%P 24-35
%T A mixed integer nonlinear programming approach for petroleum refinery topology optimisation
%V 143
%I Institution of Chemical Engineers
%A T.A. Albahri
%A C.S. Khor
%A M. Elsholkami
%A A. Elkamel
%O cited By 3
%L scholars11735
%J Chemical Engineering Research and Design
%D 2019
%R 10.1016/j.cherd.2019.01.001
%K Fluid catalytic cracking; Gasoline; Integer programming; Nonlinear programming; Structural optimization; Topology, Atmospheric residues; Fluid catalytic crackers; Parameter optimisation; Process synthesis; Topology optimisation; Vacuum residue, Petroleum refineries
%X This work presents a mixed integer nonlinear programming (MINLP)-based superstructure optimisation approach to synthesize an optimal petroleum refinery topology or configuration for large-scale grassroots refinery systems. We develop a superstructure to include many possible prospective configurations and formulate rigorous models for the 32 commercial refinery processes that constitute the configurations, which gives rise to a convex MINLP model. The objective function is to maximize the total refinery profit for a given crude oil feed subject to material and energy balance constraints. We apply a two-level optimisation procedure: a master module to construct configurations from the superstructure and a submodule to optimize the process unit conversions and product temperatures of the configurations. A numerical example based on an actual operating refinery in Kuwait is illustrated to implement the approach with a resulting configuration that agrees with real-world practices. © 2019 Institution of Chemical Engineers