微型製造技術(microfabrication)之大幅進展已經為化學工業開展了新的契機，未來微化學工廠之產能可望超越傳統巨尺度工廠。各類功能之微裝置已經被設計與製造出來，例如微熱交換器、微混合氣與微反應器。這些裝置是微化學工廠之重要元件。板翅式(Plate-fin)微通道裝置是微反應器與微熱交換器之一種主要設計，然而其最佳化設計需藉由計算流體力學模擬，因需耗用龐大運算資源，尚無系統化最佳化方法。本計畫擬利用整合式最佳化方法，針對板翅式微反應器與板翅式微反應器/熱交換器兩種裝置，進行多目標最佳化設計研究。研究將以極具發展重要性之甲醇為燃料處理系統中之甲醇蒸汽重組反應為模式反應進行探討。此反應為氣相、使用塗佈於器壁之觸媒。本計畫所採用之整合式最佳化作法係結合實驗設計法、計算流體力學模擬、反應表面法與多目標基因演算法之系統化方法。 The progress of the microfabrication technology has opened new opportunities for chemical industries. Micro chemical plants are expected to exceed the capabilities of conventional macroscopic plants. Many types of microdevices, such as micro heat exchangers, micromixers, and microreactors, have been devised and manufactured. Those devices are important elements of micro chemical plants. Plate-fin type microdevice is one of the major designs for microreactors and micro heat exchangers. However, the systematic optimization, which is best implemented via computational fluid dynamics analysis, has not been developed. The project is on the multiobjective optimization for the plate-fin microreactor and microreactor/heat exchanger using an integrated optimization approach. The systematic approach combines experimental design, CFD simulation, response surface method, and genetic algorithm for multiobjective optimization. The reaction model adopted is the gas phase methanol steam reforming using coated catalyst.
