Code No. K0805 R05 Set No.

1
IV B.Tech II Semester Supplementary Examinations, April, 2011
OPTIMIZATION OF CHEMICAL PROCESSES
(Chemical Engineering)
Time: 3 hours Max. Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks
*****
1. A packed tubular reactor with radial diffusion is to be optimized. Assume that
a single reversible reaction takes place. To set up the problem as a non
linear programming problem, write the appropriate balances (constraints)
including the initial and boundary conditions using the notation given below:
x = extent of the reaction, t = time, T = dimensionless temperature,
r = dimensionless radial coordinate. [16]

2. a) Explain briefly about basic concepts of Optimization [8]

b) Show that f = e x1 + e x2 is convex. Is it strictly convex also? Explain [8]

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, x3 = 2.0. [16]

4. a) Describe in detail the basic concepts involved in linear programming? [8]

b) Discuss briefly relation between Conjugate gradient method and quasi
Newton method. [8]

5. a) Explain the Importance of Linear Programming Problem (LP) and write is

applications. [8]
b) Explain briefly the Revised Simplex algorithm [8]

6. The annual costs of transporting a fluid through a pipe line depends on the
diameter of the of the pipe line. The objective function for the annual
costs C is a sum of annualized investment charges Cinv and pump operating
costs Cop, which are expressed as
Cinv= C1D0.3L
Cop= C0 m ǻp /ȡ Ș
where C0 and C1 are cost coefficients, m and ȡ are mass flow rate and density
of fluid, Ș is pump efficiency and L is the length of pipe line. The objective
function C includes four variables the pipe diameter D, the velocity v, the
pressure drop ǻp and the friction factor f. Three of these variables have the
following correlations:

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Code No. K0805
R05 Set No.1

ǻp = 2fȡv2L/D
m = (ȡš D2/4)v
f = (0.046µ 0.2)/(D0.2v0.2 ȡ0.2 )
Formulate the objective function by eliminating ǻp, v and f, and obtain an
expression for the optimal pipe diameter D considering it as the independent
variable. [16]

7. The steady state dependence of chemostat variables, namely, cell mass

concentration x and substrate concentration s are expressed by the
following equations:
X = yx/s[Sf – {(DKs)/(µ max –D)}]
S = {(DKs) / (µ max –D)}
Where D is the dilution rate. The parameter values are: maximum specific
growth rate µ max= 1.0 h-1,yield factor Yx/s= 0.5, substrate growth rate constant
Ks= 0.2 g/lit, substrate feed concentration Sf= 10.0 g/lit. The rate of cell mass
production per unit reactor volume is Dx. Show that the system exhibits
washout condition at Dx = µ max. [16]

8. a) Write briefly about GA’s for constrained optimization [8]

b) Discuss briefly about Advanced GA’s [8]

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Code No. K0805 R05 Set No.2
IV B.Tech II Semester Supplementary Examinations, April, 2011
OPTIMIZATION OF CHEMICAL PROCESSES
(Chemical Engineering)
Time: 3 hours Max. Marks: 80
Answer any FIVE Questions
All Questions carry equal marks
*****
1. a) What is Optimization? Why it is needed? Briefly discuss the applications
of optimization. [8]
b) Determine the best functional relation to fit the following data set:

xi 2 5 8 11 14 17
[8]
Yi 94.8 87.9 81.3 74.9 68.7 64

2. a) Distinguish between the local and global extrema of the following

objective function
f ( x) = 2 x13 + x22 + x12 x22 + 4 x1 x2 + 3 [8]
b) Distinguish between uni models and multi models briefly [8]

3. a) Write briefly about Scanning and Bracketing procedures [8]

b) Show that f = x is convex and give suitable other examples for
convex functions. [8]

4. a) List three reasons why a quasi-Newton (secant) search for the minimum
of a function of one variable will fail to find a local minimum. [8]
b) Explain Simplex method in detail with an example [8]

