Sustainable Design Through Process Integration

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Sustainable Design Through Process Integration

AMSTERDAM • BOSTON • HEIDELBERG • LONDON • NEW YORK • OXFORD • PARIS • SAN DIEGO

SAN FRANCISCO • SINGAPORE • SYDNEY • TOKYO

Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier

Fundamentals and Applications to Industrial Pollution Prevention, Resource Conservation, and Profi tability Enhancement

Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi The Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering Texas A&M University College Station, Texas, USA

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Butterworth-Heinemann is an imprint of Elsevier 225 Wyman Street, Waltham, MA 02451, USA The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford, OX5 1GB, UK

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Notices Knowledge and best practice in this fi eld are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become necessary.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data El-Halwagi, Mahmoud M., 1962- Sustainable design through process integration : fundamentals and applications to industrial pollution prevention, resource conservation, and profi tability enhancement / Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. ISBN 978-1-85617-744-3 (hardback) 1. Chemical processes. 2. Sustainable engineering. I. Title. TP155.7.E476 2012 660�.28—dc23 2011020300

British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

For information on all Butterworth-Heinemann publications visit our Web site at www.elsevierdirect.com

Printed in the United States of America

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To my parents, my wife, and my sons, with love and gratitude

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CONTENTS

Preface ix

1 Introduction to Sustainability, Sustainable

Design, and Process Integration 1

2 Overview of Process Economics 15

3 Benchmarking Process Performance

Through Overall Mass Targeting 63

4 Direct-Recycle Networks: A Graphical

Approach 89

5 Synthesis of Mass-Exchange Networks:

A Graphical Approach 111

6 Combining Mass-Integration Strategies 133

7 Heat Integration 147

8 Integration of Combined Heat and

Power Systems 165

9 Property Integration 201

10 Direct-Recycle Networks: An Algebraic

Approach 223

11 Synthesis of Mass-Exchange Networks:

An Algebraic Approach 231

12 Synthesis of Heat-Induced Separation

Networks for Condensation of Volatile

Organic Compounds 237

13 Design of Membrane-Separation Systems 243

14 Overview of Optimization 255

15 An optimization approach to direct

recycle 287

16 Synthesis of mass-exchange networks: A

mathematical programming approach 299

17 Synthesis of reactive mass-exchange

networks 315

18 Mathematical Optimization Techniques for

Mass Integration 327

19 Mathematical Techniques for the Synthesis

of Heat-Exchange Networks 345

20 Synthesis of Combined Heat and Reactive

Mass-Exchange Networks 357

21 Design of Integrated Biorefineries 365

22 Macroscopic approaches of process

integration 375

23 Concluding Thoughts: Launching

Successful Process-Integration Initiatives

and Applications 393

Appendix I Conversion Relationships for

Concentrations and Conversion

Factors for Units 397

Appendix II Modeling of Mass-Exchange Units

for Environmental Applications 401

Index 415

vii

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ix

Preface

One of the most important challenges facing humanity is the need for a sustainable development that accommo-dates the escalating demands for natural resources while leaving future generations with the opportunities to real-ize their potential. This challenge is especially important for the chemical process industries that are characterized by the enormous usage of natural resources. To effec-tively address this challenge, it is inevitable for industry to embrace the concept of sustainable design, which involves process-design activities that lead to economic growth, environmental protection, and social progress for the cur-rent generation without compromising the potential of future generations to have an ecosystem that meets their needs. Consequently, a growing number of industries are launching sustainable-design initiatives that are geared toward enhancing the corporate stewardship of the envi-ronment. Although these initiatives are typically clear in their strategic goals, they are very diffi cult for technical managers and process engineers to transform into viable actions. A sustainable design should endeavor to conserve natural resources (mass and energy), recycle and reuse materials, prevent pollution, enhance yield, improve qual-ity, advance inherent safety, and increase profi tability. The question is how to achieve and reconcile these objectives? Processing facilities are complex systems of unit opera-tions and streams. Designing these facilities or improv-ing their performance typically entails the screening of numerous alternatives. Because of the enormous number of design alternatives, laborious conventional engineering approaches that are based on generating and testing case studies are unlikely to provide effective work processes or reach optimal solutions. Indeed, what is needed is a sys-tematic framework and associated concepts and tools that methodically guide designers to the global insights of the process, identify root causes of the problems or key areas of opportunities, benchmark the performance of the pro-cess, and develop a set of design recommendations that can attain the true potential of the process.

