New Elements of Heat Transfer Efficiency Improvement in Systems and Units

Zvýšení efektivity výměny tepla vede k poklesu spotřeby energie, což se následně projeví sníženými provozními náklady, poklesem produkce emisí a potažmo také snížením dopadu na životní prostředí. Běžné způsoby zefektivňování přenosu tepla jako např. přidání žeber či vestaveb do trubek ovšem nemusí být vždy vhodné nebo proveditelné -- zvláště při rekuperaci tepla z proudů s vysokou zanášivostí. Jelikož intenzita přestupu tepla závisí i na charakteru proudění, distribuci toku a zanášení, které lze všechny výrazně ovlivnit tvarem jednotlivých součástí distribučního systému, bylo sestaveno několik zjednodušených modelů pro rychlou a dostatečně přesnou predikci distribuce a také aplikace pro tvarovou optimalizaci distribučních systémů využívající právě tyto modely. Přesnost jednoho z modelů byla dále zvýšena pomocí dat získaných analýzou 282 distribučních systémů v softwaru ANSYS FLUENT. Vytvořené aplikace pak lze využít během návrhu zařízení na výměnu tepla ke zvýšení jejich výkonu a spolehlivosti.Improved heat transfer efficiency leads to decrease in energy consumption which then results in lower equipment operational cost, reduced emissions, and consequently also lower environmental impact. However, common enhancement approaches such as adding fins or tube inserts may not always be suitable or feasible -- especially in case of heat recovery from streams having a high fouling propensity. Since heat transfer rate depends also on flow field characteristics, fluid distribution, and fouling which can all be greatly influenced by the actual shapes of flow system components, several simplified models for fast and accurate enough prediction of fluid distribution as well as applications for shape optimization based on these models were developed. In addition, accuracy of one of the models was further increased by fine-tuning it using data obtained by evaluation of 282 flow systems in the fluid flow modelling software ANSYS FLUENT. The created applications can then be employed during the design of heat exchange units to improve their performance and reliability.

Bilevel optimization of Eco-Industrial parks for the design of sustainable resource networks

This work presents a bilevel programming framework for the design of sustainable resource networks in eco-industrial parks (EIP). First, multiobjective optimization methods are explored in order to manage the multi-criteria nature of EIP network design problems. Then, different case studies are modeled in order to minimize and maintain in equilibrium participating plants operating costs while minimizing resource consumption. Thus, the structure of the model is constituted by a bilevel programming framework where the enterprises’ plants play a Nash game between them while being in a Stackelberg game structure with the authority. This structure defines a model which, in order to be solved, has to be transformed into a MOPEC (Multiple Optimization Problems with Equilibrium Constraints) structure. Regarding the case studies, monocontaminant water networks in EIP are studied first, where the influence of plants operating parameters are studied in order to determine the most important ones to favor the symbiosis between plants. The water network is composed of a fixed number of process and water regeneration units where the maximal inlet and outlet contaminant concentrations are defined a priori. The aim is to determine which processes are interconnected and the water regeneration allocation. Obtained results highlight the benefits of the proposed model structure in comparison with traditional multiobjective approaches, by obtaining equilibrate different plants operating costs (i.e. gains between 12-25%) while maintaining an overall low resource consumption. Then, other case studies are approached by using the bilevel structure to include simultaneously energy networks in a multi-leader-multi-follower formulation where both environmental authorities are assumed to play a noncooperative Nash game. In the first case study, economic gain is proven to be more significant by including energy networks in the EIP structure. The second industrial case study explores a supply-demand utility network model where the environmental authority aims to minimize the total equivalent CO2 emissions in the EIP. In all cases, the enterprises’ plants are encouraged to participate in the EIP by the extremely favorable obtained results

Book of abstracts of the 10th International Chemical and Biological Engineering Conference: CHEMPOR 2008

