Nowadays, the computer skills acquisition by Chemical Engineering (ChE) students is based on practical uses of specialized software packages in different applications. Process optimization courses use high-level algebraic programming languages, such as GAMS (General Algebraic Modeling System) or AMPL (A Mathematical Programming Language), which are usually reserved for advanced programs in ChE degrees or ChE M.Eng. Commercial software for process optimization has several benefits, such as the possibility of facing complex numerical problems in a more efficient and straightforward way. By contrast, they typically present expensive license fees, and students usually require intense training to get the proper user-level skills. The use of simpler and economic software tools may help overcoming these limitations. In this context, Microsoft (MS) Excel Solver tool is a widespread software with the potential to be used worldwide by any ChE student, and with the power to solve complex optimization problems at the academic level. In this paper, we introduce the application of MS Excel Solver for the optimization of a distillation sequence for the separation of a ternary mixture, including the heat integration in the definition of the problem. This is an MINLP problem, which usually requires specialized software performing stochastic methods, such as Simulated Annealing, to achieve a solution. In this regard, the approach to solve an optimization problem using the MS Excel Solver tool shown in this study was successfully employed by a student of ChE M.Eng. at Rey Juan Carlos University and the Autónoma University of Madrid in the development of her master thesis.

中文翻译：

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借助 Microsoft Excel 求解器确定包含热积分的三元混合物的最佳蒸馏顺序

如今，化学工程 (ChE) 学生获得的计算机技能是基于专业软件包在不同应用中的实际使用。流程优化课程使用高级代数编程语言，例如 GAMS（通用代数建模系统）或 AMPL（数学编程语言），这些语言通常保留给 ChE 学位或 ChE M.Eng 的高级课程。用于过程优化的商业软件有几个好处，例如可以以更有效和直接的方式解决复杂的数值问题。相比之下，它们通常会收取昂贵的许可费用，而且学生通常需要经过大量培训才能获得适当的用户级技能。使用更简单和经济的软件工具可能有助于克服这些限制。在这种情况下，Microsoft (MS) Excel Solver 工具是一种广泛使用的软件，有可能在全球范围内被任何 ChE 学生使用，并且能够在学术层面解决复杂的优化问题。在本文中，我们介绍了 MS Excel 求解器在优化用于分离三元混合物的蒸馏序列中的应用，包括问题定义中的热积分。这是一个 MINLP 问题，通常需要专门的软件执行随机方法（例如模拟退火）来获得解决方案。在这方面，ChE M.Eng 的一名学生成功采用了本研究中显示的使用 MS Excel 求解器工具解决优化问题的方法。在 Rey Juan Carlos 大学和马德里自治大学完成她的硕士论文。