Project:

Thermal Management in the Process Industries

The main objective of this EPSRC funded research proposal is to investigate new and appropriate technologies and supporting measures needed to enhance and exploit the large amount of unused low grade heat available from the wide range of process industries.  This low-grade heat is predominately available in the gases (e.g. flue gases) and liquid streams (e.g. cooling water); hence the range of source temperatures to be considered is from 30°C to 250°C, however depending on the industry, temperatures upto 600°C can be considered.

Our approach is based on the fact that energy use within each process has already been largely optimised by established process integration and pinch-analysis technology.  Hence the new strategy presented in this proposal is to extend such analyses to include new energy utilisation opportunities that lie over-the-fence together with the procedure by which industry can assess and implement these energy efficient innovations. This is a collaborative project with Sheffield University, Manchester University and the Tyndall Centre.  The role of the Sustainable Power Group is to identify and quantify sources of low grade heat available from the process industry across the UK.  Similarly, the large number of potential uses of this heat must be identified.  Information on the relative locations of these sources and sinks is also vital information for subsequent analysis and project assessment.

Staff

Sharon Joyce
Teaching Felllow

Professor Tony Roskilly
Dean of Research

Dr Yaodong Wang