Synthesis of mass exchange network for batch processes—Part II: Minimum units target and batch network design

The first part of this series of papers (Chem. Eng. Sci. 59(5) (2004) 1009) presented a methodology for identifying the minimum utility targets for a mass exchange network (MEN) for a batch process. This paper describes the methodology for setting the minimum number of mass exchange units target and a procedure for designing a maximum mass recovery network that features the minimum utility targets. The time-grid diagram and the overall time-grid diagram that include the time dimension in network design have been introduced to provide a better representation of the mass exchange network for a batch process. The systematic network design procedure also includes a technique to simplify and evolve the preliminary batch MEN to reduce the number of mass exchangers to the minimum.     

质量交换网络综合

质量交换网络(MEN)综合是过程系统工程的新兴分支方向.本文介绍了质量交换网络综合的研究内容和研究进展,对两类研究方法即目标设定法和效学规划法做了简要介绍,对伴随反应的质量交换网络、热致分离网络、废物截断分配网络等3种重要的MEN进行了详细阐述.指出今后应加强质量集成在预防污染和清洁生产中的应用研究,进行能量集成和质量集成相结合的全面的过程集成研究,其发展方向是考虑各种实际因素的MEN研究.     

Interval based MINLP superstructure synthesis of mass exchange networks

A new simultaneous synthesis approach for mass exchange networks (MENs) is presented. The technique is adapted from the interval based mixed integer non-linear program (MINLP) superstructure (IBMS) synthesis of heat exchanger networks (HENs). The superstructure interval boundary compositions are defined by the supply and target compositions of either the rich or lean set of streams. Each rich and lean stream in the superstructure has the potential of exchanging mass with streams of opposite kind in each interval based on mass transfer feasibility. The model harnesses the strengths of the stagewise superstructure and the pinch technology methods for mass exchange network synthesis (MENS). The IBMS approach simultaneously trades-off the capital and operating costs for MENs. The superstructure composition interval defining approach introduced in this paper enforces the mixing of split streams at equal compositions, hence there is no need to include mixing equations in the model. Fixing the interval boundaries helps to eliminate the complexities involved in initialisations, thus the region of search for the optimum solution is reduced. The IBMS model is applied to MENS problems involving continuous contact and staged columns. It is also extended to problems involving multiple mass separating agents (MSAs) and regeneration. The results obtained compare well with those in the literature.     

Combined mass and heat exchange network synthesis based on stage-wise superstructure model☆

Integrating multiple systems into one has become an important trend in Process Systems Engineering research field since there is strong demand from the modern industries. In this study, a stage-wise superstructure-based method is proposed to synthesize a combined mass and heat exchange network (CM&HEN) which has two parts as the mass exchange network (MEN) and heat exchange network (HEN) involved. To express the pos-sible heat exchange requirements resulted from mass exchange operations, a so cal ed“indistinct HEN super-structure (IHS)”, which can contain the all potential matches between streams, is constructed at first. Then, a non-linear programming (NLP) mathematical model is established for the simultaneous synthesis and optimiza-tion of networks. Therein, the interaction between mass exchange and heat exchange is modeling formulated. The NLP model has later been examined using an example from literature, and the effectiveness of the proposed method has been demonstrated with the results.     

基于转运模型的功交换网络综合

功交换网络作为能量回收系统的重要组成部分,其设计水平的高低对过程系统的能耗将有着重要的影响,但是目前对功网络综合的研究仍处于理论研究的起步阶段.本文根据功级联分析,首次提出了一种基于转运模型进行功交换网络综合的新方法.该方法以公用工程用量最小为目标函数,建立了适用于等温过程的LP数学模型.通过提出构造低压流股压力中间值的策略,解决直接式功交换匹配过程中压力约束的限制,在每个压力间隔内寻求可行流股匹配,从而得到功交换的初始网络结构;再根据所提的合并相邻压力间隔的策略,进一步减少公用工程用量,进而达到优化网络结构的目的.最后通过实例计算,验证了本文方法的可行性及有效性.     