5. a) Examine the following problem

Minimize: f = 3 x1 + x 2 + x 3
Subjected to: x − 2 x + x ≤ 11
1 2 3

− 4x + x + 2x ≥ 3
1 2 3

2 x1 − x 3 = − 1 ,
x ,x ,x ≥ 0
1 2 3

Is there a basic feasible solution to the problem? Answer yes or No, and
explain. [8]
b) Write briefly about Karmarkar’s algorithm [8]

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 Code No. K0805 R05 Set No.2
6. The objective function C for the annual costs of a pipe line transporting of a
fluid is given by
C = C1D1.3L + 0.142(C0/Ș) m2.8 µ 0.2 ȡ-2.0 D-4.8 L.
Where C0 and C1 are cost coefficients. D and L are diameter and length of the
pipe. m, ȡ and µ are mass flow rate, density and viscosity of the fluid, and Ș
is pump efficiency. The velocity of the fluid, v flowing through the pipe is
given by V = 4m / (p š D2). Obtain expression for Dopt and optimal Vopt. [16]

7. The steady state monod chemostat model for substrate mass balance and cell mass
balance is
described by the following equations:
D(sf - s) – (µ max s x) / [yx/s(s+Ks)] = 0,
[(µ maxS / Ks+s) – D] x + D xf = 0.
Where x and s are cell and substrate concentrations, respectively and D is the dilution
rate.The parameter values are: maximum specific growth rate µ max= 1.0h-1 yield
factor Yx/s= 0.5, substrate growth rate constant Ks= 0.2 g/lit, substrate
feed concentration Sf= 10.0 g/lit and initial cell concentration xf = 0. The objective is
to find the optimal value of D that provide maximum cell production Dx. Obtain the
steady state solution for x and as a function of D, 0” D ” 1.0 and find the value of D
that provide maximum cell production Dx. [16]

8. a) Explain the differences between GA’s and traditional methods [8]

b) Write about real coded GA’s [8]

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Code No. K0805 R05 Set No.3
IV B.Tech II Semester Supplementary Examinations, April, 2011
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 scope and hierarchy of optimization. [8]
b) Discuss the classification of models and model building [8]

2. a) Ten data points were taken in an experiment in which the independent

variable x is the mole percentage of a reactant and the dependent variable
y is the yield (in percent):

x 20 20 30 40 40 50 50 50 60 70
y 73 78 85 90 91 87 86 91 75 65
Fit a quadratic model with these data and determine the value of x that maximizes
the yield. [8]

b) Explain the Newton’s method graphically [8]

3. a) Explain the procedure of Region Elimination method? Compare

with other methods [8]
b) Does the following sets of constraints form convex region? Explain
g1(x) = -(x12 + x22) + 9 • 0.
g2(x) = -x1 - x2 + 1 • 0. [8]

4. Find the maximum of the following function

10 1 4 1
f (x ) = 1 − 8 x + 2 x 2 − x 3 + x 4 + x 5 − x 6
3 4 5 6
a) Analytically
b) by Newton’s method, start at x = -2. List each step of the procedure
c) by quadratic interpolation start at x= -2. List each step of the
procedure [16]

5. Write short notes on

a) Degenerated LP’s
b) Duality in Linear Programming. [8+8]

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Code No. K0805 R05 Set No.3
6. Draw the schematic diagram of a power system of a system for the recovery
of waste heat from a boiler. Ignoring mechanical friction and heat leaks,
obtain an expression for the optimum value of the working fluid temperature
TH, at which the sum of the operating costs and surface area costs
would be minimum. [16]

7. The steady state dependence of chemostat variables, namely, cell mass

concentration x and substrate concentration s are expressed by the
following equations:
X = yx/s[Sf – {(DKs)/(µ max –D)}]
S = {(DKs) / (µ max –D)}
Where D is the dilution rate. The parameter values are: maximum specific
growth rate µ max= 1.0 h-1, yield factor Yx/s= 0.5, substrate growth rate constant Ks= 0.2
g/lit, substrate feed concentration Sf= 10.0 g/lit. The rate of cell mass production per
unit reactor volume is Dx. Show that the system exhibits washout condition at Dx =
µ max. [16]

