TY - GEN A1 - Yentumi, Richard A1 - Dorneanu, Bogdan A1 - Arellano-Garcia, Harvey T1 - Mathematical modelling, simulation and optimisation of an indirect water bath heater at the Takoradi distribution station (TDS) T2 - Computer Aided Chemical Engineering N2 - In this contribution, a dynamic first principles model of an existing 3.01 MW natural gas fired water bath heater (WBH) in operation at the Takoradi Distribution Station (TDS) in Ghana is developed primarily to predict the outlet temperature of the natural gas stream being heated. The model is intended to be applied during operations to provide useful data to optimise material and energy consumption, as well as minimise CO2 emissions. Due to the low thermal efficiencies of WBHs, even small improvements in efficiency can result in significant savings. The firetube and process coils are both modelled as onedimensional (1D) thin-walled tubes and the entire model incorporates mass and energy conservation equations, heat transfer rate relations and rigorous thermodynamic p-V-T relations. In contrast to what commonly exists in literature, this model accurately estimates the enthalpy change of the natural gas stream being heated by accounting for its enthalpy departure correction term due to pressure, in addition to the ideal gas heat capacity relation which is a function of only temperature. The coupled ordinary differential and algebraic equations are implemented using gPROMS® ModelBuilder® V4.2.0, a commercial modelling and simulation software. Verification of the model results showed good agreement between the model predictions and actual on field measurements. With excess air at 15%, the simulation results closely approximate measured data with an absolute error of about 0.31 %. More importantly, the results show that significant savings of up to 30% per annum can be made through optimal operation of the water bath heater. Y1 - 2023 UR - https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-UBICO/frontdoor/index/index/docId/30017 UR - https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/B9780323851596501639?via%3Dihub SN - 1570-7946 VL - 49 SP - 979 EP - 984 ER -