Implementing heat integration mechanisms into existing operations is highly effective and low risk, and can be a high-return approach for minimising energy consumption in industrial settings.
That's the message from Warren Chung, Regional Director at Solex Thermal Science in a recently published within Decarbonisation Technology magazine.
The concept of heat integration is not novel, but Chung notes its practical application has, at times, been hindered by factors ranging from high cost of adoption, complexity of integration and technical restrictions of existing technologies.
"Although many industrial processes already incorporate some level of heat integration, difficult-to-handle process streams frequently remain unutilised due to perceived constraints. Tapping into otherwise wasted heat from these previously overlooked streams presents a significant opportunity for operators to incrementally reduce costs and lower emissions," writes Chung.
Specifically, Chung notes that heat pipe heat exchangers (HPHE) will play an important role in optimising energy usage and enhancing sustainability in industrial settings — especially with combustion flue gases, which hold substantial potential for energy recovery but have been challenging for energy extraction.
"HPHEs offer a proven and reliable solution to these complex heat recovery challenges," he writes.
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