Simultaneous Synthesis of a Biogas Process and Heat Exchanger Network for a Large-scale Meat Company

The aim of this contribution is to present an industrial application of mathematical programming for the simultaneous synthesis of a biogas plant and its heat exchanger network (HEN), within an existing meat company. The heat-integrated model recently developed by Drobež et al. (2010) has been extended with Yee & Grossmann simultaneous optimization MINLP model (1990) for the synthesis of heat exchanger networks. After some minor modifications to the model, it was possible to apply it to an industrial application for the simultaneous heat-integrated biogas process and HEN synthesis. The superstructure comprises biogas process alternatives under different anaerobic conditions, with the usage of different raw materials, including animal manure and other organic wastes, the option of a rendering plant for the utilization of slaughterhouse waste, different water supplies and wastewater treatment technologies, and also HEN with alternative process hot and cold streams, in order to consider different heat-exchange opportunities.