Optimal synthesis of environmentally acceptable reaction and separation system

The purpose of this work is to introduce a new synthesis technique in chemical engineering--the optimal synthesis of environmentally acceptable reaction and separation systems. This technique is rooted in two other novel synthesis techniques which are also introduced in this work--the synthesis of environmentally acceptable reactions, or "EARs," and the synthesis of hybrid separation systems consisting of gas permeation membrane modules and condensers.;The synthesis of optimal environmentally acceptable reactions entails the identification of cost-effective, environmentally-benign overall-reactions that yield a certain product. To this end, a systematic tool is developed to screen reaction alternatives without enumerating them. The synthesis of hybrid membrane/condensation systems necessitates the meshing of gas permeation membranes with vapor condensation equipment to design an economical network of separators which can accomplish a given recovery task. The combined procedure expands the benefits beyond those acquired by applying the previous two techniques consecutively. The simultaneous synthesis of the reaction and separation systems ensures optimal tradeoff in designing and operating the two systems.;These tools are presented and applied to case studies to demonstrate the significance of the new methodologies.