Realistic Industrial Scale Energy Optimization: Part I - Organizing and Executing Energy Conservation Projects

Abstract

With increased cost and reduced availability of energy, plant managers are reviewing their options to optimize energy utilization to reduce operating costs. This paper deals with the organization and execution of an energy conservation program which will maximize savings through the most efficient utilization of energy that will meet the preponderance of constraints which are found in the process industry.

The first part of this paper provides a realistic and practical approach to organizing and executing an energy conservation program. The energy audit is particularly stressed.

Part II will discuss the analytic techniques which are employed during the engineering phase of the program. Included are: targeting methods, process optimization, heat exchange optimization, cost estimation and project selection by linear programming.