Analysis of the lumped and distributed optimal temperature trajectories for packed bed reactors with concentration dependent catalyst deactivation

Algorithms published previously by the authors for solving the problem of spatially uniform and non-uniform temperature optimal control in tubular fixed bed reactors have been applied to three systems with series catalyst deactivation and different ratios between the activation energies of the main and deactivation reactions. The optimal temperature and conversion trajectories as well as the maximum production obtained have been compared at the same final duration of operation. Systems with slow deactivation obtain maximum production with spatially uniform control, whilst for systems with rapid deactivation the temperature trajectory distributed both in space and time improves the production obtained with lumped control.