TY - JOUR AU - Liu, Chao AU - Ma, Yingjie AU - Zhang, Dongda AU - Li, Jie PY - 2022/09/01 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Feasible Path-Based Branch and Bound Algorithm for Highly Nonconvex Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Programming Problems JF - Chemical Engineering Transactions VL - 94 SP - 991-996 SE - Research Articles DO - 10.3303/CET2294165 UR - https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/CET2294165 AB - In this paper, a feasible path-based branch and bound (B&B) algorithm is presented for solving mixed-integer nonlinear programming problems with highly nonconvex nature. The main advantage of this novel algorithm, comparing to the conventional branch and bound algorithms, is that when solving a nonlinear programming (NLP) subproblem at each node, our previously proposed hybrid steady-state and time-relaxation-based optimisation algorithm is employed. This approach allows circumventing complex initialisation procedure and overcoming the convergence difficulties of process simulations. During B&B, the solution from a parent node is used to initialize the NLP subproblems at the child nodes to improve the efficiency of this algorithm. The capability of the proposed algorithm is illustrated by solving a dividing wall column optimisation case for separation of a ternary mixture. The optimal design is obtained in 2, 712 CPU s with TAC 43,344 $ y(1. ER -