Potential for improving the energy efficiency of cryogenic air separation unit (ASU) using binary heat recovery cycles

摘要

In this paper, the potential of improving the energy efficiency of a conventional cryogenic air separation unit (ASU) was investigated through modelling and simulation using Aspen Plus (R) v 8.1. It is achieved through converting the heat from the compressor effluent to electricity using organic Ranking cycle (ORC). Two different arrangements of combining compressor and waste heat recovery ORC system were compared with the conventional cryogenic ASU which was used as the benchmark. The benchmark is a conventional cryogenic ASU with 3 stages of compression which uses water for intercooling. In the first arrangement the water used as the cooling fluid of the intercooler/after cooler heat exchanger of a conventional cryogenic ASU process was replaced by R134a which also acts as the working fluid for the ORC system (C3WHR) while in the second arrangement, the 3 stages compressor of the conventional process was replaced with a single stage compressor with the same overall pressure ratio as the conventional process and the hot compressor effluent cooled with R134a which also acts as the working fluid of the ORC system (C1WHR).