A Computer Code Using Exergy for Optimizing Thermal Plants

Abstract

This paper presents an exergetic approach to reducing energy consumption in industrial plants. The minimum pinchpoint temperature difference is determined for several cases of heat exchange between hot and cold fluid streams with reduced thermal losses. The proposed method, designated TEXAS (Thermal and economic EXergetic Analysis of Systems), derives families of characteristic curves showing economic parameters versus exergetic efficiency in relation to factors such as heat transfer, surface, and scaling. As the method is highly affected by the economic parameter assumptions, the sensitivity of the variations in the parameters is also analyzed.