DSODE - Decision making tool for optimizing downstream strategies for the recovery of chemical compounds produced from CO2 or other raw materials

Process optimization is a must to define the best downstream strategies. The viability of separation and
purification technologies depends not only on the substances to be treated but on the technology operating
conditions too. The selection of suitable technologies is an important step in optimal downstream processing,
and a tailored statistical tool has been developed in this task to support this decision.
DS-OptiDoE (DSODE) is an automated tailored statistical tool able to optimize downstream strategies for lactic
and formic acids, polyhydroxibutirate, and C3-C6 alcohol recovery. Moreover, it is a flexible software that could
be used for optimizing downstream strategies of other chemical compounds produced from CO2 or other raw
materials.
DSODE is based on response surface methodology (RSM). It combines design of experiments (DoE),
regression analysis, and optimization methods. RSM is a technique that determines the optimal design factor
settings to improve the performance of a process. RSM evaluates the effects of multiple factors and their
interactions on a process response, establishing the relationship between input and output variables. As a
result, it is possible to predict the response of the process at given conditions. Furthermore, analyzing the
response surface topography, the regions where the most appropriate response occurs might be found by
looking for local maximum or minimums, and ridgelines.