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Exergy Analysis of Industrial Air Compression
Abstract
Traditional approaches to improving energy efficiency often focus on leak-plugging and housekeeping efforts to avoid wasting energy. In many cases however, the way energy is used, rather than the amount used, is the primary cause of the inefficiency. Exergy analysis provides the basis for optimizing the use of energy systems. By considering not only the quantity but also the quality of energy, true inefficiencies and their magnitudes can be identified and the proper priorities for improvement projects can be established.
In spite of its value for optimizing thermodynamic systems, exergy analysis has seen only limited use as a practical tool for industrial energy assessments. In this paper, we discuss the efficiency of the air compression process, comparing results from energy analysis with those of exergy analysis. We then analyze several improvement measures and evaluate the capability of exergy analysis to prioritize the approach to process improvement. With this background, we discuss the use of exergy analysis for improving industrial energy utilization.
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Citation
Bader, W. T.; Kissock, J. K. (2000). Exergy Analysis of Industrial Air Compression. Energy Systems Laboratory (http://esl.tamu.edu). Available electronically from https : / /hdl .handle .net /1969 .1 /90882.