Prediction of maximum recoverable mechanical energy via work integration: A thermodynamic modeling and analysis approach

Thermal energy and mechanical energy are two common forms of energy consumed significantly in the process industries. While thermal energy can be effectively recovered using matured heat integration technologies, recovery of mechanical energy through work integration has not been fully explored. It is shown that work integration can be achieved through synthesizing work exchange networks (WENs), where work exchangers are operated in a batch mode, and compressors and expanders are operated in a continuous mode; this renders network synthesis a very sophisticated design task. It is greatly beneficial if the maximum amount of mechanical energy recoverable by a WEN can be determined prior to network design. In this article, we introduce a thermodynamic modeling and analysis method to identify accurately the maximum amount of recoverable mechanical energy of any process system of interest. The method is rigorous and general for target setting of mechanical energy recovery prior to WEN synthesis. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2017     

采用浓度差同步优化的质量交换网络设计

质量交换网络(MEN)综合作为过程集成的一个分支,越来越受到过程系统工程领域的广泛关注。因为质量交换网络综合时,贫、富流股之间对应的浓度差(ε)反映传质推动力,影响操作费用和投资费用的大小,所以对其进行优化意义重大。而现有的质量交换网络综合设计一般将贫、富流股之间对应的最小允许浓度差假设为固定值,不能保证得到最优的质量交换网络。针对这一问题,介绍了一种同步优化方法,既能处理单杂质体系,又能处理多杂质体系,建立质量交换网络的超结构模型, 以年度总费用(TAC)最小为目标,将每一对贫、富流股对应的浓度差作为变量,权衡操作费用和投资费用,并利用改进的遗传算法求解,同步得到年度总费用的最小值以及对应的一组最优浓度差,从而得到最优的质量交换网络。     

AquoMin: A software tool for Mass-Exchange Networks targeting and design

This study addresses the work developed at Process Integration Group of CPQ to build a software tool in the area of Pollution Prevention, regarding the Mass-Exchange Networks (MEN) targeting and design.Given a set of mass transfer operations and their limiting data, AquoMin can analyse different options to reduce fresh water consumption and minimise wastewater production. The available strategies to optimise these targets are (i) process without waste water reutilisation, (ii) process with waste reutilisation, and (iii) process with waste regeneration reuse. These options are analysed in two stages: first the targeting and then the design. The former stage uses algorithms based on pinch analysis to obtain the minimum consumption of external water and also the minimum wastewater production. These targets are then used in the second stage, the MEN design.The regeneration reuse strategy needs an extra step in the MEN design stage, which uses pinch analysis concepts to generate a mass balance model to obtain a set of optimal design parameters, the Split Operation Parameters (SOP). Furthermore, work on regeneration with recycle and reuse has been also developed. It was created a general algorithm to obtain the targets for this strategy: the external water source flowrate and the regeneration and recycle flowrate.A small AquoMin tutorial is presented using an Example Problem. The regeneration reuse strategy is focused and the methodology employed in both targeting and design stages were improved. Different scenarios evaluating the MEN structure's complexity and equipment cost were also developed and compared in the regeneration reuse strategy. In the regeneration recycle and reuse strategy, the Example Problem was used to emphasise a new option for the regeneration concentration value and the results of all the strategies are compared.Finally, a five operations’ Case Study was solved to obtain the targets and designs to accomplish the three Process Integration Strategies with a final reduction of 60% in the fresh water consumption.     

质量集成方法在合流制排水系统改造中的应用

质量集成是过程系统工程中一个极为重要的新发展,自提出以来便作为新的理论方法指导着工业企业实现清洁生产。在一些过程工业生产中,只建立在节省新鲜水用量、减少废水排放等方面的质量交换网络取得显著成效。针对合流制排水系统中主要污染物溢流污染及系统建造运行费用昂贵等问题,提出了将质量集成方法应用于合流制排水系统的改造中,从而通过质量交换网络的建立实现排水系统中污染物含量的最小化,减轻末端污水处理厂的负荷,实现环境和经济的双赢。     

Design of mixed energy‐integrated batch process networks by Pseudo‐direct approach

In this article, a novel framework for the design of mixed (combined direct and indirect) integration for batch process systems is presented. The framework is based on the concept of pseudo‐direct energy integration (PDEI) which reformulates indirect integration as direct integration using pseudo‐process streams. Two algorithms are presented to achieve energy integration for batch processes operating cyclically (in a campaign mode). The first algorithm targets maximization of energy recovery and overcomes the limitations of some of the existing contributions for design of mixed integrated systems. The second algorithm provides a network reduction methodology to generate a cadre of integrated designs while exploring the trade‐off between capital (number of heat exchangers and storage units) and operating costs (utility consumption). The proposed framework is illustrated using a benchmark example of two hot and two cold streams. © 2017 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 63: 55–67, 2018     

