Combining Process Optimization, Energy recovery and Exergy analysis for a better energy efficiency of industrial processes (Version 2) – COOPERE-2

In a global context of GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions reduction and a high increase rate of energy prices, energy efficiency investments for optimizing industrial processes often go through a complex and difficult decision making process. This project proposes the development of a software platform to simulate and optimize industrial processes energy consumption, in the scope of simplifying this decision making for industrials. This platform will be based on a combination of exergy analysis, process energy integration and mathematical and numerical optimization tools, all targeted at minimizing the total cost and the environmental impact (GHG emissions) of the process.

In addition to an exhaustive state of the art study of existing methodologies and tools, the development of a methodology that can combine three types of energy sources within an industrial process (chemical, thermal and electrical), is necessary. In fact, chemical energy that is often present in industrial sub-products with high organic content is usually treated on a case by case basis. No systematic methodology exists to integrate this energy source within the industrial process. In addition, many methods combining thermal and mechanical energy exist but are mainly oriented to specific processes or technologies. These methods are mainly based on a combination of exergy and pinch analysis. It is then necessary to develop a methodology that allows, in addition to a combination of exergy and pinch analyses, the evaluation and the integration of the sub-products chemical energy content.

Therefore, in addition to the methodological development, this project proposes software development based on an existing steady state process simulator (ProSimPlus) that is widely recognized in the industrial and engineering community. These developments will be tested with 3 industrial sites (clients of Veolia Environnement), in order to confront the developed software and methodology to the reality of industrial processes as well as the engineering community.