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Expertise

Process optimization

We collaborate with land-based process and metallurgical industries as well as oil and gas companies in order to improve their processes and reduce associated emissions and costs.

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We conduct research for improving and retrofitting existing systems, and for developing novel solutions for both the design and control of industrial process systems.

We work in these areas:

  • Optimization of processes for liquefaction of natural gas and hydrogen.
  • Process integration (heat integration, exergy analysis) of industrial processes.
  • Optimal design of heat exchangers and heat-recovery systems (cycles).
  • Optimized solutions for utilization of industrial surplus heat.
  • Model predictive control (MPC) of district heating and thermal grids.

Methods:
Our projects within process optimization involves developing suitable simulation and optimization models, incorporate process knowledge and available measurement data from the plants, interact with the plants engineers to adjust and verify the models, and apply mathematical optimization or thermodynamic methods to optimize the relevant processes or units. We use both commercial and open-access optimization and modelling tools and we develop in-house software.

Typical projects for us are:

  • Optimization of process flowsheets for various criteria.
  • Optimal design of unit operations in hydrogen production from natural gas.
  • Optimization of operating conditions for CO2 capture processes.
  • Optimal design of thermal grids utilizing surplus heat sources.
  • Analysis of optimized control solutions for thermal energy storage.

Explore research areas

Relevant projects

Enabling Low-Emission LNG Systems

Enabling Low-Emission LNG Systems

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It is essential for improving the existing units and processes, or developing new and more efficient ones, to have a thorough insight in the underlying physical behaviour of the fluid streams involved. Hence, fundamentals for multilevel modelling of...

LTTG+

LTTG+

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Approximately half of buildings' energy demand is related to heating. LTTG+ will develop smart heating solutions for new urban areas: local low-temperature district heating grids which utilize nearby surplus heat sources.

HighEFF

HighEFF

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By increasing energy efficiency, HighEFF will help ensure that Norway has the world’s greenest industries.

COMPACTS

COMPACTS

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COMPACTS aims to develop next generation design methodology and recommendations for materials standards that will allow design of more compact, lightweight and robust steam-based bottoming cycles that will promote their implementation across all...

COMPACTS2

COMPACTS2

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COMPACTS2 aims to validate methodology for design of more compact, lightweight and robust steam bottoming cycles that will promote their implementation in offshore oil and gas production.