Patent ID: 9378313
Filing Date: 2016-06-28
CPC Classification: G06F

Claim Text:
1. A computer-assisted method of providing enhanced energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions for a mega industrial site, the method comprising the steps of: analyzing, with the assistance of a computer, a plurality of possible inter-processes energy integration combinations between a plurality of functional areas of a mega industrial site, the plurality of functional areas comprising one or more of the following: a plurality of zones, a plurality of blocks, a plurality of facilities, a plurality of plants, and a plurality of units of the mega industrial site, each including a plurality of resource streams, the resource streams comprising one or more cold streams to be heated or one or more hot streams to be cooled, the inter-process energy integration combinations being analyzed including those using direct inter-processes energy integration employing one or more of the resource streams as a buffer, indirect inter-processes energy integration employing only water, steam or hot oil buffer systems as a buffer, and a combination of both direct and indirect inter-processes energy integration defining hybrid inter-processes energy integration employing one or more of the resource streams as a buffer and one or more of water, steam or hot oil buffer systems as a buffer; and determining, with the assistance of the computer, when direct inter-processes energy integration, indirect inter-processes energy integration, or hybrid inter-processes energy integration provides for a greater total energy recovery for the mega industrial site; providing, for display, data indicative of when a direct inter-processes energy integration, an indirect inter-processes energy integration, or a hybrid inter-processes energy integration provides for a greater total energy recovery for the mega industrial site to assist in identifying the combination of the plurality of possible inter-processes energy integration combinations providing for an optimal solution for total waste heat recovery between the respective functional areas to define an optimal inter-processes energy integration combination; generating a plurality of technically viable energy efficient industrial site inter-processes heat exchange system design alternatives; identifying the industrial site inter-process heat exchange system design having an inter-processes connection and matching scheme providing a balance between most efficient waste heat recovery and capital cost allocation; and providing, for display, data indicative of the industrial site inter-process heat exchange system design having an inter-processes connection and matching scheme providing a balance between most efficient waste heat recovery and capital cost allocation.