Title: A detailed thermodynamic assessment and exergetic performance analysis of an industrial-scale orange juice production plant

Authors: Zeinab Khorasanizadeh; Farshid Nasiri; Khadijeh Faraji Mahyari

Addresses: Department of Agricultural Machinery, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran ' Department of Agricultural Machinery, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran ' Department of Agricultural Machinery, Faculty of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran

Abstract: In the present work, detailed exergy analysis was conducted on an industrial-scale orange juice production plant located in the north-west part of Iran. The plant consisted of four main lines including steam generation, above-zero refrigeration, mixing and pasteurisation lines. The overall rate of destructed exergy in the whole plant was 17.7 MW. The majority (76.2%) of it was observed in the steam generation in which boiler and compressor had the highest contribution (12,073.09 kW/89%) in exergy destruction. In the above-zero refrigeration line, the ice-water tank possessed the highest exergy destruction (2,802.36 kW) accounted for 71% of total exergy destruction, which could be improved by thermal insulation. The mixing and pasteurisation lines had the lowest overall exergy destruction (1.5%). The exergetic efficiencies of all the pumps were in a poor range that strongly are suggested to employ the Variable Speed Drive.

Keywords: above-zero refrigeration; exergy analysis; exergy destruction; exergy efficiency; mixing and pasteurisation; steam generator.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2021.115896

International Journal of Exergy, 2021 Vol.35 No.3, pp.291 - 326

Received: 08 Feb 2020
Accepted: 28 Oct 2020
Published online: 05 Jul 2021 *

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