Optimization of bifunctional catalysts in tubular reactors

A number of chemical reactions of industrial importance, especially reforming reactions, are most effectively promoted by bifunctional catalysts in tubular reactors. For the determination of the optimal catalyst blend, a mathematical model for a general first-order kinetic reaction scheme is developed. The introduction of state-space definitions leads to a model described by a bilinear system. Based on that system and a suitably defined performance index, necessary conditions for the optimal catalyst blend are derived by means of the maximum principle. Special attention is directed to the singular solution of the optimization problem.This paper was presented at the 14th Joint Automatic Control Conference, Columbus, Ohio, 1973.