This book contains the extended abstracts presented at the 10th International Chemical and Biological Engineering Conference - CHEMPOR 2008, held in Braga, Portugal, over 3 days, from the 4th to the 6th of September, 2008. Previous editions took place in Lisboa (1975, 1889, 1998), Braga (1978), Póvoa de Varzim (1981), Coimbra (1985, 2005), Porto (1993), and Aveiro (2001). The conference was jointly organized by the University of Minho, “Ordem dos Engenheiros”, and the IBB - Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering with the usual support of the “Sociedade Portuguesa de Química” and, by the first time, of the “Sociedade Portuguesa de Biotecnologia”. Thirty years elapsed since CHEMPOR was held at the University of Minho, organized by T.R. Bott, D. Allen, A. Bridgwater, J.J.B. Romero, L.J.S. Soares and J.D.R.S. Pinheiro. We are fortunate to have Profs. Bott, Soares and Pinheiro in the Honor Committee of this 10th edition, under the high Patronage of his Excellency the President of the Portuguese Republic, Prof. Aníbal Cavaco Silva. The opening ceremony will confer Prof. Bott with a “Long Term Achievement” award acknowledging the important contribution Prof. Bott brought along more than 30 years to the development of the Chemical Engineering science, to the launch of CHEMPOR series and specially to the University of Minho. Prof. Bott’s inaugural lecture will address the importance of effective energy management in processing operations, particularly in the effectiveness of heat recovery and the associated reduction in greenhouse gas emission from combustion processes. The CHEMPOR series traditionally brings together both young and established researchers and end users to discuss recent developments in different areas of Chemical Engineering. The scope of this edition is broadening out by including the Biological Engineering research. One of the major core areas of the conference program is life quality, due to the importance that Chemical and Biological Engineering plays in this area. “Integration of Life Sciences & Engineering” and “Sustainable Process-Product Development through Green Chemistry” are two of the leading themes with papers addressing such important issues. This is complemented with additional leading themes including “Advancing the Chemical and Biological Engineering Fundamentals”, “Multi-Scale and/or Multi-Disciplinary Approach to Process-Product Innovation”, “Systematic Methods and Tools for Managing the Complexity”, and “Educating Chemical and Biological Engineers for Coming Challenges” which define the extended abstracts arrangements along this book. A total of 516 extended abstracts are included in the book, consisting of 7 invited lecturers, 15 keynote, 105 short oral presentations given in 5 parallel sessions, along with 6 slots for viewing 389 poster presentations. Full papers are jointly included in the companion Proceedings in CD-ROM. All papers have been reviewed and we are grateful to the members of scientific and organizing committees for their evaluations. It was an intensive task since 610 submitted abstracts from 45 countries were received. It has been an honor for us to contribute to setting up CHEMPOR 2008 during almost two years. We wish to thank the authors who have contributed to yield a high scientific standard to the program. We are thankful to the sponsors who have contributed decisively to this event. We also extend our gratefulness to all those who, through their dedicated efforts, have assisted us in this task. On behalf of the Scientific and Organizing Committees we wish you that together with an interesting reading, the scientific program and the social moments organized will be memorable for all.Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT

Multi-objective design and optimization of district energy systems including polygeneration energy conversion technologies