8. a) Write real time applications of Genetic algorithms [8]

b) Write briefly about real coded GAs [8]

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Code No. K0805 R05 Set No.4
IV B.Tech II Semester Supplementary Examinations, April, 2011
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 Method of Least Squares. [8]
b) Discuss the classification of models and model building [8]

2. a) Show that f = e x1 + e x2 is convex. Is it strictly convex also? Explain [8]

b) Discuss briefly
i) Convex, Concave functions
ii) Convex, Concave regions [4+4]

3. A confectioner manufactures two kinds of candy bars Ergies and Nergies.

Ergies sell at a profit of 50 paise per box while Nergies have a profit of 60
paise per box. The candy is processed in three main operations blending
and cooking and packaging. The following table records the average time
In minutes required by each box of candy for each of candy for each of the
three activities.
Blending cooking packaging

Ergies 1 5 3
Nergies 2 4 1
During each production run, the blending equipment is available for a maximum
of 14 machines hours, the cooking equipment for at most 40 machines hours and
the packaging equipment for 15 machine hours. If each machine can be allocated
to the making of either type of candy at all times that is available for production,
determine how many boxes of each kind of candy the confectioner should make
in order to realize the maximum profit. Use graphical technique. [16]

4. a) Explain briefly about powells method [8]

b) Carry out the four stages of the simplex method to minimize the function
f ( x ) = x12 + 3x 22
Starting at x = [1 1 . 5] ,
T

use x = [1 2] for another corner. Show each stage on a graph

T
[8]

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Code No. K0805
R05 Set No.4

5. For a waste heat recovery system the following data are given: Cost per unit area
of exchanger, CA= Rs.20/ft2, Value of power, incorporating necessary conversion
factors to have a consistent set of units, CH= 1. 76 × l0-5, Average overall heat
transfer coefficient, U = 95Btu / (h)(ºF)(ft2), Number of hours per year or operation,
y = 8760 h/year, Annualization factor for capital investment, r = 0.365Efficiency of
overall system, Ș= 0.7, Condensing temperature,T2= 600ºRAverage hot fluid
temperature, Ts= 790ºR.Calculate the optimum value of the working fluid
temperature, TH. [16]

6. The cost function C representing the annual costs of a pipe line transporting a
Fluid is given by C = C1D1.3L + 0.142(C0/Ș) m2.8 m0.2 ȡ -2.0 D-4.8 L. Where the
cost coefficients are considered as C0 = Rs.O.59 and C1 = Rs.5.7. The mass
flowrate of fluid m = 25 kg/s, density ȡ = 1000 kg/m3, µ = 1.08 × 10-3 N-s/m2,
the pumping efficiency Ș = 0.60 and the pipe length L= 10 m. The fluid velocity
is correlated by v = 4m / (ȡ š D2). Find the optimal pipe diameter Dopt
and optimal fluid velocity Vopt [16]

7. The steady state monod chemostat model for substrate mass balance and cell
mass balance is described by the following equations:
D(sf - s) – (µ max s x) / [yx/s(s+Ks)] =0, [(µ maxS / Ks+s) – D] x + D xf = 0.
Where x and s are cell and substrate concentrations,respectively and D is the dilution
rate. The parameter values are: c maximum specific growth rate µ max= 1.0h-1 yield
factor Yx/s= 0.5, substrate growth rate constant Ks= 0.2 g/lit,substrate feed
concentration Sf= 10.0 g/lit and initial cell concentration xf = 0. The objective is to
find the optimal value of D that provide maximum cell production Dx. Obtain the
steady state solution for x and as a function of D, 0” D ” 1.0 and find the value of D
that provide maximum cell production Dx. [16]

8. a) Explain the differences between GA’s and traditional methods [8]

b) Write about real coded GAs. [8]

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