Sistema de gestión integral de energía residualnuevos desarrollos para reducir el consumo energético de unidades de separación de aire

Abstract

Total waste energy management system; new developments to reduce the air separation units specific consumption. Under the perspective of economic recession, industrial activities are reduced, in quantitative terms, from their demand for cryogenic gases and from their usual production conditions. Cryogenic gases industry is no exception. Cryogenic facili es as Air Separa on Units (ASU) or liquified natural gas (LNG) liquifier/regasifier units must modulate their activity in order to selfadapt to the actual market demand. Therefore, new improvements should be carried out in order to reduce operating costs. The front section and the annexes of the cryogenic air separation plants are described, analyzed and energy improvement proposals are made. Some of these improvements are present in the state of the art and others that go beyond. A Total Waste Energy Management System for ASUs is presented. Likewise, simulations of this system are carried out to demonstrate its feasibility. The implications of the collection of various sources of residual energy and their proper use in the main processes is analyzed. The annexed sec5ons of the ASU, due to their energy importance and relationship with the front section, are also analyzed and energy improvement proposals are made which, as in the previous cases, involve a reduction in specific consumption and are represented as economic savings and improved environmental impact.