Sustainability optimisation of shell and tube heat exchanger, using a new integrated methodology

A new integrated methodology to optimise the sustainability of engineering systems is presented in this study. It is partially based on the use of the MIVES (Modelo Integrado de Valor para una Evaluación Sostenible, or Integrated Value Model for Sustainability Assessment, in translation) method. Its effectiveness was assessed throughout its application to a shell and tube heat exchanger (STHE). For that purpose, a case study previously analysed in the existing literature was considered, in this case with a different goal. Three design variables (shell internal diameter, tube outside diameter and baffle spacing) were used for optimisation. Brute force, Monte Carlo simulation and genetic algorithm approaches were the optimisation techniques deployed to maximise the sustainability index (SI) of the STHE. The results obtained are in line with the idea that there is no solution with full-scale, strict sustainable development (SI = 1), since the different designs have advantages but also disadvantages. Nevertheless, there can be significant differences in the contribution to integral sustainability among all the valid designs for a specific application.