Abstract
The aim of the study is to demonstrate the application of exergoeconomic analysis as a cost control mechanism in manufacturing operations with a focus on industrial beverage carbonation system. Exergoeconomic analysis is a thermodynamic tool that can identify cost rate of exergy destruction (hidden cost) associated with a machine or a system that cannot be identified using typical cost management techniques applied in industries. Exergy analysis was performed to examine the performance parameters of each unit in the system using mass and energy balance. Cost rate of exergy destruction was performed using the thermoeconomic analysis of energy systems software. The study reviews that the total hidden cost in the carbonation system was $777.31/hr, while the total cost rate related to the investment and maintenance of the system was $45.13/hr. The study concluded that reduction of exergy destruction in the mixer and other subsystems within the carbonation system is very crucial to the improvement of the cost rate in beverage production.
TopBackground
Carbonation refers to the process of dissolving carbon dioxide (CO2) in a liquid at varied conditions depending on the application. (Thongrote, Wirjantoro, & Phianmongkhol, 2016). Carbonation has been applied to beverage production (Abdellatif, 2018; Newbold & Koppel, 2018), sugar refining processes (Sahu, 2018; Moodley, Schorn, Walthew, & Masinga, 2002), cement and concrete production (Šavija & Lukovic, 2016; Pham, 2013; Younsi, Turcry, Rozière, Aît-Mokhtar, & Loukili, 2011) and CO2 capturing technologies for mineral carbonation (Giannoulakis, Volkart, & Bauer, 2014; Olajire, 2013). Temperature and pressure of a system are major factors which determine the solubility of CO2 in a solution. In the solubility of CO2, temperature is directly proportional to pressure and volume as postulated by Henry’s gas law and Charles gas law (Steen, 2006), expressed in Equation (1). A solution of high temperature requires high pressure to maintain CO2 in it, while high amount of CO2 will be dissolved in a solution of low temperature.Pv = MRT(1) where, P = pressure (bar), V =volume (M3), M = molar mass (kg/mol), R = gas constant (kJ/kgK), and T = temperature (K)
Key Terms in this Chapter
Control Volume: Is a space/ boundary where mass, momentum and energy are allowed to cross.
Exergy: Is the component of energy that is convertible and useful.
Exergy Efficiency: Is a measures of the quality of exergy a device, process or system has harness.
Exergoeconomic Analysis: Is a method of determining and assigning economic values to the exergy flow.
Carbonation: Refers to the process of dissolving carbon dioxide in a liquid at a varied conditions depending on the application.
Cost Control Mechanism: Is a method or procedure used to assess elements of cost in operation, system, or environment.
Exergy Destruction: Is a measure of energy component of a device that are not useful.
Exergy Analysis: Is a method of determining exergy value of a system, process, or device.