Mechanical Vapor Recompression—Challenges and Solutions in Existing Processes

Abstract Heat integration is a key factor for an energy‐efficient and profitable process. Although many processes are overall exothermic, additional heating and cooling is often provided by a power plant using fossil fuel. Main reasons are the unfavorable temperature levels of the respective process streams, making heat integration impossible. Mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) can help to overcome this problem and reduce the overall energy consumption and CO 2 emission of a process. In existing plants (brownfield) retrofitting, an MVR is often very challenging. Available space, infrastructure, utilities as well as the need to provide stable operation of the process also for non‐stationary conditions are important points to consider. Generating and compressing steam with connection to an existing steam grid can help to reduce the complexity and enable a realization of MVR in a brownfield environment.