Exergo-Econo-Environmental analysis and optimization of an industrial scale linear alkylbenzene production plant

Abstract

In this study, an industrial scale linear alkylbenzene production plant was simulated and validated against the operational data. Subsequently, exergy analysis was carried out to assess the individual equipment irreversibility. The results showed that the distillation towers accounted for the highest exergy loss within the process. This can be attributed to the highest rates of hot and cold utilities consumption within the columns, resulting in significant exergy loss. The pathfinder optimization algorithm based on the objective functions minimizing exergy loss and energy consumption in the process was used for finding the optimal operational parameters of the process. As a result, a remarkable 18% and 24% economic savings in terms of the total annualized costs of the process were obtained, respectively. Also, an environmental evaluation was carried out on individual equipment and the whole process and it was found that the hot utility requirements of the process are responsible for more than 90% of the environmental impacts such as acidification potential, global warming potential and abiotic depletion potential. Through the optimizations, a 19% reduction in global warming impact of the process was achieved.