A comparison of optimization theories for energy conservation in heat exchanger groups

Abstract

In general, thermal processes can be classified into two categories: heat-work conversion processes and heat transfer processes. Correspondingly, the optimization of thermal processes has to have two different criteria: the well known entropy generation minimization method and the recently proposed entransy dissipation maximization method. This study analyzes the thermal issues in a heat exchanger group, and optimizes the unit arrangements under different constraints based on a suitable optimization criterion. The result indicates that the principle of minimum entropy generation rate is valid for optimizing heat exchangers in a thermodynamic cycle with given boundary temperatures. In contrast, the entransy dissipation maximization is more suitable in heat exchanger optimizations involving only heat transfer processes. Furthermore, the entropy generation rate induced by dumping used streams into ambient surroundings has to be taken into account, except for that originating from the hot and cold-ends of heat exchangers, when using the entropy generation minimization to optimize heat exchangers undergoing a thermodynamic cycle. © 2011 The Author(s).