Abstract: This chapter discusses the fundamentals of energy balances. Energy can be considered to be separately conserved in all but nuclear processes. The conservation of energy, however, differs from that of mass in that energy can be generated in a chemical process. Material can change form, and new molecular species can be formed by chemical reaction, but the total mass flow into a process unit must be equal to the flow out at the steady state. The same is not true of energy. The total enthalpy of the outlet streams will not equal that of the inlet streams if energy is generated or consumed in the processes such as that due to heat of reaction. Energy can exist in several forms such as heat, mechanical energy and electrical energy, and it is the total energy that is conserved. In process design, energy balances are made to determine the energy requirements of the process, namely, the heating, cooling, and power required. In plant operation, an energy balance on the plant will show the pattern of energy usage, and suggest areas for conservation and savings.
Publication Year: 1983
Publication Date: 1983-01-01
Language: en
Type: book-chapter
Indexed In: ['crossref']
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