Pressure management using optimal compressor networks

Abstract

In many chemical plants, e.g., LNG, refineries, air enrichment, ammonia, etc. compression is a major consumer of energy. In such plants. some process streams may need compression. while others may need expansion. A compressor network synthesis problem is considered, where streams at different pressures need either compression or expansion, and energy integration involves extracting energy from high-pressure streams and utilizing it for low-pressure streams. The network may involve compressors. turbines (gas or steam), single-shaft turbo-compressors, valves, exchangers. etc., and steam at different pressure levels, This is an abstract of a paper presented at the 8th World Congress of Chemical Engineering (Montreal, Quebec, Canada 8/23-27/2009).