Over the past three decades, signifi cant advances have been made in treating chemical processes as integrated systems and developing systematic tools to determine practically achievable benchmarks. This framework is referred to as process integration and is defi ned as a holis-tic approach to design and operation that emphasizes the unity of the process. Process integration can be used to systematically enhance and reconcile various process objectives, such as cost effectiveness, yield enhancement, energy effi ciency, and pollution prevention. Many archi-val papers have been published on different aspects of process integration. Because of the specialized nature of these papers, readership has been mostly confi ned to aca-demic researchers in the fi eld. On the other hand, many industrial projects have been successfully implemented

on specifi c aspects of process integration. Because of the confi dential nature of most of these projects, details have not been widely available in the public domain. This book was motivated by the need to reach out to a much wider base of readers who are interested in systematically devel-oping sustainable designs through process integration. The book is appropriate for senior-level undergraduate or fi rst-year graduate courses on process design, sustainabil-ity, or process synthesis and integration. It is also tailored to serve as a self-study textbook for process engineers and technical managers involved in process innovation, development, design and improvement, pollution preven-tion, and energy conservation. A key feature of the book is the emphasis on benchmarking the performance of a process or subprocess and then methodically detailing the steps needed to attain these performance targets in a cost-effective manner.

The approach of this book is to fi rst explain the prob-lem statement and scope of applications, followed by the generic concepts, procedures, and tools that can be used to solved the problem. Next, case studies and numeri-cal examples are given to demonstrate the applicability of the tools and procedures. Chapter 1 introduces the key concepts of sustainability, sustainable design, and process integration. Motivating examples are given on the development and integration of sustainable design alternatives. The chapter also describes the learning outcomes of the books. Chapter 2 provides a detailed coverage of process economics including cost types and estimation, depreciation, break-even analysis, time value of money, and profi tability analysis. Applications involve a broad range of conventional and contempo-rary problems in the process industries. Because of the extensive nature of the chapter, it can be used in senior-level process design and economics courses. Chapter 3 introduces the concept of overall benchmarking (tar-geting) and focuses on the identifi cation of perfor-mance targets for the consumption of fresh materials, the discharge of waste materials, and the production of maximum yield. Chapters 4 through 9 present graphical techniques (pinch diagrams) for the targeting of direct-recycle systems, mass-exchange networks, overall pro-cesses, heat-exchange networks, combined heat and power systems, and property integration. Chapters 10 through 13 are based on algebraic procedures for the design of direct-recycle networks, mass-exchange networks, heat-induced separators, and membrane-separation net-works. Chapter 14 covers the basic approaches to the formulation of optimization problems as mathemati-cal programs and the different types of formulations. Examples are given on transforming tasks and concepts into optimization formulations. Also, the use of the soft-ware LINGO is described. Chapters 15 through 20 are

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Prefacex

devoted to the solution of sustainable design problems through optimization. Several classes of problems are addressed, including direct-recycle networks, mass-exchange networks, heat-exchange networks, and com-bined heat and reactive mass-exchange networks. Chapter 21 covers the conceptual design and techno-economic assessment of integrated biorefi neries. The focus is on top-level and quick synthesis and screening of alternative designs. Macroscopic process integration approaches are addressed in Chapter 22, with several applications such as eco-industrial parks, material fl ow analysis, environmental impact assessment, and life cycle analysis. The book cul-minates in Chapter 23, which offers a discussion on com-mercial applicability of process integration for sustainable design, track record and pitfalls in implementing process integration, and starting and sustaining process integra-tion initiatives and projects.

Various individuals have positively impacted my path of learning about and contributing to sustainable design through process integration. I very much appreciate the professional associates and leaders of the process systems engineering and the sustainability communities whose contributions have made a paradigm shift in the under-standing and tackling of sustainable design problems. I am especially grateful to Dr. Dennis Spriggs (president of Matrix Process Integration) who has mentored me in numerous industrial applications and has consistently shown the power of the “science of the big picture” in tackling complex industrial challenges in a smooth and insightful manner. I am also thankful to the academic partners with whom I had the honor of collaborating. Specifi cally, I would like to thank the following pro-fessors and their students: Drs. Ahmed Abdel-Wahab (Texas A&M University-Qatar), Mert Atilhan (Qatar University), Mario Eden (Auburn University), Nimir Elbashir (Texas A&M University-Qatar), Amro El-Baz (Zagazig University), Fadwa Eljack (Qatar University), Xiao Feng (China University of Petroleum), Dominic C. Y. Foo (University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus), Arturo Jiménez-Gutiérrez (Instituto Tecnológico de Celaya), Ken Hall (Texas A&M University), Mark lott-zapple (Texas A&M University), Viatcheslav Kafarov (Universidad Industrial de Santander), B. J. Kim (Soongsil University), Patrick Linke (Texas A&M University-Qatar), Vladimir Mahalec (McMaster University), Sam Mannan (Texas A&M University), Pedro Medellín Milán (Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí), Denny Ng (University of Nottingham, Malaysia Campus), Martín Picón-Núñez (Universidad de Guanajuato), José María Ponce-Ortega (Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo), Abeer Shoaib (Suez Canal University), Paul Stuart (Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal), and Raymond Tan (De La Salle University).

