Title: Modelling steam-based energy supply chain in an integrated steel manufacturing facility: a simulation-based approach

Authors: Bhaskaran Gopalakrishnan, Larry Banta, Girish Bhave

Addresses: Industrial Assessment Center (IAC), Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering (IMSE), P.O. Box 6070, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. ' Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, P.O. Box 6106, Morgantown, WV 26506-6106, USA. ' Department of Industrial and Management Systems Engineering (IMSE), P.O. Box 6070, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA

Abstract: The integrated steel industry uses various utility systems including steam boilers, steam turbines and the Basic Oxygen Process (BOP). Generation of control strategies will lead to significant energy savings when implemented in real-time control systems. The paper describes the design and development of the simulation model for the energy supply chain and focuses on the development of scenarios that aim to save energy in the manufacturing system. The predictions of the simulation model are compared with the actual behaviour of the system and are found to be reasonably accurate, thus enabling the plant personnel to perform sensitivity analysis on the energy drivers in the manufacturing system. The key results reported in the paper include the logic flow diagram utilised for the development of the simulation model, comparison of output from the model with actual data, and presentation of energy saving aspects of operating scenarios.

Keywords: steam system; energy supply chain; integrated steel manufacturing; simulation modelling; real-time control; energy saving; energy use; supply chain management; SCM.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISE.2007.011433

International Journal of Industrial and Systems Engineering, 2007 Vol.2 No.1, pp.1 - 29

Published online: 30 Nov 2006 *

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