Through Exergy Approach to More Efficient Processes

Abstract

This paper compares three different types of a turbine-converter-expander combination with respect to the exergetic efficiency. Converter stands for a combustion chamber, a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and a reactor in which a chemical process is carried out. The exergy losses for the first examples are 22%. The exergy losses for the other two examples can be reduced by 50 and 10 to 80%, respectively. The calculations were done by means of an in-house developed process simulator. It is concluded that the integration of utilities in chemical processes can realize a substantial reduction of both energy and exergy loss.This paper was presented at the ECOS'00 Conference in Enschede, July 5-7, 2000