Determination of Optimal Process Variables for Two-Cycle Purex Process

Abstract

The large and complicated system that is the Purex process is decomposed into units pos-sessing common functions. Then, using the concentration plofile determined by linear search, the inputs, the outputs and the concentration profiles of all the individual units can be deter-mined systematically. Using this approach, Powell's method and multilevel control theory is applied to the Purex process design problem, which is thereby reduced to a problem of optimi-zation. Numerical calculations are carried out, resulting in optimal process variables well within the range of practicability. These process variables are calculated without taking into consider-ation such relevant but difficult factors as criticality and the instability of Pu solutions. These factors could, however be accounted for by adding appropriate penalty terms to the performance index. The computer program devised for the present calculations is given the code name POSER (Program for Optimization of Solvent Extraction Process).