Advanced Exergy Evaluation of an Integrated Separation Process with Optimized Refrigeration System

Advanced exergy analysis is a tool to split the exergy destruction of the system to achieve a better perspective about the potentials of a system for improvements. In addition, the component interactions and their exergy destruction dependency with the other equipment are investigated through the advanced exergy analysis. For this purpose, it divides the exergy destruction calculated by conventional exergy analysis, into endogenous/exogenous and unavoidable/avoidable. It can be concluded that the endogenous part has the most portion of exergy destruction in components. In other words, component interactions have minor effects on system irreversibility, except heat exchanger E-100, which is affected by the compressor’s position. Sensitivity analysis is carried out to study the effect of some system parameters on compressor consumption power and total exergy destruction of the system. Results show that lowering the feed temperature and raising the feed pressure, decrease the compressor power, and higher pressure ratio decreases the total exergy destruction. Optimization is also carried out to reduce the power consumption of the compressor and propylene cooler.