Review of Challenges in Heat Exchanger Network Development for Electrified Industrial Energy Systems

Stanislav Boldyryev (), Oleksandr S. Ivashchuk, Goran Krajačić and Volodymyr M. Atamanyuk
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Stanislav Boldyryev: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, The University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Oleksandr S. Ivashchuk: Department of Chemical Engineering, Lviv Polytechnic National University, 79000 Lviv, Ukraine
Goran Krajačić: Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture, The University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Volodymyr M. Atamanyuk: Department of Chemical Engineering, Lviv Polytechnic National University, 79000 Lviv, Ukraine

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 14, 1-34

Abstract: Shifting towards electrified industrial energy systems is pivotal for meeting global decarbonization objectives, especially since process heat is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in the industrial sector. This review examines the changing role of heat exchanger networks (HENs) within electrified process industries, where electricity-driven technologies, including electric heaters, steam boilers, heat pumps, mechanical vapour recompression, and organic Rankine cycles, are increasingly supplanting traditional fossil-fuel-based utilities. The analysis identifies key challenges associated with multi-utility integration, multi-pinch configurations, and low-grade heat utilisation that influence HEN design, retrofitting, and optimisation efforts. A comparative evaluation of various methodological frameworks, including mathematical programming, insights-based methods, and hybrid approaches, is presented, highlighting their relevance to the specific constraints and opportunities of electrified systems. Case studies from the chemicals, food processing, and cement sectors demonstrate the practicality and advantages of employing electrified heat exchanger networks (HENs), particularly in terms of energy efficiency, emissions reduction, and enhanced operational flexibility. The review concludes that effective strategies for the design of HENs are crucial in industrial electrification, facilitating increases in efficiency, reductions in emissions, and improvements in economic feasibility, especially when they are integrated with renewable energy sources and advanced control systems. Future initiatives must focus on harmonising technical advances with system-level resilience and economic sustainability considerations.

Keywords: heat exchanger network; industry electrification; process integration; decarbonization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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