Combining exergy-pinch and techno-economic analyses for identifying feasible decarbonization opportunities in carbon-intensive process industry: Case study of a propylene production technology

Decarbonizing carbon-intensive industries requires increased co-location and integration of decarbonization technologies at existing sites to meet net-zero CO2 emissions targets. Pinch-based energy targeting methods are commonly applied to evaluate the energy performance of competing decarbonization...

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Main Authors: Tharun Roshan Kumar, Johanna Beiron, V.R. Reddy Marthala, Lars Pettersson, Simon Harvey, Henrik Thunman
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Energy Conversion and Management: X
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590174524003313
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author Tharun Roshan Kumar
Johanna Beiron
V.R. Reddy Marthala
Lars Pettersson
Simon Harvey
Henrik Thunman
author_facet Tharun Roshan Kumar
Johanna Beiron
V.R. Reddy Marthala
Lars Pettersson
Simon Harvey
Henrik Thunman
author_sort Tharun Roshan Kumar
collection DOAJ
description Decarbonizing carbon-intensive industries requires increased co-location and integration of decarbonization technologies at existing sites to meet net-zero CO2 emissions targets. Pinch-based energy targeting methods are commonly applied to evaluate the energy performance of competing decarbonization options. However, these methods are restricted to process modifications in heat-transfer processes and are also inadequate for investigating process electrification as a decarbonization measure. This work presents an alternative exergy-based approach within a framework that aims to maximize exergy utilization and CO2 emissions avoidance within industrial processes retrofitted with decarbonization technologies. The framework combines an iterative exergy-pinch analysis with techno-economic analysis to identify promising process modifications. The framework is demonstrated through a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant case study, which presents significant challenges for end-of-pipe CO2 capture due to the highly diluted flue gases (2.5 vol% CO2). The results illustrate how the identified process modifications lead to a substantial reduction in the CO2 avoidance costs (55–71 €/tCO2), approximately 54–67% lower than those for CO2 capture from an unmodified PDH process (155–167 €/tCO2). This reduction is achieved by integrating an industrial gas turbine into the PDH process, utilizing its exhaust gases as regeneration air to pre-concentrate the CO2 in the flue gases up to 5.5 vol% before entering the CO2 capture plant. The proposed configuration reduces the specific energy requirement for CO2 capture by 11%, improves exergy efficiency by 15%, and achieves a substantially higher CO2 avoidance (56%), due to the low-carbon electricity generated, compared to CO2 capture from an unmodified PDH process.
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spelling doaj-art-db3fc90c74644a4aaf66652425a9e8522025-01-12T05:25:42ZengElsevierEnergy Conversion and Management: X2590-17452025-01-0125100853Combining exergy-pinch and techno-economic analyses for identifying feasible decarbonization opportunities in carbon-intensive process industry: Case study of a propylene production technologyTharun Roshan Kumar0Johanna Beiron1V.R. Reddy Marthala2Lars Pettersson3Simon Harvey4Henrik Thunman5Division of Energy Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden; Corresponding author.Division of Energy Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, SwedenBorealis Polyolefine GmbH, Sankt-Peter-Strasse 25, 4021 Linz, AustriaBorealis AB, Industrivägen IC House, 444 86 Stenungsund, SwedenDivision of Energy Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, SwedenDivision of Energy Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, SE-412 96 Gothenburg, SwedenDecarbonizing carbon-intensive industries requires increased co-location and integration of decarbonization technologies at existing sites to meet net-zero CO2 emissions targets. Pinch-based energy targeting methods are commonly applied to evaluate the energy performance of competing decarbonization options. However, these methods are restricted to process modifications in heat-transfer processes and are also inadequate for investigating process electrification as a decarbonization measure. This work presents an alternative exergy-based approach within a framework that aims to maximize exergy utilization and CO2 emissions avoidance within industrial processes retrofitted with decarbonization technologies. The framework combines an iterative exergy-pinch analysis with techno-economic analysis to identify promising process modifications. The framework is demonstrated through a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) plant case study, which presents significant challenges for end-of-pipe CO2 capture due to the highly diluted flue gases (2.5 vol% CO2). The results illustrate how the identified process modifications lead to a substantial reduction in the CO2 avoidance costs (55–71 €/tCO2), approximately 54–67% lower than those for CO2 capture from an unmodified PDH process (155–167 €/tCO2). This reduction is achieved by integrating an industrial gas turbine into the PDH process, utilizing its exhaust gases as regeneration air to pre-concentrate the CO2 in the flue gases up to 5.5 vol% before entering the CO2 capture plant. The proposed configuration reduces the specific energy requirement for CO2 capture by 11%, improves exergy efficiency by 15%, and achieves a substantially higher CO2 avoidance (56%), due to the low-carbon electricity generated, compared to CO2 capture from an unmodified PDH process.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590174524003313Carbon capture and storage (CCS)Propane dehydrogenationExergy analysisPinch analysisProcess integrationTechno-economic analysis
spellingShingle Tharun Roshan Kumar
Johanna Beiron
V.R. Reddy Marthala
Lars Pettersson
Simon Harvey
Henrik Thunman
Combining exergy-pinch and techno-economic analyses for identifying feasible decarbonization opportunities in carbon-intensive process industry: Case study of a propylene production technology
Energy Conversion and Management: X
Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
Propane dehydrogenation
Exergy analysis
Pinch analysis
Process integration
Techno-economic analysis
title Combining exergy-pinch and techno-economic analyses for identifying feasible decarbonization opportunities in carbon-intensive process industry: Case study of a propylene production technology
title_full Combining exergy-pinch and techno-economic analyses for identifying feasible decarbonization opportunities in carbon-intensive process industry: Case study of a propylene production technology
title_fullStr Combining exergy-pinch and techno-economic analyses for identifying feasible decarbonization opportunities in carbon-intensive process industry: Case study of a propylene production technology
title_full_unstemmed Combining exergy-pinch and techno-economic analyses for identifying feasible decarbonization opportunities in carbon-intensive process industry: Case study of a propylene production technology
title_short Combining exergy-pinch and techno-economic analyses for identifying feasible decarbonization opportunities in carbon-intensive process industry: Case study of a propylene production technology
title_sort combining exergy pinch and techno economic analyses for identifying feasible decarbonization opportunities in carbon intensive process industry case study of a propylene production technology
topic Carbon capture and storage (CCS)
Propane dehydrogenation
Exergy analysis
Pinch analysis
Process integration
Techno-economic analysis
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590174524003313
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