Multiobjective Optimization Strategies for the Design of Sustainable Biofuel Processes

0966524格罗斯曼能源的可持续供应已成为本世纪的主要挑战之一。液体生物燃料是短期到中期替代化石燃料的选择之一，因为它们可以利用现有的车辆和配送基础设施，稍加修改。该项目的目标是开发新颖和先进的过程系统工程工具，以解决生物燃料工厂在多种标准下的优化设计问题。PI将承担以下研究任务：a)研究上部结构优化模型，以合成生物燃料工厂的新流程结构；b)同时制订尽量减少能源和淡水消耗的最佳模式；c)建立随机规划模型，以考虑原料中的不确定性；d)开发双标准优化模型，以考虑经济和生命周期分析；e)制定目标模型，以确定最大利润、最小能源使用、最小淡水消耗和最小环境影响。为了实现这些目标，他打算把重点放在木质纤维素生物乙醇工厂的设计上，作为主要的案例研究。生物柴油等其他生物燃料也将被考虑。智力优势：在生物燃料工厂的设计中，一个主要的贡献将是过程综合模型，在上层结构优化框架下系统地考虑许多设计方案。除了考虑原料不确定性的能力，以及在双标准优化框架下使用生命周期分析优化利润和环境影响的能力之外，重要的是实现利润最大化、能源消耗最小化、淡水消耗最小化和环境影响最小化的目标，这应该为这些设计的可行性和可取性提供有用的指标。在工艺综合领域，还将研究同时将水管理（或水网络）与上层建筑优化中的热集成结合起来，以及开发不确定条件下双准则析取优化问题的解决方法，这是一个以前没有解决过的问题。这些设计能力将通过一个主要的案例研究来展示，即木质纤维素生物乙醇工厂的设计。就变革性研究而言，也许最重要的方面将是开发用于生物燃料工厂设计的现代综合合成和优化工具，生物燃料工厂没有像石化工厂那样得到更系统和彻底的优化。更广泛的影响：研究在实践中的一个潜在影响是与Amyris和Cargill的合作，这两家公司都将提供超越木质纤维素乙醇案例研究的现实数据和案例研究，以帮助校准这些设计方法。这项工作将提供有用的设计概念和工具，以改善生物燃料工厂的经济和环境绩效，特别是在能源和水的使用方面，正如初步结果所建议的那样。这些设计能力还应该帮助决策者在比较竞争技术时考虑最佳流程设计。在研究生阶段，PI打算将这项研究的结果纳入过程系统工程的核心研究生课程。在本科阶段，PI打算将纤维素乙醇的设计作为高级设计项目。结果将作为CACHE设计案例研究发表，该研究将通过CACHE广泛分发，就像以前的设计案例研究一样，其中三个是PI准备的。CACHE设计案例研究的准备工作将由卡内基梅隆大学的两名本科生完成。该项目的另一个方面将是通过与匹兹堡地区高中的外展活动进行传播。这些活动将通过卡耐基梅隆大学的施泰因布伦纳环境教育研究所进行，项目负责人和研究生将访问几所高中，解释可再生生物燃料和综合工艺用水网络的概念。

0966524Grossmann Sustainable supply of energy has become one of the major challenges in this century. Liquid biofuels provide one of the options for fossil fuel replacement in the short to medium term because they can use the existing infrastructure of vehicles and distribution with small modifications.The goal of this project is to develop novel and advanced process systems engineering tools for addressing the problem of optimal design of biofuel plants under multiple criteria. The PI will undertake the following research tasks: a) Investigate superstructure optimization models to synthesize new flowsheet structures of biofuel plants; b) Develop simultaneous optimization models for the minimization of energy and freshwater consumption; c) Develop stochastic programming models to account for uncertainties in the feedstock; d) Develop bi-criterion optimization models to account for economics and life cycle analysis; e) Develop targeting models to determine maximum profit, minimum energy use, minimum freshwater consumption and minimum environmental impact. In order to achieve these objectives he intends to focus on the design of lignocellulosic bioethanol plants as the major case study. Other biofuels such as biodiesel will also be considered.Intellectual Merit:In the design of biofuel plants a major contribution will be process synthesis models to systematically consider many design alternatives under a superstructure optimization framework. Aside from the capability of accounting for uncertainties in the feedstock, and of optimizing both profit and environmental impact using life cycle analysis under a bicriterion optimization framework, of significance will be targets for maximum profit, minimum energy use, minimum freshwater use and minimum environmental impact, which should provide useful indicators about the viability and desirability of these designs. In the area of process synthesis the simultaneous incorporation of water management (or water networks) together with heat integration in the optimization of the superstructure will also be studied as well as the development of solution methods of bi-criterion disjunctive optimization problems under uncertainty, a problem that has not been addressed before. These design capabilities will be demonstrated with a major case study, the design of lignocellulosic bioethanol plants. In terms of transformative research, perhaps the most significant aspect will be the development of modern and comprehensive synthesis and optimization tools for the design of biofuel plants, which have not had the benefit of being subjected to more systematic and thorough optimizations as have their petrochemical counterparts. Broader Impact:A potential impact of the research in practice is the collaborations with Amyris and Cargill, both of whom will provide realistic data and case studies beyond the lignocellulosic ethanol case study, to help calibrate these design methodologies. The work will provide useful design concepts and tools that will improve the economic and environmental performance of biofuel plants, particularly in regard to energy and water usage, as suggested by preliminary results. These design capabilities should also help policy makers consider the best process designs when making comparisons among competing technologies. At the graduate level the PI intends to incorporate the findings of this research in a core graduate course on Process Systems Engineering. At the undergraduate level the PI intends to use as a senior design project the design of cellulosic ethanol. The results will be published as a CACHE Design case study, which will have wide distribution through CAChE as has been the case of previous design case studies, three of which the PI prepared. The preparation of the design case study for CACHE will be performed by two undergraduate students at Carnegie Mellon University. Another dimension of the project will be its dissemination through outreach activities with high schools in the Pittsburgh area. These activities, which will be performed through the Steinbrenner Institute for Environmental Education at Carnegie Mellon, will involve the PI and the graduate student visiting Several high schools to explain the concepts of renewable biofuels and integrated process water networks.