Cogeneration as related to phosphorus incineration

This thesis was completed with two goals in mind. First, a method or technique was used for deducing the optimum cogeneration potential of a typical chemical plant, which may be paralleled to for any given medium to large multiprocess plant. The optimum cogeneration process was weighed against process risks and economics with respect to return on dividends. Second, the optimum cogeneration process was defined for the phosphorus/phosphate chemical plant at which the author is employed. The author is employed by the Lawrence, Kansas, division of FMC Corporation as a chemical process engineer. Results of this study will be useful to the corporation as a possible project for three other sister plants involved with the same phosphorus/phosphate process. These three plants are in Carteret, New Jersey; Newark, California; and Green River, Wyoming. Heat recovery projects are currently being investigated and intensely evaluated on a corporate level. In the early seventies, the American public first became aware of a potential energy crisis, i.e., energy supply not meeting demand on a national scale. At this time, FMC Corporation initiated energy conservation projects for their chemical processing plants. Most of these efforts were typically re lie d to steam conservation and generation, improved energy metering, and increased insulation of chemical process equipment. In the mid-seventies, funds were approved for the installation of a more efficient water tube boiler with economizer as replacement for the older and more inefficient boiler. This is recognized as the first major step in energy conservation for the FMC, Lawrence, Kansas, plant. Only recently has the corporation come to realize that the cost of energy utilities is increasing at such a rate that the large capital expenditure for a cogeneration system may be justified. Such a justified project would not only serve the corporation on an economic basis, but may improve the image of the chemical plant in the public view. Chemical plants are increasingly becoming an issue with the public, as most produce not only chemicals, but chemical waste products, i.e., pollutants. It would be a positive note for the local community, near a chemical plant, to know that the plant is generating a significant amount of its own energy through a cogeneration process. In extreme cases, a plant may not only fulfill its own power requirements through a cogeneration process, but put electric power back into the local power grid and gain additional revenue.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical engineering (MU)

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Missouri--Columbia

Year dc:date.issued

1982

Author dc:creator

• Andrews, Michael Eugene

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Stewart, William

Statement dc:rights

• OpenAccess.

Language dc:language.iso

eng, English

DOI

https://doi.org/10.32469/10355/103781

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:mospace.umsystem.edu:10355/103781