Optimizing Resource Conservation Networks: Overcoming Barriers with Process Systems Engineering

Abstract

Climate change continues to be the major environmental challenge of this century. Some of its effects may include more severe weather conditions, increased incidence of water scarcity, and the potential of pandemic outbreaks, to name a few. Scientific research has thus looked into various strategies to address this problem. These include reducing the generation of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) through the implementation of low carbon technologies and transitioning towards a more circular economy through improved resource efficiency. The challenge is in identifying which among the available options would yield the best results. The field of process systems engineering (PSE) which is a computational branch of chemical engineering, provides rigorous methods for analyzing systems which can be used to support decision making. These methodologies have been implemented at various scales to identify strategies which can improve the environmental performance of industrial systems. It has been utilized for optimizing operations of industrial processes, managing resources in eco-industrial parks, greening the product supply chain, and even analyzing strategies for reducing national carbon emissions. This work provides an overview of how PSE tools can be utilized for the design of more sustainable systems and showcases how it can be used at various levels of implementation.