Optimizing industrial Energy: An Eco-Efficient system for integrated Power, Oxygen, and methanol production using coke plant waste heat and electrolysis

This research presents a novel, eco-efficient hybrid system designed for the simultaneous production of power, oxygen, and methanol. It utilizes energy from coke plants and incorporates state-of-the-art waste heat recovery processes (WHRPs). The system effectively merges electricity and methanol production with WHRPs, improving both environmental sustainability and economic feasibility in industrial energy transformation. It consists of a fuel reforming and combustion unit, a waste heat recovery unit, a unit for hydrogen gas production through water electrolysis, and a methanol synthesis module. This configuration enables the production of 12. 72 MW of electricity, 0. 51 kg/s of oxygen, and 0. 53 kg/s of methanol, achieving an energy productivity of 46. 8 % and an exergy efficiency of 85. 13 %. The economic analysis indicates competitive costs of 0. 099 per kWh for electricity and 0. 56 per kg for methanol. The system surpasses current technologies in thermodynamic efficiency, operational and product costs, and reduced CO2 emissions, demonstrating its potential as a sustainable and economically sound solution for industrial energy challenges. It supports global sustainability initiatives and fits within the circular economy concept.