Polymerization Cooling Heat Recovery via Phase-Change Working Fluid
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Solution Overview
Problem
Polyolefin production processes are energy-intensive, consuming significant amounts of electricity, steam, and fuel gas, leading to high production costs and inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A process for recovering thermal energy from the polymerization reactor cooling system using a working fluid, such as n-pentane or propane, which is phase converted to provide energy in the form of heat, electricity, or mechanical power, and recycled back into the production process, utilizing a compression heat cycle or Organic Rankine Cycle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If thermal energy from cooling water is recovered using a working fluid with phase conversion, then energy efficiency is improved and production costs are reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional heat exchange equipment and cycle systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cooling function with energy recovery function into a single integrated system. The cooling water that would normally be discharged is instead used as a heat source for evaporating a working fluid, and the condensation of this working fluid provides cooling to the reactor. This merging of functions resolves the contradiction by making the energy recovery process serve dual purposes: generating useful cooling while recovering thermal energy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a working fluid as an intermediary substance to transfer thermal energy from the cooling water to the cooling system. The working fluid undergoes phase conversion (evaporation and condensation) to facilitate heat transfer, acting as a mediator between the heat source (cooling water) and the heat sink (reactor cooling). This intermediary approach enables efficient energy recovery while maintaining system functionality.
2Loss of energy
If thermal energy is recovered and converted to steam and electricity, then wasted energy resources are reduced, but the complexity of energy conversion systems increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes phase transitions of a working fluid (evaporation from liquid to vapor, and condensation from vapor to liquid) to recover thermal energy. The cooling water provides heat that evaporates the working fluid, and the subsequent condensation of the vapor releases latent heat that can be converted to steam and electricity. This phase transition mechanism enables efficient energy recovery with relatively simple equipment compared to other thermal energy conversion methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the thermal parameters (temperature, pressure, phase) of the working fluid to enable energy recovery. By controlling the evaporation and condensation processes, the system transforms thermal energy at different temperature levels into useful forms (steam and electricity). This parameter manipulation approach allows flexible energy recovery while maintaining manageable system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces energy consumption, improves plant efficiency, and recovers wasted energy resources, thereby minimizing the energy requirements for polyolefin production.
Implementation Method 1
evaporating the working fluid with the cooling water
Implementation Method 2
the working fluid removes thermal energy from the cooling water
Implementation Method 3
releasing the enthalpy of the pressurized working fluid by condensing the working fluid
Implementation Method 4
expanding the superheated vapor to generate enthalpy
Implementation Method 5
thermally contacting the polymerization reaction with water such that the water removes thermal energy from the reaction
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for cooling a polymerization reaction for producing polyolefin comprising the steps of: (a) thermally contacting said polymerization reaction with a cooling fluid such that the cooling fluid removes thermal energy from said reaction, (b) thermally contacting said cooling fluid with a working fluid thereby recovering said thermal energy from said cooling fluid in said working fluid, and (c) thermally contacting the cooling fluid obtained in step (b) with the polymerization reaction thereby cooling said reaction, wherein the working fluid is phase converted thereby providing energy in the form of heat and/or electricity and/or mechanical power back to the polyolefin production process. Said invention also relates to a polymerization process for producing olefin polymers in a reactor, and also relates to a process for energy optimization of energy consumption in a polymerization process and to a polymerization unit.