Process Input Optimization for Continuous Crystallization of β form L-glutamic acid

For using the continuous oscillatory baffled crystallizer (COBC) to conduct cooling crystallization of β form L-glutamic acid (LGA), a prediction model of crystal product size distribution and an optimization method of process operation conditions are proposed in this paper, based on the design of experiment. The oscillation frequency and cooling rates of front two zones of the COBC are taken as the input conditions to design a 3-factor and 3-level Box-Behnken experimental scheme. A prediction model of crystal product size distribution based on double-layer basis functions is constructed by examining the chord length distribution of crystal products under different experimental conditions. Then an objective function on the target crystal size distribution and product yield is introduced to establish an optimization method on the process operating conditions, based on the above prediction model. The effectiveness and advantages of the proposed method are verified by simulation and experiments on the continuous cooling crystallization process of p form LGA.