L: 2, T: 2, Credits: 4)

UNIT- I: The Nature and Organization of Optimization Problems: Introduction to optimization concept, Scope and hierarchy of
optimization, Examples of applications of optimization in Chemical Engineering, The Essential elements of optimization problems,
General Procedure for solving optimization problems, Classification of optimization problems, Classification of models, Degrees of
freedom in optimization.
UNIT –II : Formulation of the Optimization Problems: Fluid flow systems: Optimization of liquid storage tank, Systems with
chemical reactions: Optimization of product concentration during chain reaction, Chemical Equilibrium by minimizing Gibbs free
energy, Optimization of Heat transport systems: Calculation of optimum insulation thickness, Heat Exchangers in Network, Refinery
blending Problem, Transportation Problem, Optimization Problem formulation by Least Square Regression
UNIT- III: Unconstrained Single Variable Optimization Problems: General Optimization Algorithm, Unimodality and Bracketing
the Optimum: Exhaustive search method, Bounding Phase Method, Region Elimination Methods: Dichotomous Method, Interval
Halving Method, Fibonacci Search method and Golden Section Search Method, Newton Raphson Method, Bisection Method and
Secant Method.
UNIT –IV: Unconstrained Multi Variable Optimization Problems: Optimality Criteria, Direct Search Methods: Simplex
Method, Hooke-Jeeves Pattern Search Method, Powell’s Conjugate direction Method. Gradient Based Methods: Cauchy’s Method,
Fletcher Reeves Method, Newton’s Method.
UNIT- V: Linear Programming: Simplex Method and Applications, Non-linear Programming with Constraints: Direct
Substitution, Lagrange Multipliers, Quadratic Programming (QP) and Successive Quadratic Programming(SQP) Methods.

UNIT- VI: Applications of Optimization: Optimal Shell and Tube Heat Exchanger Design, Optimal Design and Operation of a
Conventional Staged-Distillation Column, Optimal Pipe Diameter, Optimal Design of Ammonia Reactor.
TEXT BOOK:
1. “Optimization of Chemical Processes” 2nd ed, by Edger, Himmelblau, Lasdon

REFERENCES:
1. “Optimization in Chemical Engineering”, Suman Dutta, Cambridge University Press.