Systematic design of integrated equipment for “waste-to-energy” processes

presentation, poster

en

The impact of global climate change can be seen in the process industry as an increased effort to further reduce energy consumption, emissions, and waste production, along with a strong push towards more efficient use or disposal of the generated wastes. Modern approaches to the systematic or integrated design of processes and equipment together with efficient, up-to-date modelling and experimental techniques represent a new trend with the potential to significantly contribute to the solution of the current challenges in the process industry. In particular areas of the respective industry such as, e.g., in the branch of energy utilisation of wastes (“waste-to-energy”), the mentioned trend or development leads to the design and implementation of processes and equipment featuring a much higher level of integration than is usual in other branches or industries using modern, integrated processes. This approach, which is based on the integration of both the processes and the key apparatuses, can simply be called “an integration within an integration” or “an implementation of modern integrated equipment (MIE)”. MIE generally feature maximum efficiency and multifunctionality (i.e., multiple unit operations are aggregated into a single apparatus). This reduces the number of apparatuses in a process and, consequently, lowers investment and operating costs. Such a highly integrated technology then also functions as a whole much more efficiently and in a more environmentally-friendly manner. The design of MIE, however, is significantly more demanding in terms of quality and accuracy and necessitates the use of modern, often tailor made (in-house) computational tools. As an example, one might mention the fast, CFD based fluid flow and heat transfer prediction software tools applicable to various heat transfer equipment and providing optimisation functionalities in terms of fluid flow distribution, which considerably influences equipment operation (“fouling – never-ending story”). In the talk, the principles of MIE design will be presented via specific cases and examples from the “waste-to-energy” area. These will also include the respective accurate computational tools which have been or are being developed, e.g., in the major “Strategic partnership for environmental technologies and energy production” (SPETEP) research project focused on the development of progressive MIE concepts and accurate computational tools for their safe and reliable design.

The impact of global climate change can be seen in the process industry as an increased effort to further reduce energy consumption, emissions, and waste production, along with a strong push towards more efficient use or disposal of the generated wastes. Modern approaches to the systematic or integrated design of processes and equipment together with efficient, up-to-date modelling and experimental techniques represent a new trend with the potential to significantly contribute to the solution of the current challenges in the process industry. In particular areas of the respective industry such as, e.g., in the branch of energy utilisation of wastes (“waste-to-energy”), the mentioned trend or development leads to the design and implementation of processes and equipment featuring a much higher level of integration than is usual in other branches or industries using modern, integrated processes. This approach, which is based on the integration of both the processes and the key apparatuses, can simply be called “an integration within an integration” or “an implementation of modern integrated equipment (MIE)”. MIE generally feature maximum efficiency and multifunctionality (i.e., multiple unit operations are aggregated into a single apparatus). This reduces the number of apparatuses in a process and, consequently, lowers investment and operating costs. Such a highly integrated technology then also functions as a whole much more efficiently and in a more environmentally-friendly manner. The design of MIE, however, is significantly more demanding in terms of quality and accuracy and necessitates the use of modern, often tailor made (in-house) computational tools. As an example, one might mention the fast, CFD based fluid flow and heat transfer prediction software tools applicable to various heat transfer equipment and providing optimisation functionalities in terms of fluid flow distribution, which considerably influences equipment operation (“fouling – never-ending story”). In the talk, the principles of MIE design will be presented via specific cases and examples from the “waste-to-energy” area. These will also include the respective accurate computational tools which have been or are being developed, e.g., in the major “Strategic partnership for environmental technologies and energy production” (SPETEP) research project focused on the development of progressive MIE concepts and accurate computational tools for their safe and reliable design.

multifunction equipment; integration

15.03.2021

ČSCHI

Praha

Proceedings of the 24th International Congress of Chemical and Process Engineering (CHISA 2021)

586.1–586.1

1