TECHNOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT OF CHEMICAL METALLURGICAL PROCESSES

The theory of exergy analysis is summarized. The basis for the selecti on of the concentration of a datum level species from which the standa rd chemical exergy is calculated is explained. The exergy balance equa tion is presented and the Law of Exergy Loss derived. Expressions are presented for a thermodynamic efficiency which is a measure of the per formance of an industrial process relative to the ideal reversible pro cess. The characteristic of energy and exergy are summarized. The theo ry is applied to the iron blast furnace and the results of analysis co mpared with results from the lead blast furnace. The iron blast furnac e operates close to equilibrium in the stack region; hence the iron fu rnace is considerably more efficient in the thermodynamic sense. This is mainly a consequence of purity of the feed materials. This type of process assessment is not possible from an energy balance.