Optimization of ethylene oxychlorination uidized-bed reactor using Di erential Evolution (DE) method

The present work aims to employ Di erential Evolution (DE) algorithm to optimize ethylene oxychlorination process to produce 1,2-dichloroethane in a uidized bed reactor as a feedstock of PVC production. A steady-state reactor model, based on twophase theory of uidization, was developed to investigate the e ects of various parameters on C2H4 and HCl conversions. The model s results were compared favorably with the industrial data obtained from a pilot plant working in Italy. The feed temperature, pressure, HCl and O2 molar ow rates, and cooling medium temperature were selected as decision variables to minimize the objective function subject to the environmental constraints. The highest performance was found at HCl/C2H4 and O2/C2H4 molar ratios of 2 and 0.55, respectively; feed and cooling medium temperatures of 440 and 360 K, respectively; pressure of 367.6 kPa. The results show a decrease of 20°C in the feed temperature, which leads to saving energy and reducing the size of the pre-heater.