GENETIC ALGORITHM OPTIMIZATION OF THE CONDITIONS OF RICE STRAW PULPING WITH AQUEOUS ETHANOL

摘要

The optimum values of papersheets produced from rice straw have been calculated by the genetic algorithm technique.The variables subjected to optimization were the mechanical properties of papersheets,i.e.,breaking length,tear index and burst index.The data from ten organosolv pulping runs at laboratory scale were employed for developing the empirical correlations relating these variables to ethanol concentration,cooking time and temperature.The ranges of alcohol concentration,cooking time and temperature applied in the study were:40-65% (w/w),150-180 min.and 195-210 deg,respectively.At first,optimization by the genetic algorithm technique was carried out,on using two fitness functions for evaluating the dependent variables of the papersheets (burst and tear index,and breaking length).In the next step,the optimum values of the independent variables (ethanol concentration,cooking time and temperature)were obtained by solving the three non-linear above-mentioned empirical correlations.The optimum values of the burst index,tear index,breaking length,temperature,cooking time and ethanol concentration were found to be 21.1875 KN/g,57.306 mNm~2/g,4214.8 m,203.73 deg,152.26 min and 58.78 % (w/w),respectively.