Code No.

K0826

R07

Set No.1

IV B.Tech II Semester Regular/Supplementary Examinations, April, 2012

OPTIMIZATION OF CHEMICAL PROCESSES

(Chemical Engineering)
Time: 3 hours

Max. Marks: 80

Answer any FIVE Questions

All Questions carry equal marks
*****
1. a) What are the essential features of optimization problems?
b) Find the point on the curve, f = 2x2 + 3x + 1 nearest the origin.
2. The objective function for the work requirement for a three-stage compressor can be
expressed as (p is pressure)
 .

 .

 .


 
  
  



p1 = 1 atm and p4 = 10 atm. The minimum occurs at a pressure ratio for each stage

of 10. Is f convex for 1 p2 10,1 p3 10?
3. Minimize f = (x 1)4 using (a) Newtons method and (b) the quasi-Newton method,
starting at x = 1.
4. Minimize
  10   using steepest descent starting at (1, 1), will it be reached
the optimum in a) One iteration b) Two iterations c) More than two? Explain.
5. Write down the simplex Algorithm to find an optimal solution to linear programming
problems.
6. Explain the procedure to determine optimum reflux ratio for a given separation by
distillation.
7. Write down a procedure to calculate optimum pipe diameter for an incompressible flow
of a fluid giving all the relevant equations.
8. Differentiate between the genetic algorithms and traditional optimization methods.
1 of 1

Code No. K0826

R07

Set No.2

IV B.Tech II Semester Regular/Supplementary Examinations, April, 2012

OPTIMIZATION OF CHEMICAL PROCESSES

(Chemical Engineering)
Time: 3 hours

Max. Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks
*****
1. a) Discuss the applications of optimization in chemical processes.
b) Find the volume of the largest right circular cylinder that can be inscribed inside a
sphere of radius R.
2. Consider the objective function,
 6    6   3 . Find the stationary
points and classify them using the Hessian matrix.
3. Minimize the function f = (x 1)4. Use quadratic interpolation but no more than a
maximum of ten function evaluations. The initial three points selected are x1 = 0, x2 =
0.5, and x3 = 2.0
4. Use the Fletcher-Reeves search to find the minimum of the objective function,

  4  5    6 Starting at x0 = [1 1]T.
5. A refinery has available two crude oils that have the yields shown in the following table.
Because of equipment and storage limitations, production of gasoline, kerosene, and fuel
oil must be limited as also shown in this table. There are no plant limitations on the
production of other products such as gas oils.
The profit on processing crude #1 is Rs. 50.00/bbl and on crude #2 it is Rs.35.00/bbl.
Find the approximate optimum daily feed rates of the two crudes to this plant using a
graphical method.
Volume percent
Maximum
yields
allowable product
rate (bbl/day)
Crude #1 Crude #2
Gasoline
70
31
6,000
Kerosene
6
9
2,400
Fuel oil
24
60
12,000
1 of 2

Code No. K0826

R07

Set No.2

6. Write down a stepwise procedure to determine the optimum cooling water rate for a shell
and tube heat exchanger.
7. Write down a stepwise procedure to calculate optimum pipe diameter for a compressible
flow of a fluid giving all the relevant equations.
8. Explain the working principles of Genetic Algorithms.

2 of 2

Code No. K0826

R07

Set No.3

IV B.Tech II Semester Regular/Supplementary Examinations, April, 2012

OPTIMIZATION OF CHEMICAL PROCESSES

(Chemical Engineering)
Time: 3 hours

Max. Marks: 80

Answer any FIVE Questions

All Questions carry equal marks
*****
1. a) Give a general procedure for solving optimization problems?
b) A box with a square base and open top is to hold 1000 cm3. Find the dimensions that
require the least material to construct the box (Assume uniform thickness of material).
2. Consider the objective function,
  3  6     6   
 2
   
 
Find the stationary points and classify them using the Hessian matrix.
3. Minimize the function f = (x 1)4 using cubic interpolation via function and derivative
evaluations. Use x1 = 0.5, x2 = 2.0 for a first guess.
4. Find the minimum of the following objective function by Fletcher-Reeves conjugate
gradient,   8  4   5 starting at xT = [10 10].
5. Prepare a graph of constraints and objective function, and solve the following linear
programming problem: Maximize: x1 + 2x2 subject to: x1 + 3x2 < 10; x1 + x2 6;
x1 x2 2; x1 + 3x2 6; 2x1 + x2 4; x1 0; x2 0.
6. Write down the optimal design criteria for the design of a distillation column.
7. Explain the a stepwise procedure for optimizing a thermal cracker using linear
programming.
8. Explain the Genetic Algorithms that are used for constrained optimization.
1 of 1

Code No. K0826

R07

Set No.4

IV B.Tech II Semester Regular/Supplementary Examinations, April, 2012

OPTIMIZATION OF CHEMICAL PROCESSES

(Chemical Engineering)
Time: 3 hours

Max. Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks
*****
1. a) Explain the obstacles to optimization.
b) Find the area of the largest rectangle with its lower base on the xaxis and whose
corners are bounded at the by the curve y 10 x2.

2. Consider the objective function,
          

    
Find the stationary points and classify them using the Hessian matrix.
3. Find the maximum of the following function:





  1  8  2 

            ; [:
  1   2  

Analytically. b) By quadratic interpolation (two iterations will suffice). Start at x = 2.
List each step of the procedure.
4. Minimize using Newtons method:

  1      
       
     
    
    
 
 
Starting from    3  30
4
 0.1 .
5. Maximize:f = 5x1 + 2x2 + 3x3 Subject to: x1 + 2x2 + 2x3 + x4 = 8; 3x1 + 4x2 x3 x5 = 7;
x1, x5 0; Explain in detail what you would do to obtain the first feasible solution to this
problem. Show all equations. You do not have to calculate the feasible solution just
explain in detail how you would calculate it. ( Use L.P. Standard form)
6. Write down the criteria for optimizing the flow rates in a liquid-liquid extraction column.
"#

"&

7. Consider the following reaction system: ! $ %! $ '! ; Where (  ) '* ;

,(  ) '+ ; For a batch reactor, an unsteady-state mole balance yields ,/.  ) '* ;
,-0

 ) '*  ) '+ ; Where '*  '*1    0; '+  '+1    0. Find the reaction
time that yields the maximum concentration of B.
,/

8. Discuss the similarities and differences between Genetic Algorithms and traditional
optimization methods.




1 of 1