I am very grateful to the numerous undergraduate stu-dents at Texas A&M University and Auburn University as well as attendees of my industrial workshops, short courses, and seminars whose invaluable feedback and input was instrumental in developing and refi ning the book.

I am indebted to my former and current graduate stu-dents. I have learned much from this distinguished group of scholars, which includes: Nesreen Ahmed (Suez Canal

University), Nasser Al-Azri (Sultan Qaboos University), Hassan Alfadala (Barwa), Eid Al-Mutairi (King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals), Abdul-Aziz Almutlaq (King Saud University), Meteab Al-Otaibi (SABIC), Saad Al-Sobhi (Qatar University), Musaed Al-Thubaiti (Aramco), Selma Atilhan (Texas A&M University-Qatar), Srinivas “B.K.” Bagepalli (Danaher), Buping Bao, Abdullah Bin Mahfouz (SABIC), Ian Bowling (Chevron), Ming-Hao Chiou, Benjamin Cormier (BP), Eric Crabtree (Parsons), Alec Dobson (Solutia), Russell Dunn (Vanderbilt University), Brent Ellison (LightRidge Resources), René Elms (Bryan Research and Engineering), Fred Gabriel (Honeywell), Kerron Gabriel, Walker Garrison (Valero), Adam Georgeson (Bryan Research and Engineering), Ian Glasgow (Mustang Engineering), Murali Gopalakrishnan (ExxonMobil), Daniel Grooms (Invista), Ahmad Hamad (Marathon Oil Company), Natalie Hamad, Dustin Harell (Intel), Rasha Hasaneen (GE Corporate Initiatives), Ronnie Hassanen (GE Energy), Ana Carolina Hortua (KBR), Vasiliki Kazantzi (Technological Educational Institute of Larissa), Houssein Kheireddine, Eva Lovelady (Mustang Engineering), Rubayat Mahmud (Intel), Tanya Mohan (Air Products), Lay Myint (Shell Global Solutions), Bahy Noureldin (Aramco), Mohamed Noureldin, Madhav Nyapathi (Shell), Gautham “P. G.” Parthasarathy (Solutia), Eric Pennaz, Grace Pokoo-Aikins (Cambridge Environmental Technologies), Viet Pham (Dow), Xiaoyun Qin (Baker Engineering and Risk), Jagdish Rao (Shell), Arwa Rabie (Dow), Andrea Richburg (3M), Brandon Shaw (Foster Wheeler), Mark Shelley (Andrews Kurth LLP), Chris Soileau (Veritech), Carol Stanley (Walter Energy), Lakeshia Stewart (Honeywell), Eman Tora (National Research Center), Ragavan Vaidyanathan (Jacobs Engineering), Ting Wang (KBR), Anthony Warren (General Electric), Key Warren (Southern Company), Matt Wolf (Honeywell), José Zavala (Universidad de Guanajuato), and Mingjie Zhu (AtoFina).

The fi nancial support of my process integration research by various federal, state, industrial, and inter-national sponsors is gratefully acknowledged. I am also indebted to Mr. Artie McFerrin for his generous endow-ment and enthusiastic support that allowed me to pursue exciting and exploratory research and to transfer the fi nd-ings to the classroom.

I would like to thank the editing and production team at Elsevier, especially Ms. Fiona Geraghty, Mr. Jonathan Simpson, and Ms. Heather Tighe, as well as Ms. Teresa Christie and her team at MPS North America for their excellent work on the various phases of production.

I am very grateful to my mother for being a constant source of love, inner peace, and support throughout my life. I am truly indebted to my father, Dr. Mokhtar El-Halwagi for being my most profound mentor and role model, introducing me to the fascinating world of chemi-cal and environmental engineering, and teaching me the most valuable lessons in the profession and in life. I am also grateful to my grandfather, the late Dr. Mohamed El-Halwagi, for instilling in me a deep love for chemical engineering and a passion to seek knowledge and to pass it on. I am thankful to my brother, Dr. Baher El-Halwagi, for his constant support and encouragement. I owe a great

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xiPreface

debt of gratitude to my wife, Amal, for her unconditional love, unstinting understanding, unlimited encouragement, and unwavering support. With her impressive engineer-ing skills, she has always been my fi rst reader and my most constructive critic, and with her superb human qual-ities, she has constantly been my sustained source of com-fort, compassion, wisdom, and inspiration. Finally, I am grateful to my sons, Omar and Ali, for being the sunshine

of my life, for their warmth and love, for their remarkable achievements, and for their genuine care about humanity, which gives me great hope for a more sustainable world with a better tomorrow.

Mahmoud M. El-Halwagi College Station, Texas

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