Plantwide Control and Economic Analysis of <i>n</i>‐Butane Isomerization Process

ABSTRACTThe n‐butane isomerization process, which involves its conversion into branched chain hydrocarbons such as isobutane, produces high octane‐rating fuel. This fuel is essential for spark ignition engines to generate high power output while ensuring a high fuel economy and long lifespan. This process is typically performed in a distillation column with a packed bed tubular reactor to enhance the conversion. However, most of the control systems proposed in the literature rely heavily on experience and rule‐of‐thumb, which often results in a suboptimal control system. This situation is particularly evident for a highly integrated plant, such as a plant with a combination of reactors and recycling streams. Hence, in this project, a framework called integrated framework of simulation and heuristics (IFSH) will be demonstrated for the n‐butane isomerization process to build a plantwide control system that embeds the simulation into the plantwide control design to support heuristic decision‐making. The results showed that the plantwide control system reduced the operating cost by 0.15% to 0.24% during reduced feed flow or isobutane composition. In exchange for a small variation in operating cost, a relatively long process settling time is required due to tight composition control.

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