Metodologia de seleção e análise de viabilidade da aplicação de sistemas de cogeração no setor de bebidas utilizando uma cervejaria como estudo de caso

Abstract

Every industry requires essential forms of energy for its operation, including electrical power, steam, water, compressed air, and refrigeration. In the pursuit of optimizing industrial processes, cogeneration represents a crucial strategy that should be explored and implemented by major companies. Cogeneration systems utilize a single fuel source to generate two or more forms of energy, achieving an average efficiency improvement of approximately 40% compared to conventional thermal power systems, and consuming about 48% less fuel in the process. However, selecting the cogeneration system that will deliver the highest performance for a given industry is not always straightforward due to the multitude of variables involved. This thesis presents a methodology for the selection, feasibility analysis, and performance evaluation of cogeneration systems within the industrial sector. The methodology is applied to a beverage industry that currently relies on purchasing 100% of its electrical energy and generating steam through conventional fire-tube boilers. The study explores the production of electrical energy through conventional methods, the operating principles of cogeneration units, the most commonly used technologies, and the variables that must be assessed to select the optimal cogeneration process. Finally, the methodology is applied to a case study, demonstrating the benefits of utilizing cogeneration systems for generating electricity and steam in a beverage industry.