Process control method

Claim 1

The method of optimalizing the operation of a process having a material input and a material output comprising a plurality of components of different unit economic values, the relative yields of which components vary in dependence upon the setting of at least one variable parameter, said process being further characterized in that its performance criterion as defined below has a maximum corresponding to a particular setting of said parameter, said performance criterion consisting in the summation of the magnitudes of said components as measured in said output, each such component magnitude being first weighted by its respective unit economic value, which comprises setting said parameter at a first setting, registering the performance criterion at said setting, changing said parameter by a predetermined increment, a predetermined time interval after said change sufficient to enable said process to stabilize registering the performance criterion of said process in said last-named setting of said parameter, after said last-named registering evaluating the change in said performance criterion produced by said last-named setting, and repeating the aforesaid sequence of steps until said performance criterion is substantially maximized.

Claim 2

The method of optimalizing the operation of a process having a material input and a material output comprising a plurality of components of different unit economic values, the relative yields of which components vary in dependence upon the setting of at least one variable parameter, said process being further characterized in that its performance criterion as defined below has a maximum corresponding to a particular setting of said parameter, said performance criterion consisting in the summation of the magnitudes of said components as measured in said output, each such component magnitude being first weighted by its respective unit economic value, which comprises setting said parameter at a first setting, registering the performance criterion at said setting, changing said parameter by a predetermined increment, a predetermined time interval after said change sufficient to enable said process to stabilize registering the performance criterion of said process in said last-named setting of said parameter, after said last-named registering evaluating the change in said performance criterion produced by said last-named setting, and repeating the aforesaid sequence of steps until said performance criterion is substantially maximized.

Claim 3

The method of optimalizing the operation of a catalytic cracking process wherein a charge stock comprising relatively high boiling petroleum is contacted with a catalyst in a reaction zone under cracking conditions, and wherein the resulting effluent from said reaction zone is separated to provide a plurality of separate product streams having different unit economic values, the relative yields of which products vary in dependence upon the setting of at least one variable parameter selected from the group consisting of reaction zone temperature and reaction zone space velocity, said cracking process being further characterized in that its performance criterion as defined below has a maximum corresponding to a particular setting of said parameter, said performance criterion consisting in the summation of the flow rates of said product streams, each such flow rate being first weighted by its respective unit economic value, which method comprises setting said parameter at a first setting, registering the performance criterion at said setting, changing said parameter by a predetermined increment, a predetermined time interval after said change sufficient to enable said process to stabilize registering the performance criterion of said process in said last-name setting of said parameter, after said last-named registering evaluating the change in said performance criterion produced by said last-named setting, and repeating the aforesaid sequence of steps until said performance criterion substantially maximized.

Claim 4

The method of optimalizing the operation of a catalytic cracking process wherein a charge stock comprising relatively high boiling petroleum is contacted with a catalyst in a reaction zone under cracking conditions, and wherein the resulting effluent from said reaction zone is separated to provide a plurality of separate product streams having different unit economic values, the relative yields of which products vary in dependence upon the setting of at least one variable parameter selected from the group consisting of reaction zone temperature and reaction zone space velocity, said cracking process being further characterized in that its performance criterion as defined below has a maximum corresponding to a particular setting of said parameter, said performance criterion consisting in the summation of the flow rates of said product streams, each such flow rate being first weighted by its respective unit economic value, which method comprises setting said parameter at a first setting, registering the performance criterion at said setting, changing said parameter by a predetermined increment, a predetermined time interval after said change sufficient to enable said process to stabilize registering the performance criterion of said process in said last-name setting of said parameter, after said last-named registering evaluating the change in said performance criterion produced by said last-named setting, and repeating the aforesaid sequence of steps until said performance criterion substantially maximized.

Claim 5

The method of optimalizing the operation of a catalytic reforming process wherein a gasoline charge stock is treated in a reaction zone with a platinum-containing catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to provide a gasoline product of improved octane rating comprising a plurality of components of different unit economic values, the relative yields of which components vary in dependence upon reaction zone temperature, said reforming process being further characterized in that its performance criterion as defined below has a maximum corresponding to a particular setting of said temperature, said performance criterion consisting in the summation of the magnitudes of said components, each such component magnitude being first weighted by its respective unit economic value, which method comprises setting said temperature at a first setting, registering the performance criterion at said setting, changing said temperature by a predetermined increment, a predetermined time interval after said change sufficient to enable said process to stabilize registering the performance criterion of said process in said last-named setting of said parameter, after saiD last-named registering evaluating the change in said performance criterion produced by said last-named setting, and repeating he aforesaid sequence of steps until said performance criterion is substantially maximized.

Claim 6

The method of optimalizing the operation of a catalytic reforming process wherein a gasoline charge stock is treated in a reaction zone with a platinum-containing catalyst in the presence of hydrogen to provide a gasoline product of improved octane rating comprising a plurality of components of different unit economic values, the relative yields of which components vary in dependence upon reaction zone temperature, said reforming process being further characterized in that its performance criterion as defined below has a maximum corresponding to a particular setting of said temperature, said performance criterion consisting in the summation of the magnitudes of said components, each such component magnitude being first weighted by its respective unit economic value, which method comprises setting said temperature at a first setting, registering the performance criterion at said setting, changing said temperature by a predetermined increment, a predetermined time interval after said change sufficient to enable said process to stabilize registering the performance criterion of said process in said last-named setting of said parameter, after saiD last-named registering evaluating the change in said performance criterion produced by said last-named setting, and repeating he aforesaid sequence of steps until said performance criterion is substantially maximized.