Abstract
This paper investigates the application of heat-pipe based heat exchanger for improving the energy efficiency of industrial processes. In particular, the case of the ceramic industry is addressed and the potential heat recovery and reduction of fuel consumption is determined. A theoretical model is constructed based on the established, proven performance characteristics of heat-pipe technologies and the performance of the ceramic process are calculated using numerical simulation. The results of the kiln numerical model are then combined to the theoretical model of the heat-pipe based heat exchanger and the heat recovery potential is evaluated as well as the reduction of fuel consumption. The combined theoretical and numerical approach demonstrates that the application of the heat pipes based heat exchanger to the cooling stack of the ceramic kiln enables to recover more than 863 MWh of thermal energy that can be used for heating up the hot air stream of the pre-kiln dryer. Thus, approximately 110,600 Sm3 per year of natural gas can be saved from the burners powering the dryer and the emission of 164 tonnes per year of carbon dioxide can be avoided. Additionally, the avoided cost due to the fuel consumption reduction amounts to more than 22,000 Euro per year. These figures support the application of the heat pipes based heat recovery to the ceramic process from the viewpoint of the improvement the energy efficiency and environmental impact and also of the economic investment.
Highlights
The use of heat pipe heat exchangers to recover waste heat from industrial exhaust streams has been investigated and applied in many sectors such as: steel, food and transportation
En Tian developed a heat pipe heat exchanger to recover the heat in a high temperature and challenging exhaust to transfer the heat to a clean air stream
This paper investigates the application of Heat-Pipe Based Heat Exchanger (HPHE) to the ceramic process and its effects on the energy efficiency and environmental impact
Summary
The use of heat pipe heat exchangers to recover waste heat from industrial exhaust streams has been investigated and applied in many sectors such as: steel, food and transportation. The working fluid is condensed at the top section of the tube and evaporating at the bottom, this will create a two phase heat transfer cycle [1]. Heat pipe heat exchangers are composed of rows of heat pipes exposed to an exhaust stream at the bottom and a cooling fluid (Air, water, etc ...) on the condenser section. En Tian developed a heat pipe heat exchanger to recover the heat in a high temperature and challenging exhaust to transfer the heat to a clean air stream. Jouhara and Meskimmon investigated the application of heat pipe heat exchanger technology in data centre cooling system. This work developed a heat pipe heat exchanger to cool down data centre chamber using none pure air from the outside. The effectiveness of the designed heat pipe heat exchanger was 65% and was able to recover between 20 kW and 35 kW [4]
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