Approaching Environmental Sustainability through Energy Optimization in Polyisoprene Production

Alka Mihelić-Bogdanić and Ivana Špelić ()
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Alka Mihelić-Bogdanić: Faculty of Textile Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ivana Špelić: Faculty of Textile Technology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-24

Abstract: The global energy crisis, forced by fossil fuel shortages and supply chain disruption, stimulates EU policymakers to find alternative energy replacement. Modifying the present polyisoprene footwear production plant into a hybrid system by combining different energy sources raises energy efficiency. The proposed hybrid system incorporates classical and solar-based technology, resulting in energy optimization by utilizing waste heat recovery. By installing an economizer for feeding water preheating using flue gas recovery, it results in the volume of the flue gases lowering from v FG P = 1.7969 m 3 FG / kg P to v FG ECO P = 1.597 m 3 FG / kg P , or by 11.13%, while the flue gases’ temperature is lowered from 204 °C (477.15 K) to 50.99 °C (324.14 K). Further improvement in combining feed water and air preheating results in natural gas savings of 12.05%, while the flue gases’ exhaust temperature is decreased to 30.44 °C (303.59 K). The third option, using condensate heat recovery and feeding water preheating using flue gases, showed natural gas savings as much as 17.41% and exhaust flue gases cooling to 112.49 °C (385.64 K). The combination of condensate heat recovery, combustion air and feed water preheating results in the volume of the flue gases being lowered by 20.42% and natural gas savings by 20.24%, while the flue gases’ temperature is reduced to 45.11 °C (318.26 K). The proposed solar application in polyisoprene production predicts the hybrid system showing fuel savings ranging from 77.96% to 87.08% in comparison to the basic process. The greatest fuel savings of 87.08% is shown in a solarized polyisoprene footwear production plant with combustion air and feed water preheating combined with the condensate return system. Integrating the solar heat into the regular industrial process of polyisoprene production showed great potential and showed environmental sustainability through energy optimization in polyisoprene production.

Keywords: solar energy; polyisoprene; energy optimization; environmental sustainability; combustion air and feed water preheating; condensate heat recovery (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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