In the present context of finding ways to decrease CO2 emissions linked with human activity, district energy systems including polygeneration energy conversion technologies are likely to play a major role. District energy systems meet the heating, hot water, cooling and electricity requirements of a district. Because they meet several types of energy requirements, and for more than one single building, district energy systems represent good opportunities to implement polygeneration energy conversion technologies. Polygeneration energy conversion technologies indeed provide different energy services simultaneously, helping to decrease the CO2 intensity compared to energy conversion technologies that meet only one energy service. Moreover, when providing energy to a whole district, polygeneration energy conversion technologies can take advantage of the various load profiles of the buildings by compensating the fluctuations and having therefore a smoother operation. A district energy system comprises essentially two parts: the plant with the polygeneration energy conversion technologies, and the distribution networks (heating and cooling). When designing the energy system for a district, one has therefore to define which type of polygeneration energy conversion technologies are best suited for the district, as well as which building are worse connecting to the system and which buildings shouldn't be connected (for instance if they are located too far away from the other buildings or if they have too small requirements to justify a connection from the plant). Moreover the operation strategy needs to be defined. In the present thesis, a method is developed that helps designing and optimizing district energy systems, from the structuring of the information available for the district (energy consumption profiles, location of the buildings, available energy sources, possible layouts for the pipes,...), over the thermo-economic modelling of the energy conversion technologies, the design of the network and the simulation of its operation strategy, and finally the evaluation of the results in terms of CO2 emissions and costs. The design and optimization of the district energy system is a multi-objective Mixed Integer Non Linear Programming problem. To solve this problem, a decomposition strategy including a master and a slave problem was developed. The master optimization problem takes care of the energy conversion technologies, whereas the slave optimization problem optimizes the network part. The two sub-problems are solved iteratively and result in the definition of a Pareto optimal curve that gives the trade-offs between the emissions and the costs for various configurations satisfying the requirements of the district. A configuration is characterized by given types and sizes of energy conversion technologies, their location in the district, the network layout, as well as the operation strategy of the technologies. Due to the time dependent energy consumption profiles and the geographical location of the buildings and plant, the method developed combines two well known types of problems, namely the multi-period optimization problems and the network problems. The method developed allows to take into account various constraints such as limited availability of energy sources, forbidden connections between buildings (for instance if a large river separates these two buildings), or else space limitations in underground technical channels. The capabilities of the method are demonstrated by means of a test case, as well as a real case in the Canton of Geneva. The results show the importance of considering all the energy services together (and not separately). Energy systems including a gas engine or a gas turbine combined cycle, together with heat pumps, indeed help decreasing both the emissions and the costs compared to the actual configurations. In the Geneva case study for instance, emissions can be decreased by up to 45%, with a simultaneous costs reduction of 24%. However, the method only deals with water networks, while in some cases space limitations and safety issues make the use of water impossible. A new type of district energy system based on CO2 as energy transfer medium (instead of water), is therefore developed in order to take such issues into account. This new system, that led to the submission of a patent, meets all the different types of energy requirements with only two pipes (instead of three or four like in conventional water based system), and uses the latent heat of CO2 as driving force, instead of the specific heat

COBE's search for structure in the Big Bang

The launch of Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) and the definition of Earth Observing System (EOS) are two of the major events at NASA-Goddard. The three experiments contained in COBE (Differential Microwave Radiometer (DMR), Far Infrared Absolute Spectrophotometer (FIRAS), and Diffuse Infrared Background Experiment (DIRBE)) are very important in measuring the big bang. DMR measures the isotropy of the cosmic background (direction of the radiation). FIRAS looks at the spectrum over the whole sky, searching for deviations, and DIRBE operates in the infrared part of the spectrum gathering evidence of the earliest galaxy formation. By special techniques, the radiation coming from the solar system will be distinguished from that of extragalactic origin. Unique graphics will be used to represent the temperature of the emitting material. A cosmic event will be modeled of such importance that it will affect cosmological theory for generations to come. EOS will monitor changes in the Earth's geophysics during a whole solar color cycle

Stochastics global optimization methods and their applications in Chemical Engineering

Ph.DDOCTOR OF PHILOSOPH

Sustainable Industrial Engineering along Product-Service Life Cycle/Supply Chain

Sustainable industrial engineering addresses the sustainability issue from economic, environmental, and social points of view. Its application fields are the whole value chain and lifecycle of products/services, from the development to the end-of-life stages. This book aims to address many of the challenges faced by industrial organizations and supply chains to become more sustainable through reinventing their processes and practices, by continuously incorporating sustainability guidelines and practices in their decisions, such as circular economy, collaboration with suppliers and customers, using information technologies and systems, tracking their products’ life-cycle, using optimization methods to reduce resource use, and to apply new management paradigms to help mitigate many of the wastes that exist across organizations and supply chains. This book will be of interest to the fast-growing body of academics studying and researching sustainability, as well as to industry managers involved in sustainability management