Process System Innovation by Design Towards a Sustainable Petrochemical Industry Process System Innovation by Design Towards a Sustainable Petrochemical Industry Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Technische Universiteit Delft, op gezag van de Rector Magnificus prof. dr .ir. J.T. Fokkema, voorzitter van het College voor Promoties, in het openbaar te verdedigen op maandag 13 september 2004 om 13:00 uur door Gerhard Pieter Jan DIJKEMA ingenieur in de chemische technologie geboren te Norg Dit proefschrift is goedgekeurd door de promotoren: Prof. dr. ir. M.P.C. Weijnen Prof. ir. J. Grievink Samenstelling promotiecommissie: Rector Magnificus, voorzitter Prof. ir. J. Grievink, Technische Universiteit Delft, promotor Prof. dr. ir. M.P.C. Weijnen, Technische Universiteit Delft, promotor Prof. dr. M.A. Reuter, Technische Universiteit Delft, Universiteit Stellenbosch, SA Prof. dr. ir. A.A.H. Drinkenburg, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven Prof. A.W. Westerberg PhD, Carnegie-Mellon University, US Prof. D. Bogle PhD, University College, London, UK dr. ir. S.A. Lemkowitz, Technische Universiteit Delft Published and distributed by: G.P.J. Dijkema p/a Delft University of Technology P.O. Box 5015 2601 GA Delft The Netherlands e-mail: [email protected] Library of Congress Catalogue Data: ISBN 90-5638-127-X Keywords: fuel cells, functional modelling, innovation, olefins, petrochemical industry, process systems engineering, sustainable development Cover design: M. Mallee/P. Rüpp, www.kunstopmaat.info. Copyright © 2004 G.P.J. Dijkema, Voorburg. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing of the proprietor. Printed in the Netherlands Preface This dissertation is a synthesis of research that was completed in the better part of a decade. The origins of some of the concepts and case studies date back to my stay with Interduct. Most of the research presented was conducted in the multidisciplinary, system-oriented academic environment of the faculty of Technology, Policy and Management. I would like to thank Margot Weijnen for offering me the opportunity to change career-path, for her patience in awaiting the forthcoming of this thesis and for the stimulating discussions and suggestions that set the stage for this work. I am most grateful to Johan Grievink for his encouraging in-depth reviews and his suggestions on formalisation of the work and its embedding in process systems engineering. To me, a brew of green tea will for always be associated with a discussion in Johan's office. I would like to thank all my committee members for their positive feedback and constructive criticisms. I owe special thanks to Art Westerberg for his painstaking review of the content, my English and punctuation. Markus Reuter I thank for many intriguing discussions and for his moral support. Many people have helped me to shape and sharpen the concepts presented. This thesis is a tribute to Han Jonk of SIPM, Odd Asbjørnsen of NTNU, Aad Montfoort of TU Delft and Pieter-Jan Jongman of the Port of Rotterdam. My colleagues at Interduct, the E&I section and the faculty I thank for creating a stimulating, pleasant and supportive working environment. Rob Stikkelman involved me in the project on fuel cell vehicles and in many creative sessions. Kas Hemmes I thank for sharing his knowledge on fuel cells and his encouragement to complete this work. In the office we shared, Paulien Herder put up with me and my sometimes messy filing. I appreciated the in-depth discussions on life, research and education with Zofia Verwater-Lukszo. I would like to hear Petra Heijnen sing more often and to learn more Indian wisdom from Harish Goel. I expect to have more discussions on electricity with Laurens de Vries. I am grateful for the swift help of Ivo and Mirjam Bouwmans with the wording and translation of my propositions. I acknowledge the indispensable support of Connie van Dop, Angelique Nauta and Rachel Kievits of our secretariat. My parents I thank for their love and for creating the conditions for my personal development. Finally, I treasure Elly's support and Roeland and Jenske's appreciation. Gerard Dijkema Voorburg, July 2004 Contents PREFACE...................................................................................................................V CONTENTS ...........................................................................................................VII 1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................1 1.1 OVERVIEW: WHAT, WHY AND HOW?....................................................................1 1.2 READER'S GUIDE .................................................................................................1 1.3 A SYSTEM IMAGE OF THE PETROCHEMICAL INDUSTRY..................................... 2 1.4 INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT, INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY.....................17 1.5 A NEED FOR PROCESS SYSTEM INNOVATION? ..................................................29 1.6 RESEARCH APPROACH AND STRUCTURE OF THESIS .........................................34 2 PROCESS SYSTEM INNOVATION SOURCES..............................................37 2.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................37 2.2 SOURCES OF INNOVATIONS ..............................................................................37 2.3 SYSTEM THINKING FOUNDATIONS ...................................................................46 2.4 PROCESS SYSTEM ENGINEERING ......................................................................51 2.5 SYSTEM DECOMPOSITION .................................................................................59 2.6 CONCLUSIONS...................................................................................................63 3 PROCESS SYSTEM INNOVATION BY DESIGN ..........................................65 3.1 INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................65 3.2 SYSTEMATICALLY TOWARDS INNOVATION CONTENT? ....................................66 3.3 FUNCTIONAL MODELLING FOR PROCESS SYSTEM INNOVATION .....................93 3.4 CONCLUSIONS................................................................................................. 112 4 INNOVATION AROUND OLEFINS ............................................................ 115 4.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... 115 4.2 THE INDUSTRIAL OLEFINS SYSTEM ................................................................ 117 4.3 SYSTEMATICALLY TOWARDS INNOVATIONS?.................................................. 123 4.4 FUNCTIONAL MODELLING OF THE OLEFINS SYSTEM .................................... 137 4.5 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS .................................................................... 151 5 FUEL CELLS AND TRIGENERATION ....................................................... 153 5.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................... 153 5.2 FUEL CELLS IN THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY.................................................... 154 5.3 THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRIGENERATION SYSTEM CONCEPTS ................... 175 5.4 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION ...................................................................... 187 viii Process System Innovation by Design 6 FUEL CELL VEHICLES AND INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT .................. 188 6.1 ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................ 188 6.2 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................. 189 6.3 FUNCTIONAL MODELLING.............................................................................. 190 6.4 SCENARIO DEVELOPMENT AND MODELLING................................................. 197 6.5 THE 'SUPERIOR PEMFC VEHICLES' SCENARIO.............................................203 6.6 PROCESS SYSTEM INNOVATIONS FOR INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT.................. 211 6.7 DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION...................................................................... 218 7 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................223 7.1 INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................223 7.2 PROCESS SYSTEM INNOVATIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY..................................223 7.3 (ENGINEERING) SCIENCE CONTRIBUTIONS ..................................................224 7.4 RESEARCH APPROACH.....................................................................................225 7.5 RECOMMENDATIONS......................................................................................226 REFERENCES .......................................................................................................227 SYMBOLS ............................................................................................................... 241 ABBREVIATIONS .................................................................................................245 APPENDICES.........................................................................................................249 SUMMARY..............................................................................................................279