Synthesis of refrigeration system based on generalized disjunctive programming model

Refrigeration system holds an important role in process industries. The optimal synthesis cannot only reduce the energy consumption, but also save the production costs. In this study, a general methodology is developed for the optimal design of refrigeration cycle and heat exchanger network (HEN) simultaneously. Taking the heat integration between the external heat sources/sinks and the refrigeration cycle into consideration, a superstructure with sub-coolers is developed. Through defining logical variables that indicate the relative temperature positions of refrigerant streams after sub-coolers, the synthesis is formulated as a Generalized Disjunctive Programming (GDP) problem based on LP transshipment model, with the target of minimizing the total compressor shaft work in the refrigeration system. The GDP model is then reformulated as a Mixed Integer Nonlinear Programming (MINLP) problem with the aid of binary variables and Big-M Constraint Method. The efficacy of the process synthesis model is demonstrated by a case study of ethylene refrigeration system. The result shows that the optimization can significantly reduce the exergy loss as well as the total compression shaft work.     

Optimal synthesis of compression refrigeration system using a novel MINLP approach

The optimal design of a compression refrigeration system (CRS) with multiple temperature levels is very important to chemical process industries and also represents considerable challenges in process systems engineering. In this paper, a general methodology for the optimal synthesis of the CRS, which simultaneously integrates CRS and Heat Exchanger Networks (HEN) to minimize the total compressor shaft work consumption based on an MINLP model, has been proposed. The major contribution of this method is in addressing the optimal design of refrigeration cycle with variable refrigeration temperature levels. The method can be used to make major decisions in the CRS design, such as the number of levels, temperature levels, and heat transfer duties. The performance of the developed methodology has been illustrated with a case study of an ethylene CRS in an industrial ethylene plant, and the optimal solution has been examined by rigorous simulations in Aspen Plus to verify its feasibility and consistency.