Abstract
Globally one third of energy consumption is attributable to the industrial sector, with up to fifty percent ultimately wasted as heat. Unlike material waste that is clearly visible, waste heat (WHE) can be difficult to identify and evaluate both in terms of quantity and quality. Hence by being able to understand the availability of waste heat energy, and the ability to recover, there is an opportunity to reduce industrial energy costs and associated environmental impacts. A waste heat energy recovery framework is developed to provide manufacturers with a four step methodology in assessing production activities in facilities, analysing the compatibility of waste heat source(s) and sink(s) in terms of exergy balance and temporal availability, selecting appropriate heat recovery technologies and decision support based on economic benefits. The economic opportunity for industrial energy recovery is demonstrated in an industrial case study. The applicability of the framework for wider industrial application is discussed.
Highlights
The need for improved energy efficiency in manufacturing is unquestionable
Energy recovery and use is founded on the principle that energy is never consumed, it is only converted from one form to another, and so there is a potential to capture this and utilise it as an energy supply
Energy efficiency is often overshadowed by economic efficiency, when it comes to decision making within industrial environments
Summary
The need for improved energy efficiency in manufacturing is unquestionable. Responsible for one third of global energy demand [1] and set against the backdrop of increasing consumption and depleting energy-rich fossil-based fuels, it is likely that the future will bring increased energy prices and both short and long-term energy insecurities. Energy recovery and use is founded on the principle that energy is never consumed, it is only converted from one form to another, and so there is a potential to capture this and utilise it as an energy supply This is best conceptualised when considering the lifecycle of energy within a plant (Fig. 1), where energy (typically waste heat) can be recovered closed loop (reused back into the same process) or extended loop (recover into the energy supply of the facility). This paper begins with a brief review of current industrial energy management and recovery used within industrial production facilities, before defining a framework for evaluating opportunities for reuse and recovery of energy within industrial environments. The suitability of the framework is discussed in the context of industrial applications
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