Design of Cost-Effective Waste-Reduction Systems for Synthetic Fuel Plants

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the applicability of the Reactive mass-exchange (REAMEN) synthesis methodology in designing cost-effective desulfurization systems for synthetic-fuel plants. The REAMEN design technique provides a systematic framework to simultaneously screen several potentially applicable technologies and separating agents and identify the most cost-effective solution for a given waste-minimization task. It is based on developing mass-exchange pinch diagrams for the process. These diagrams can be employed to identify the type and flow rate of optimal mass-separating agents. A case study using the REAMEN framework for the desulfurization of gaseous emissions for a coal-liquefaction plant is presented in this paper. The optimal desulfurization network features one mass-exchange operation (absorption) utilizing both a physical solvent (water) and a reactive solvent (diethanolamine).