Integração energética em uma rede de trocadores de calor de uma planta de produção de acetona

Abstract

In search of the best performance for an industrial plant, which associates the correct and more efficient use of the available energy in an acetone production plant from the oxidation reaction of the isopropyl alcohol, as well as the search of the emission reduction of the greenhouse effect's gases, in favor of environmental protection, the present study aimed to implement the technical of Energy Integration of process currents, through a heat exchangers’ network. With the application of Pinch methodology, adapted for currents that have phase change and enthalpy of vaporization, was found a network of heat exchangers that provided the maximum energy recovery, resulting in the minimum energy consumption from hot and cold utilities. The results showed that’s possible a reduction of more than 50% in energy consumption, without losing the efficiency of the production process. This benefit in the plant was only possible with the installation of three heat exchangers in the flowchart of the initial process, without Energy Integration. In addition, based on an estimated cost reduction analysis, the implementation of this technology would result in an annual reduction of approximately two hundred and sixty five thousand dollars.