Pareto optimization of an industrial ecosystem: sustainability maximization

Abstract

-This work investigates a procedure to design an Industrial Ecosystem for sequestrating CO 2 and consuming glycerol in a Chemical Complex with 15 integrated processes. The Complex is responsible for the production of methanol, ethylene oxide, ammonia, urea, dimethyl carbonate, ethylene glycol, glycerol carbonate, β-carotene, 1,2-propanediol and olefins, and is simulated using UNISIM Design (Honeywell). The process environmental impact (EI) is calculated using the Waste Reduction Algorithm, while Profit (P) is estimated using classic cost correlations. MATLAB (The Mathworks Inc) is connected to UNISIM to enable optimization. The objective is granting maximum process sustainability, which involves finding a compromise between high profitability and low environmental impact. Sustainability maximization is therefore understood as a multi-criteria optimization problem, addressed by means of the Pareto optimization methodology for trading off P vs. EI.