Emergy Evaluation of Methanol and Naphtha to Aromatics Systems Combined with Renewable Power Generation

Abstract

Methanol to aromatics is proved to have better performance than traditional naphtha to aromatics in terms of aromatics demand increasing and the petroleum resources decreasing. The electricity source has a great impact on the performance of aromatics production systems according to the emergy evaluation. Basing on the emergy evaluation of different aromatics production systems and renewable power generation systems, the emergy indices of aromatics production systems are discussed when the electricity is generated from renewable resources. The sustainability levels of the systems are analysed when the emergy proportion of electricity is uncertain. The results show that all the methanol to aromatics systems will be sustainable when the hydropower is applied. When the biomass direct-fired power is used, the natural gas and coke oven gas-based systems show weak sustainability while the coal-based system will be unsustainable. For the situation that the electricity has uncertain emergy proportion, the coal, natural gas and coke oven gas-based systems will become sustainable when the renewable proportion of electricity is greater than 0.40, 0.20 and 0.20.