Development of new concepts for the control of polymerization processes: Multiobjective optimization and decision engineering. Part I.. Application to emulsion homopolymerization of styrene

Silvère Massebeuf (1) , Christian Fonteix (1) , Sandrine Hoppe (1) , Fernand Pla (1)

1 LSGC - Laboratoire des Sciences du Génie Chimique

This paper deals with the development of a multicriteria analysis, and its application to the optimization of batch emulsion polymerization processes. This new approach in the domain of polymer reaction engineering illustrates how a multiobjective optimization aided by a genetic algorithm and using Pareto’s concept of domination, is useful. In this process (emulsion homopolymerization of styrene), several objectives were simultaneously required, e. g. a high quality of the resulting products together with a high productivity. The aim of this study, was to find the optimal experimental conditions to obtain simultaneously the minimum reaction time and designed values for both average molecular weights and particles size. To do that, an adapted mathematical model, able to describe all the process physicochemical phenomena, has been first elaborated. The multicriteria analysis gave then a set of nondominated points with conflicting criteria. A decision support system has been then developed and applied to rank Pareto’s solutions set and to propose some good solutions by taking into account the decision maker’s preferences.

Domaines: Polymères; Génie des procédés; Matériaux

Silvère Massebeuf, Christian Fonteix, Sandrine Hoppe, Fernand Pla. Development of new concepts for the control of polymerization processes: Multiobjective optimization and decision engineering. Part I.. Application to emulsion homopolymerization of styrene. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2003, 87 (14), pp.2383 - 2396. ⟨10.1002/app.12026⟩. ⟨hal-01630393⟩