Title: Energy and exergy analyses of a sulphation unit in a powder detergent plant

Authors: Gulsum Bektas, Firuz Balkan, Arif Hepbasli

Addresses: Faculty of Engineering, Chemical Engineering Department, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. ' Faculty of Engineering, Chemical Engineering Department, Ege University, 35100 Bornova, Izmir, Turkey. ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Saud University, P.O. Box 800, Riyadh 11421, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Abstract: In this study, where the actual plant operational data were utilised, the energy and exergy analyses of a sulphation unit in a powder detergent plant with a production rate of 4400 kg /h, located in Izmir, were performed. The energy and exergy losses were determined in four components of the sulphation unit and the overall energy and exergy efficiencies were calculated as 73 and 56%, respectively. The percentage breakdown of energy losses was 4, 16, 27 and 53% in the melting tank, the sulphur burner, the convertor and the waste heat boiler, respectively, while the shares of these components in the total exergy loss were 11, 40, 10 and 39%. Also, the effects of three system parameters (excess air percentage, inlet air temperature and steam temperature) on the energy and exergy efficiencies were investigated.

Keywords: energy analysis; energy efficiency; exergy analysis; exergy efficiency; sulphation; powder detergents; excess air; inlet air temperature; steam temperature.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2011.041032

International Journal of Exergy, 2011 Vol.8 No.4, pp.447 - 459

Published online: 28 Jun 2011 *

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