Patent ID: 7065450

Claim:
A method for producing an improved catalyst, said method comprising: (a) providing a first catalyst generation comprising a plurality of mixed catalysts, each said mixed catalyst comprising a plurality of components; (b) measuring at least one performance parameter for each catalyst of said first catalyst generation; (c) preparing a second catalyst generation by restructuring the catalysts of said first generation by a pre-determined number of processes comprising crossing or mutation or both, performed in any order; (d) repeating steps (a) through (c) for a predetermined number of generations or until no definite improvement in catalytic properties is observed within a generation, wherein each second catalyst generation provides the first catalyst generation of a subsequent generation, wherein said crossing process comprises the steps of: (i) ranking said first catalyst generation according to said at least one performance parameter; (ii) selecting a first mixed catalyst using a numerical random generator having a uniform distribution; (iii) selecting a second mixed catalyst with a probability Wi using a numerical random generator having a uniform distribution, wherein Wi is determined according to the formula: W i = ( ∑ j = 1 n ⁢ j ) - i ( ∑ j = 1 n ⁢ j ) wherein i and j denote said ranking in order of decreasing performance, and n denotes the number of catalysts in said first catalyst generation; (iv) selecting from said first and second mixed catalysts a first component that is present in only one of said first and second mixed catalysts using a numerical random generator having a uniform distribution; and (v) crossing said first and second catalyst by removing said first component from said first or second catalyst having said first component, and adding said first component to said first or second catalyst lacking said first component; and wherein said mutation process comprises the steps of: (vi) selecting a third mixed catalyst using a numerical random generator having a uniform distribution; (vii) selecting a component of said third mixed catalyst using a numerical random generator having a uniform distribution; and (viii) mutating said third mixed catalyst by adding said component if said third mixed catalyst lacks said component, or removing said component if said third mixed catalyst has said first component.