Energy efficiency and system optimization by replacing of water cooled condenser with air cooler in zagros petrochemical complex

Abstract

Abstract. In this paper, the feasibility of replacing the water cooled condenser instead air cooler of using disposable technologies once through and cooling tower water is salty and sweet of economic operations is examined. In hot and humid areas of our country like assluyeh, wide temperature changes during the day especially in warm seasons of year affect the atmospheric distillation tower conditions for purification of products both in quantity and quality. This changeable temperature conditions cause the waste of produced methanol from the bottom of tower and cooling operation in air cooler wouldn’t be well done. Since air is as coolant in air cooler and due to low heat capacity of air (1.0035j/g k) to water (4.1813j/g k), this types of exchangers have lower heat efficiency. Because there’s access to water sources of Persian Gulf, the feasibility of substituting water exchanger by using once through technology, the salt water or desalt water cooling tower was studied based on practical and economic issues. Based on these studies, it is suggested to apply water exchanger which use cooling tower technology of sweet water accompanied by sweet water maker (MED) set instead of air cooler in Zagros petrochemical complex. Because this project not only has higher practical efficiency considering to air cooler but also can save a lot of electricity and the expenditure of maintenance of equipment will be decreased.