PROSPECTS FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION IN THE PROCESS INDUSTRIES.

The problem of energy conservation is misnamed - correctly stated it is entropy conservation. The entropy of fuels and of the environment is increased in the act of reducing the entropy of manufactured products. Minimizing entropy rise per unit of production requires maximizing the entropic efficiency of our processes. This is achieved in part, by matching the energy source and sink to the task being performed. Finding and maintaining the optimum match is the principal objective of an energy management system. This paper describes the problem of balancing heat and work supply and demand, and leveling variations in demand by appropriately controlling selected process units.