水级联法确定间歇用水过程的夹点及废水最小化

利用水级联分析法对间歇过程用水网络进行研究,确定过程的用水夹点及最小新鲜水用量和最小废水排放量,提出了间歇用水过程的全局夹点的概念,考虑了用水过程的流率限制,在水级联表格中用流率替代了传统水级联分析法中的传质量,识别过程中每个时间段的局部夹点及公用工程目标,通过全局夹点和局部夹点的比较,指出过程的用水瓶颈,设置储罐打破瓶颈,使用水网络公用工程目标最小化。通过实例对水级联分析法进行了详细的阐述,计算结果与文献一致,表明该方法是一种易于理解、直观且简便有效的确定间歇过程用水网络的夹点及最小公用工程的方法。     

质量交换网络

质量交换网络自从1989年提出以来,作为发展循环经济和建设资源节约企业和社区的理论方法,获得长足进步。本文从基本概念、理论方法(特别是夹点分析方法)到工业应用做了全面综述。     

Step-wise synthesis of work exchange networks involving heat integration based on the transshipment model

Due to the deterioration of serious energy dilemma, energy-conservation and emission–reduction have been the strategic target in the past decades, thus people have identified the vital importance of higher energy efficiency and the influence of lower carbon development. Since work exchange network is a significant part of energy re-covery system, its optima design wil have dramatically significant effect on energy consumption reduction in chemical process system. With an extension of the developed transshipment model in isothermal process, a novel step-wise methodology for synthesis of direct work exchange network (WEN) in adiabatic process involv-ing heat integration is first proposed in this paper, where a nonlinear programming (NLP) model is formulated by regarding the minimum utility consumption as objective function and optimizing the initial WEN in accordance with the presented matching rules to get the optimized WEN configuration at first. Furthermore, we focus on the work exchange network synthesis with heat integration to attain the minimal total annual cost (TAC) with the introduction of heat-exchange equipment that is achieved by the following strategies in sequence:introducing heat-exchange equipment directly, adjusting the work quantity of the adjacent utility compressors or expanders, and approximating upper/lower pressure limits consequently to obtain considerable cost savings of expanders or compressors and work utility. Finally, a case taken from the literature is studied to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.     

Computer-aided synthesis and design of plant utility systems

A design synthesis procedure is developed for preliminary design of utility systems. Given known steam sources (waste heat and auxiliary boilers) and sinks (heating, process injection, and driver horsepower needs), the algorithm determines the optimal header pressure levels, the distribution of steam turbines in the network, and the steam flows between all devices so as to maximize the real work recovered from the sources. Any number of pressure levels can be accommodated at only modest increase in computational effort.     

Design of flexible heat exchanger network for multi-period operation

Heat exchanger networks (HENs) increase heat recovery from industrial processes by matching hot and cold streams to exchange heat and reducing utility consumption. The design of HENs is a very complex task which generally involves mixed-integer non-linear programming (MINLP).This work evaluates and critically compares existing HEN design methods. It then presents a systematic methodology in the design of HENs under multiple periods of operation. The model presented in this work is a superstructure-based MINLP model which minimises the total annualised cost containing heat exchanger area cost and utility costs. The model is based on the superstructure by Yee and Grossmann [1990. Simultaneous optimisation models for heat integration—II, heat exchanger network synthesis. Computer & Chemical Engineering 14(10), 1165-1184], which was later formulated for multiple periods by Aaltola [2002. Simultaneous synthesis of flexible heat exchanger network. Applied Thermal Engineering 22, 907-918]. It includes a multi-period simultaneous MINLP model to design the HEN structure, and an NLP model to improve the solution and allow for non-isothermal mixing. Modifications to Aaltola's model include the use of maximum area per period in the area cost calculation of the MINLP objective function, and the removal of slack variables and weighed parameters from the existing NLP improvement model.The new model has been applied to one industrial case study, demonstrating that the new combined MINLP-NLP model can obtain better solutions by not relying on the average area assumption in the MINLP stage.     

