OTIMIZAÇÃO DE UM REATOR DE SÍNTESE DE AMÔNIA UTILIZANDO O BAT ALGORITHM

Abstract

Heuristic optimization techniques have become well-known due to the high number ofalgorithms developed in recent years, as well as to the several applications in different types ofengineering problems, especially in the field of optimization of industrial chemical processes. Anindustrial process that requires special attention is the ammonia synthesis process, which needs to beconstantly improved once ammonia is an important industrial chemical feedstock. This project evaluatesthe use of the heuristic method Bat Algorithm (BA) to ammonia synthesis reactor design problem. As aresult, the BA reached maximum values for the economic return objective function equals to 5,029∙10$/year considering the reactor’s length equals to 7,48 m (T0 = 694 K), 5,032∙106 $/year for a length of7,57 m (T0 = 700 K) and 5,006∙106 $/year for a 10 m reactor (T0 = 800 K). The values of economic returnreached in this project were better than several studies that can be found in the literature.