Optimal inlet temperature control of reactors with catalyst decay

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Abstract
The constant conversion policy which has been shown to be optimal in certain classes of optimal control problems for reactors with decaying catalyst is examined here for the inlet temperature control in a tubular reactor where the catalyst decay is a function of the composition. A single irreversible reaction is considered where the rate expression is a product of separate functions of temperature, concentration or conversion and catalyst activity. The catalyst decay rate expression is also a product of separate functions of the same variables. A proof of the constant exit conversion property is given for problems where the decay rate is of first‐order with respect to the catalyst activity.