Minimizing Compression Work in a Multi-Pressure Level Steam Network

Abstract

Increasing energy requirements and carbon emissions drive towards energy efficiency. In a process industry, one of the efficient ways of becoming cost-competitive is to employ the most efficient techniques and methodologies to utilize the available energy. One such area of energy targeting is compression work in steam networks. Steam is present in various pressure levels. In general, there are various levels of steams that are used in process industries. This paper deals with the development of an algebraic methodology that takes into consideration of pressures of the available steam streams, their temperature and flow rates into consideration. The objective of the proposed method is to calculate the minimum compression work required to satisfy steam demands using steam sources and these steam sources and demands are at various pressure levels. The methodology initially breaks multiple pressure systems into various sub-problems and solving each set of two pressure level sub-problem at a time. The overall cross-flows between all the pressure levels eventually determine the compression work required. The developed methodology is graphical and optimum solutions can be guaranteed. The cross-flow is calculated via a graphical methodology of the shortest path between the two curves. The methodology is illustrated via an example where reduction potential in compression energy is estimated to be more than 80 %.