In chemical plant design, the definition of process operations and risk analysis represents two essential steps during the basic and detailed engineering phases. Traditionally, these steps are carried out in a multidisciplinary manner, yet often in isolation, with each step feeding iterative procedures where the output of one informs the other. This work introduces a novel, integrated framework that embeds process and risk analysis early in the conceptual phase of plant design. By doing so, it enables the quantitative comparison of emerging technologies, focusing on their intrinsic safety profiles. A dynamic extension of the Fire and Explosion Index (DF&EI) has been developed to directly account for the plant's operational conditions, forming the basis for a more comprehensive risk assessment. Moreover, the DF&EI formulation allows to embed the DF&EI itself in sensitivity analysis, allowing for a real-time quantification of the metric changing the operating conditions. In addition, economic and environmental indices have been formulated to support a sustainability analysis based on key performance indicators (KPIs). This holistic, integrated approach, which combines process simulators with newly developed numerical tools, allows for the optimal selection of operating conditions, such as pressure and temperature. Furthermore, a sustainability-oriented strategy is paramount for the development of innovative processes, allowing for multidomain considerations aimed to find the best compromise for present and future scenarios. To validate the methodology, the proposed protocol was implemented in Aspen Hysys to optimize the performance of the biogas-to-methanol (BGtoMEOH) process, designed to convert biogas into methanol via syngas. This demonstrates the robustness and applicability of the approach in realistic industrial scenarios, both for simplified and extended process flow schemes. The results underscore the effectiveness of the developed protocol across various stages of process design while also revealing differences in the outcomes obtained at varying levels of detail in an industrial context. In the simplified case, the optimal solution demonstrated superior performance across all evaluated indicators-environmental, safety, and economic-with KPIs closely approaching the maximum value of 1, indicating optimal performance in each domain. Conversely, in the extended scheme, the solution that achieved the highest performance in environmental and economic perspectives (i.e., unity values) was found to be among the most hazardous from a safety standpoint (with a KPI value proximate to 0.813). These findings highlight the critical need for tailored assessments at each design stage, moving beyond traditional techno-economic analyses to address the specific demands and contextual factors of the industrial initiative under consideration.
Sustainability-Oriented Process Optimization for Biogas to Methanol: Balancing Safety, Economics, and Environmental Parameters
Andriani G.;Mocellin P.;Vianello C.
2025
Abstract
In chemical plant design, the definition of process operations and risk analysis represents two essential steps during the basic and detailed engineering phases. Traditionally, these steps are carried out in a multidisciplinary manner, yet often in isolation, with each step feeding iterative procedures where the output of one informs the other. This work introduces a novel, integrated framework that embeds process and risk analysis early in the conceptual phase of plant design. By doing so, it enables the quantitative comparison of emerging technologies, focusing on their intrinsic safety profiles. A dynamic extension of the Fire and Explosion Index (DF&EI) has been developed to directly account for the plant's operational conditions, forming the basis for a more comprehensive risk assessment. Moreover, the DF&EI formulation allows to embed the DF&EI itself in sensitivity analysis, allowing for a real-time quantification of the metric changing the operating conditions. In addition, economic and environmental indices have been formulated to support a sustainability analysis based on key performance indicators (KPIs). This holistic, integrated approach, which combines process simulators with newly developed numerical tools, allows for the optimal selection of operating conditions, such as pressure and temperature. Furthermore, a sustainability-oriented strategy is paramount for the development of innovative processes, allowing for multidomain considerations aimed to find the best compromise for present and future scenarios. To validate the methodology, the proposed protocol was implemented in Aspen Hysys to optimize the performance of the biogas-to-methanol (BGtoMEOH) process, designed to convert biogas into methanol via syngas. This demonstrates the robustness and applicability of the approach in realistic industrial scenarios, both for simplified and extended process flow schemes. The results underscore the effectiveness of the developed protocol across various stages of process design while also revealing differences in the outcomes obtained at varying levels of detail in an industrial context. In the simplified case, the optimal solution demonstrated superior performance across all evaluated indicators-environmental, safety, and economic-with KPIs closely approaching the maximum value of 1, indicating optimal performance in each domain. Conversely, in the extended scheme, the solution that achieved the highest performance in environmental and economic perspectives (i.e., unity values) was found to be among the most hazardous from a safety standpoint (with a KPI value proximate to 0.813). These findings highlight the critical need for tailored assessments at each design stage, moving beyond traditional techno-economic analyses to address the specific demands and contextual factors of the industrial initiative under consideration.
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