Problem 9.

6 Solvent Extraction
Problem 9.6 Solvent Extraction
Objective Function = Minimum Cost per Year
Decision Variable = Tower Diameter
Input Data:
3
m h da
Lf := 40 Feed Rate Op_h := 24 Op_d := 300
d da y
m
vallow := 12.2 recommended velocity of solvent and feed combined
h
Let Fsf = m 3 of solvent/m 3 of feed
2
( )
CF Fsf := 8800 • Fsf − 51000 • Fsf + 110000 Fixed Charges ($/y)

( )
COP Fsf := 1.41 • Lf • Fsf • Op_d Operating Costs ($/y)

Solution

( ) ( )
Ctotal Fsf := CF Fsf + COP Fsf ( ) Total Cost ($/y)

The optimum value of Fsf is found by setting the derivative of the total cost equal to
zero and solving for the optimum Fsf

d d
( )
g Fsf :=
dFsf
Ctotal Fsf ( ) dFsf
( )
Ctotal Fsf → 17600 • Fsf − 34080.0

Setting this equal to zero, one obtains

34080
FsfOPT := FsfOPT = 1.936
17600
Now we can determine the Tower diameter using the allowable total velocity

0.5
 4  •  40  • 1 + F 
Dopt :=     ( sfOPT) Dopt = 2.496 m
    24 
Fsf := 1.0 , 1.1 .. 2.5

8.6
8.4
( )
Ctotal F sf 8.2
4 8
10
7.8
7.6
1 1.5 2 2.5 3
F sf