By the use of online optimization, the profitability of chemical processes can be enhanced while meeting process-related, environmental and ecological constraints. Two well-known techniques to achieve an economically optimal operation of chemical processes are repetitive stationary optimization (RTO) combined with advanced control and direct economics optimizing control on a receding horizon (also called one-layer approach or dynamic RTO). Direct economics optimizing control can react faster to disturbances and is better suited for the optimization of transients between different products. On the other hand it is computationally demanding and requires sufficiently accurate dynamic models.

In this paper, we discuss economics optimizing control of a very complex process, a multi-product transesterification reaction that is realized in a reactive distillation process. The process model, the specification of the economics optimizing controller, the implementation of the dynamic optimization, and the robustification of the controller by a multi-stage approach are discussed using simulation studies.

通过使用在线优化，可以提高化学过程的盈利能力，同时满足与过程相关的环境和生态约束。重复性静态优化（RTO）与先进的控制相结合，并且在后退的地平线上直接进行经济优化控制（也称为单层方法或动态RTO），是实现化学过程的经济最佳运行的两种众所周知的技术。直接经济优化控制可以对干扰做出更快的反应，并且更适合于优化不同产品之间的瞬变。另一方面，它在计算上要求很高，并且需要足够精确的动态模型。

在本文中，我们讨论了一个非常复杂的过程的经济优化控制，该过程是在反应蒸馏过程中实现的多产物酯交换反应。通过仿真研究，讨论了过程模型，经济优化控制器的规格，动态优化的实现以及通过多阶段方法实现的控制器的鲁棒性。