Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.56, No.20, 5944-5957, 2017
Global Optimization of Heat Exchanger Networks. Part 1: Stages/Substages Superstructure
We solve globally an extension of the isothermal mixing stages model (Synheat) proposed by Yee and Grossmann, later extended to nonisothermal mixing by Bjork and Weterlund and solved globally by Faria et al. This new extension of that model was recently presented in a conference proceedings. The model allows specific structures that are more commonly accepted in industry than generalized complex structures that suffer from somewhat disorganized branched and sub-branches which present several practical challenges. This stages/substages superstructure has limited branching and several matches in series in each branch. Our industrial experience shows us that these are acceptable in practice. The novel contribution of this article is then solving such a model globally, adding the control of temperature differences upon mixing.