SCI和EI收录∣中国化工学会会刊

中国化学工程学报 ›› 2025, Vol. 83 ›› Issue (7): 266-276.DOI: 10.1016/j.cjche.2025.03.008

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A transformer-based model for predicting and analyzing light olefin yields in methanol-to-olefins process

Yuping Luo1, Wenyang Wang1,2, Yuyan Zhang1, Muxin Chen1, Peng Shao3   

  1. 1 School of Maritime Economics and Management, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China;
    2 Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China;
    3 Department of Statistics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
  • 收稿日期:2024-10-20 修回日期:2025-03-05 接受日期:2025-03-12 出版日期:2025-07-28 发布日期:2025-07-28
  • 通讯作者: Wenyang Wang,E-mail:wangwenyang@dlmu.edu.cn
  • 基金资助:
    This research was supported by the Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation of the Ministry of Education (22YJC910011), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2023M733444), and the Key Research and Development Program in Artificial Intelligence of Liaoning Province (2023JH26/10200012).

A transformer-based model for predicting and analyzing light olefin yields in methanol-to-olefins process

Yuping Luo1, Wenyang Wang1,2, Yuyan Zhang1, Muxin Chen1, Peng Shao3   

  1. 1 School of Maritime Economics and Management, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China;
    2 Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian 116023, China;
    3 Department of Statistics, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
  • Received:2024-10-20 Revised:2025-03-05 Accepted:2025-03-12 Online:2025-07-28 Published:2025-07-28
  • Contact: Wenyang Wang,E-mail:wangwenyang@dlmu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    This research was supported by the Humanities and Social Sciences Foundation of the Ministry of Education (22YJC910011), the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (2023M733444), and the Key Research and Development Program in Artificial Intelligence of Liaoning Province (2023JH26/10200012).

摘要: This study introduces an innovative computational framework leveraging the transformer architecture to address a critical challenge in chemical process engineering: predicting and optimizing light olefin yields in industrial methanol-to-olefins (MTO) processes. Our approach integrates advanced machine learning techniques with chemical engineering principles to tackle the complexities of non-stationary, highly volatile production data in large-scale chemical manufacturing. The framework employs the maximal information coefficient (MIC) algorithm to analyze and select the significant variables from MTO process parameters, forming a robust dataset for model development. We implement a transformer-based time series forecasting model, enhanced through positional encoding and hyperparameter optimization, significantly improving predictive accuracy for ethylene and propylene yields. The model's interpretability is augmented by applying SHapley additive exPlanations (SHAP) to quantify and visualize the impact of reaction control variables on olefin yields, providing valuable insights for process optimization. Experimental results demonstrate that our model outperforms traditional statistical and machine learning methods in accuracy and interpretability, effectively handling nonlinear, non-stationary, highvolatility, and long-sequence data challenges in olefin yield prediction. This research contributes to chemical engineering by providing a novel computerized methodology for solving complex production optimization problems in the chemical industry, offering significant potential for enhancing decisionmaking in MTO system production control and fostering the intelligent transformation of manufacturing processes.

关键词: Methanol-to-Olefins, Transformer, Explainable AI, Mathematical modeling, Model-predictive control, Numerical analysis

Abstract: This study introduces an innovative computational framework leveraging the transformer architecture to address a critical challenge in chemical process engineering: predicting and optimizing light olefin yields in industrial methanol-to-olefins (MTO) processes. Our approach integrates advanced machine learning techniques with chemical engineering principles to tackle the complexities of non-stationary, highly volatile production data in large-scale chemical manufacturing. The framework employs the maximal information coefficient (MIC) algorithm to analyze and select the significant variables from MTO process parameters, forming a robust dataset for model development. We implement a transformer-based time series forecasting model, enhanced through positional encoding and hyperparameter optimization, significantly improving predictive accuracy for ethylene and propylene yields. The model's interpretability is augmented by applying SHapley additive exPlanations (SHAP) to quantify and visualize the impact of reaction control variables on olefin yields, providing valuable insights for process optimization. Experimental results demonstrate that our model outperforms traditional statistical and machine learning methods in accuracy and interpretability, effectively handling nonlinear, non-stationary, highvolatility, and long-sequence data challenges in olefin yield prediction. This research contributes to chemical engineering by providing a novel computerized methodology for solving complex production optimization problems in the chemical industry, offering significant potential for enhancing decisionmaking in MTO system production control and fostering the intelligent transformation of manufacturing processes.

Key words: Methanol-to-Olefins, Transformer, Explainable AI, Mathematical modeling, Model-predictive control, Numerical analysis