Title: Exergoeconomic performance investigation of a batch ethylene glycol recovery system

Authors: Suha Orcun Mert; Erkan Ersöz

Addresses: Faculty of Architecture and Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Yüzüncü Yıl University, Zeve Campus, Van TR-65080, Turkey ' Faculty of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, Ege University, Bornova Campus, İzmir TR-35100, Turkey

Abstract: A detailed exergoeconomic analysis of an ethylene glycol recovery system is conducted in this study considering a broad system modelling. In the process, ethylene glycol is attempted to be distilled from the waste of a polymer producing chemical plant that includes water, glycols and some anhydrides. The purification is sustained by a distillation system that operates in a batch manner which is heated by an electric fired heating oil system. The heating system, reboiler and condenser groups are investigated for understanding the characteristics of the system and revealing the efficiencies exergetically and the cost values exergoeconomically. The calculations are done by developing a computer program using MATLAB. Overall system exergetic cost values, with respect to the time, are calculated depending on the real data gathered from the plant and the exergy destruction points. The exergoeconomic costs for the system are then pointed out for sustaining a better efficiency and cost.

Keywords: exergoeconomics; batch distillation; exergy efficiency; separation; ethylene glycol recovery; modelling; chemical waste; polymer chemical industry; batch distillation; exergy destruction.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2016.075608

International Journal of Exergy, 2016 Vol.19 No.2, pp.199 - 209

Received: 25 Aug 2014
Accepted: 05 Feb 2015

Published online: 30 Mar 2016 *

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