A Methodology for the Identification and Characterization of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Sources and Sinks in Industrial Processes: Application in the Italian Dairy Sector

Waste heat recovery is considered as one of the most promising options to improve the efficiency and sustainability of industrial processes. Even though industrial waste heat is abundantly available and its utilization is not a new concept, the implementation rate of waste-heat recovery intervention...

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Main Authors: Lorena Giordano, Miriam Benedetti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-12-01
Series:Energies
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/1/155
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author Lorena Giordano
Miriam Benedetti
author_facet Lorena Giordano
Miriam Benedetti
author_sort Lorena Giordano
collection DOAJ
description Waste heat recovery is considered as one of the most promising options to improve the efficiency and sustainability of industrial processes. Even though industrial waste heat is abundantly available and its utilization is not a new concept, the implementation rate of waste-heat recovery interventions in industrial facilities is still low, due to several real or perceived barriers. Foremost challenges are represented by technical, economic, financial and regulatory factors. An additional prominent barrier lies in the lack or incompleteness of information concerning the material and energy flows within the factories, and the types and characteristics of waste heat sources and possible sinks for their internal or external reuse. With the aim to overcome some of the information barriers and increase the willingness of companies to approach waste heat recovery and reuse, a methodology to map waste heat sources and sinks in industrial processes is proposed in this study. The approach here presented combines information from the most relevant publications on the subject and data gathered from the analysis of energy audits carried out by large and energy-intensive enterprises. In order to demonstrate its feasibility, the methodology was applied to the Italian dairy sector, because of its large energy consumption and its enormous potential for the utilization of low-temperature waste heat sources.
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spelling doaj.art-320327a6e75645b7881cc99baa6f956d2023-11-23T11:26:21ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732021-12-0115115510.3390/en15010155A Methodology for the Identification and Characterization of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Sources and Sinks in Industrial Processes: Application in the Italian Dairy SectorLorena Giordano0Miriam Benedetti1Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Italian National Agency for New Technologies, 00123 Rome, ItalyEnergy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), Italian National Agency for New Technologies, 00123 Rome, ItalyWaste heat recovery is considered as one of the most promising options to improve the efficiency and sustainability of industrial processes. Even though industrial waste heat is abundantly available and its utilization is not a new concept, the implementation rate of waste-heat recovery interventions in industrial facilities is still low, due to several real or perceived barriers. Foremost challenges are represented by technical, economic, financial and regulatory factors. An additional prominent barrier lies in the lack or incompleteness of information concerning the material and energy flows within the factories, and the types and characteristics of waste heat sources and possible sinks for their internal or external reuse. With the aim to overcome some of the information barriers and increase the willingness of companies to approach waste heat recovery and reuse, a methodology to map waste heat sources and sinks in industrial processes is proposed in this study. The approach here presented combines information from the most relevant publications on the subject and data gathered from the analysis of energy audits carried out by large and energy-intensive enterprises. In order to demonstrate its feasibility, the methodology was applied to the Italian dairy sector, because of its large energy consumption and its enormous potential for the utilization of low-temperature waste heat sources.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/1/155energy efficiencywaste heat recoverywaste heat surveydairy industry
spellingShingle Lorena Giordano
Miriam Benedetti
A Methodology for the Identification and Characterization of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Sources and Sinks in Industrial Processes: Application in the Italian Dairy Sector
Energies
energy efficiency
waste heat recovery
waste heat survey
dairy industry
title A Methodology for the Identification and Characterization of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Sources and Sinks in Industrial Processes: Application in the Italian Dairy Sector
title_full A Methodology for the Identification and Characterization of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Sources and Sinks in Industrial Processes: Application in the Italian Dairy Sector
title_fullStr A Methodology for the Identification and Characterization of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Sources and Sinks in Industrial Processes: Application in the Italian Dairy Sector
title_full_unstemmed A Methodology for the Identification and Characterization of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Sources and Sinks in Industrial Processes: Application in the Italian Dairy Sector
title_short A Methodology for the Identification and Characterization of Low-Temperature Waste Heat Sources and Sinks in Industrial Processes: Application in the Italian Dairy Sector
title_sort methodology for the identification and characterization of low temperature waste heat sources and sinks in industrial processes application in the italian dairy sector
topic energy efficiency
waste heat recovery
waste heat survey
dairy industry
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/1/155
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