Derivation of Pareto Optimal Operating Policies Based on Safety Indices for a Catalytic Multi-tubular Reactor Used for Nitrobenzene Hydrogenation

G. Maria, H. H. S. Khwayyir and D. Dinculescu

Abstract
When highly exothermic/hazardous reactions are conducted in the presence of parametric uncertainty, derivation of optimal operating policies for a chemical reactor has to simultaneously consider several objectives of sustainability. The paper uses an original methodology to generate the Pareto optimal solutions when reactor productivity and safety objectives (expressed in probabilistic terms) are simultaneously considered using the process and reactor model in a simple way, in the presence of technological constraints, uncertainty in safety boundaries, and random fluctuations in control variables. An example is provided for the industrial fixed-bed tubular reactor used for the catalytic hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline in vapour-phase.

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Keywords
chemical reactor failure probability, runaway boundaries, Pareto optimal policies, confidence region, catalytic reactor for aniline production