Network Modeling and Design for Low Grade Heat Recovery, Refrigeration, and Utilization in Industrial Parks

Low grade heat still widely exists in energy-intensive industrial parks, although good energy integration has been accomplished for individual processes or plants. Low grade heat is notably large but difficult to utilize because of the limitation of heat transfer and the scarcity of low grade heat sinks. Large scale utilization of low grade heat is very challenging for energy-intensive industries or industrial parks. A large scale low grade heat recovery, refrigeration, and utilization network system is introduced in this study to improve energy performance for industrial parks. In order to model the large scale system, the system is decomposed into three levels: pipe networks, refrigeration stations and absorption chillers. A mixed integer nonlinear programming model is presented that considers mass and energy networks, pipes, refrigeration stations, absorption chillers, and economic performance. The mathematical model is applied to the optimization and economic analysis for the low grade heat utilization in a petrochemical industrial park in China. The model can be solved in available time using the global solver. The solution results demonstrate the good economic performance of the new low grade heat recovery, refrigeration, and utilization network system for the industrial park.