间歇过程单杂质用水网络设计

提出了一种利用时间-纯度两维用水图进行用水网络设计的方法,分别提出了无中间储罐和有中间储罐的设计规则。该方法把水的纯度作为一维,把时间作为另一维,从而更好地同时描述间歇用水过程的时间特性和杂质特性。它首先通过水级联分析技术确定间歇过程用水网络的夹点及最小公用工程,然后利用时间-纯度图和设计规则来合成用水网络,对有储罐的情况,确定了储罐的数量与容量,最后利用时间-水网络图描述了所合成的最优间歇过程用水网络,并探讨了用水过程流量对网络的影响。通过文献实例计算,表明该方法简单、直观、有效。     

Optimal design of batch mass exchange networks with multipurpose exchange units

A novel mathematical model for simultaneous optimization of batch mass exchange networks with multipurpose mass exchange units that can be shared by more than one match in different periods is presented in this work. It can be shown that both utility cost and capital investment can be reduced simultaneously with the use of multipurpose mass exchangers and mass storage tanks. Specifically, state-space superstructure that does not contain any structural simplification is proposed to capture the entire characteristics of the network configuration and a mixed-integer nonlinear optimization model is then formulated accordingly to generate the optimal batch operating policies and the corresponding flowsheet. Two examples are presented in this paper to demonstrate the validity and advantages of the proposed approach.     

水网络与虚拟水的过程系统工程研究进展

水危机的迫切性已经引起了全世界过程系统工程领域的普遍关注。首先概述了全球和中国水危机的严重情况, 介绍了政府和学术界的对策, 系统地检索了1994年以来对水网络和虚拟水问题发表的文献著作。分3个层次对国内外的研究做了系统综述:①单个企业内水网络系统集成优化, 包括用水网络(WUN)、废水处理网络(WWTN)、总水网络(TWN)和全水网络(CWN)及冷却循环水系统问题、有中水道水网络和间歇水网络问题3个特殊问题;热量和水耗同时最小化的水配置和换热网络问题(WAHEN);多种工艺与能、水网络系统同时集成优化研究;②跨企业多个水网络系统集成优化;③跨地区/国家的虚拟水与产品水足迹研究。这些研究对企业的、跨企业的生态工业园区以及区域产业系统的节水减排和提高水、能的利用效率可以发挥重要作用, 并对解决缺水地区/国家的政策制定提供依据。     

功热交换网络综合的研究进展

功和热是化工工业中使用能源的两种最主要方式,由于流股压力、温度操作需要消耗大量的功热,因此研究功热的协同利用对于提高过程整体能源利用率具有重要的意义。本文首先概述了基于热力学分析的功热交换网络综合的研究情况,以系统?耗最小为目标探讨压缩机、膨胀机优化配置与换热网络用能瓶颈的耦合关系,揭示了功热协同利用的作用机制。然后系统地总结了以年度总费用最小为目标的数学规划模型综合功热交换网络的研究进展,探寻压力操作路径、流股功/热交换匹配、公用工程消耗量及设备投资之间的有效权衡;最后对后续研究进行展望,指出可进一步探究考虑流股冷热性质判定的功热交换网络同步综合、公用工程系统优化与功热交换网络同步设计的耦合等。     

Optimal system wide design for bioprocesses

The advantages of automated process synthesis and design via optimisation have long been recognised in the chemical industries. Applying synthesis procedures to design and optimise whole processes leads to the generation of better solutions than sequential approaches. While the biotechnology sector also stands to gain from the same benefits little work on synthesis algorithms for bioprocesses exists. In this paper we describe a bioprocess synthesis algorithm which is based on an implicit enumeration algorithm and has previously been used for chemical process synthesis. The algorithm uses physical properties data to screen candidate units at each stage of the synthesis procedure thereby reducing the search space without eliminating valuable solutions. The utility of the algorithm is demonstrated by synthesising a flowsheet for the manufacture and purification of penicillin, a well established bioprocess. Results show that the synthesis algorithm is able to generate a set of system wide optimal flowsheets. In addition many of the alternatives identified by the synthesis algorithm concur with industrial knowledge as reported by Swartz (1985).