Load Optimisation of Multiple Boiler System (MBS) via P-graph

Multiple boiler system (MBS) is commonly applied in the industry to cater to the process steam demand reliably and flexibly. Optimising load allocation among the boilers is significant for the routine boiler system efficiency and carbon emission reduction. This aligns with the objective of “RENKEI c...

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Main Authors: Hong An Er, Sharifah Rafidah Wan Alwi, Zainuddin Abdul Manan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: AIDIC Servizi S.r.l. 2023-10-01
Series:Chemical Engineering Transactions
Online Access:https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/13579
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author Hong An Er
Sharifah Rafidah Wan Alwi
Zainuddin Abdul Manan
author_facet Hong An Er
Sharifah Rafidah Wan Alwi
Zainuddin Abdul Manan
author_sort Hong An Er
collection DOAJ
description Multiple boiler system (MBS) is commonly applied in the industry to cater to the process steam demand reliably and flexibly. Optimising load allocation among the boilers is significant for the routine boiler system efficiency and carbon emission reduction. This aligns with the objective of “RENKEI control” to achieve the optimum cooperative energy efficiency between multiple elements that interact with one another. MBS can be implemented in a centralised or decentralised manner, depending on the unit allocation and process extension planning. Generally, the boiler load allocation is optimized via the complex engineering mathematic approach or modelling, which might not be user-friendly for the in-house engineer without sound mathematical knowledge and optimization background. Therefore, a user-friendly tool and method to handle problems of high combinatorial complexity with a low computational burden are needed. In this paper, the graph theoretic tool, Process Graph (P-graph), which was initially used for Process Network Synthesis (PNS), is applied to optimize the load allocation of both centralised and decentralised MBS considering the non-linear boiler part-load efficiency and existing steam piping network constraint. Besides, the fuel consumption by the existing on-site boiler operation strategy, such as parallel, tandem, and user-assigned mode, can be checked by simply modifying the P-graph structure to identify the potential improvement of MBS load optimization. The methodology proposed achieves 2.48 % and 2.37 % fuel savings in both centralised and decentralised MBS optimisation. Former case demonstrates a similar result (different by 0.02 %) compared to other authors’ work.
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spelling doaj.art-cb1e182ee63c4a3e92978549a9168d1c2023-10-14T22:45:01ZengAIDIC Servizi S.r.l.Chemical Engineering Transactions2283-92162023-10-01103Load Optimisation of Multiple Boiler System (MBS) via P-graphHong An ErSharifah Rafidah Wan AlwiZainuddin Abdul MananMultiple boiler system (MBS) is commonly applied in the industry to cater to the process steam demand reliably and flexibly. Optimising load allocation among the boilers is significant for the routine boiler system efficiency and carbon emission reduction. This aligns with the objective of “RENKEI control” to achieve the optimum cooperative energy efficiency between multiple elements that interact with one another. MBS can be implemented in a centralised or decentralised manner, depending on the unit allocation and process extension planning. Generally, the boiler load allocation is optimized via the complex engineering mathematic approach or modelling, which might not be user-friendly for the in-house engineer without sound mathematical knowledge and optimization background. Therefore, a user-friendly tool and method to handle problems of high combinatorial complexity with a low computational burden are needed. In this paper, the graph theoretic tool, Process Graph (P-graph), which was initially used for Process Network Synthesis (PNS), is applied to optimize the load allocation of both centralised and decentralised MBS considering the non-linear boiler part-load efficiency and existing steam piping network constraint. Besides, the fuel consumption by the existing on-site boiler operation strategy, such as parallel, tandem, and user-assigned mode, can be checked by simply modifying the P-graph structure to identify the potential improvement of MBS load optimization. The methodology proposed achieves 2.48 % and 2.37 % fuel savings in both centralised and decentralised MBS optimisation. Former case demonstrates a similar result (different by 0.02 %) compared to other authors’ work.https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/13579
spellingShingle Hong An Er
Sharifah Rafidah Wan Alwi
Zainuddin Abdul Manan
Load Optimisation of Multiple Boiler System (MBS) via P-graph
Chemical Engineering Transactions
title Load Optimisation of Multiple Boiler System (MBS) via P-graph
title_full Load Optimisation of Multiple Boiler System (MBS) via P-graph
title_fullStr Load Optimisation of Multiple Boiler System (MBS) via P-graph
title_full_unstemmed Load Optimisation of Multiple Boiler System (MBS) via P-graph
title_short Load Optimisation of Multiple Boiler System (MBS) via P-graph
title_sort load optimisation of multiple boiler system mbs via p graph
url https://www.cetjournal.it/index.php/cet/article/view/13579
work_keys_str_mv AT honganer loadoptimisationofmultipleboilersystemmbsviapgraph
AT sharifahrafidahwanalwi loadoptimisationofmultipleboilersystemmbsviapgraph
AT zainuddinabdulmanan loadoptimisationofmultipleboilersystemmbsviapgraph