Minimum Entropy Generation Rate and Maximum Yield Optimization of Sulfuric Acid Decomposition Process Using NSGA-II

Based on the theory of finite-time thermodynamics (FTT), the effects of three design parameters, that is, inlet temperature, inlet pressure, and inlet total mole flow rate, of a tubular plug-flow sulfuric acid decomposition reactor on the total entropy generation rate (EGR) and SO₂ yield are analyzed firstly. One can find that when the three design parameters are taken as optimization variables, the minimum total EGR and the maximum SO₂ yield of the reference reactor restrict each other, i.e., the two different performance objectives cannot achieve the corresponding extremum values at the same time. Then, the second-generation non-dominated solution sequencing genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) is further used to pursue the minimum total EGR and the maximum SO₂ yield of the reference reactor by taking the three parameters as optimization design variables. After the multi-objective optimization, the reference reactor can be Pareto improved, and the total EGR can be reduced by 9% and the SO₂ yield can be increased by 14% compared to those of the reference reactor. The obtained results could provide certain theoretical guidance for the optimal design of actual sulfuric acid decomposition reactors.