ENHANCEMENT OF PROCESS INTEGRATION BY HEAT PUMPING

A design strategy for enhanced process integration of separation syste ms considering heat pumping is scrutinised in order to significantly c ontribute to the rational use of energy. The suggested methodology for synthesising energy efficient distillation processes is tested for va rious separation tasks (e.g. light hydrocarbons, acetic acid recovery) by scrutinising different types of heat pump structures (vapour recom pression, bottom flash, closed cycle mechanical heat pumps, absorption cycles). After illustrating the design strategy for enhanced process integration by some typical nearly ideal and strongly non-ideal separa tion case studies a comparative analysis of different heat pump assist ed separation systems are presented by EMAT (exchanger minimum approac h temperature) dependent cost calculations, balanced exergy composite curves, and exergy losses. The economic potential of heat integration assisted by absorption & mechanical heat pump cycles is also elaborate d to estimate the expected pay back time of any kind of heat pumped ma tching.