Energy Consumption and CO2 Emission of MRU Processes

Abstract

In order to quantitatively evaluate MRU processes in terms of heat and power consumptions, CO2 atmospheric emissions and exergy performance, traditional, full-stream, and slip-stream processes are first implemented in a professional process simulator, with the same inlet and outlet conditions for a comparative study. Process conditions and relevant parameters are first defined and steady-state flowcharts of MRU processes are installed as process flow diagrams (PFD) in process simulator in order to solve the respective mass and energy balances. Values of electric energy (EE) and heat consumptions of MRU processes are assessed via simulations, as well as all thermodynamic properties of the relevant material, thermal and mechanical energy streams. Heat streams are used to represent heating and cooling effects associated to a contact between two (or more) material streams in a heat exchanger. Hence, some assumptions for the simulations were adopted and they are listed in this chapter. Further, the implementation in simulation environment and the main results, as well as electrical energy (EE) and heat consumptions, required flow rate of utilities and CO2 emissions for the processes are also presented in this chapter.