Comparison of exergoeconomic analysis of two different perlite expansion furnaces

Abstract

In this study exergoeconomic analyses of two different perlite expansion furnaces are performed based on the actual operational data. The exergy cost and the cost per unit of exergy of the expanded perlite produced by the Former Perlite Expansion Furnace (FPEF) are determined to be 62.886US$/h and 648.309US$/GJ while those produced by the New Perlite Expansion Furnace (NPEF) are obtained to be 106.734US$/h and 503.463US$/GJ respectively. Additionally the production costs based on exergy are calculated to be 0.153US$/kg for the FPEF and 0.102US$/kg for the NPEF. The production costs based exergy and exergoeconomic factor of the FPEF are found to be 0.153US$/kg and 45%. Those of the NPEF are obtained to be 0.102US$/kg and the 67%. A novel method is also proposed for calculating the exergy cost per unit of the fuel. © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.