Energy Flow Diagram in a Plant on the System
Q. With an example explain how energy flow diagram helps in energy audit procedure.
- In this diagram shows a simple energy flow diagram in a plant or system.
- High value energy in the form of electricity, petroleum products, coal and other combustible materials enter the plant.
- The machines, drives and other equipment and processes, within the plant, are the energy consumers. The finished product comes out of the plant.
- However, all the energy contained in the input materials can not be utilised fully.
- Some low value energy in the form of warm air lukewarm water etc. is the waste energy and leaves the plant in one form or the other.
- The aim of energy audit is to improve energy utilisation so that the extent of waste energy is reduced and energy input per unit finished product is kept to the minimum to ensure overall economy.
For proper energy audit the following are necessary :
(A) To measure and record the quantity and quality of energy input. The word quality is important because the cost of energy depends on energy quality.
(B) To measure and record the quantity and quality of waste energy to see whether this energy can be used for some other purpose in the plant (or can be sold) so as to reduce the energy costs.
(C) To determine and record all energy losses in the plant. These losses occur in various combustion processes, energy distribution etc.