The performance and economics of novel, advanced energy systems depend on both the process and the materials used within that process. Thus, when screening new materials for a potential application, it is important to characterize them in the context of a complete process that has been optimized for the particular characteristics of the materials under evaluation. Simply replacing a CO2 capture solvent, sorbent, or membrane, for example, with a transformational material, may not demonstrate the expected improvements since the process was optimized for a different set of conditions. Similarly, a novel process concept, such as chemical looping, may only realize its potential once materials have been developed for the specific conditions encountered in the optimal process.<br/>The U.S. Department of Energy’s Institute for the Design of Advanced Energy Systems (IDAES) was formed in 2016 to develop new advanced process systems engineering capabilities to support the design and optimization of innovative new processes that go beyond current equipment/process constraints. The IDAES framework includes tools for the large scale optimization of both processes and materials via multi-scale approaches. The framework enables conceptual design that can be applied to support the identification of novel approaches including process intensification as well as the optimization of materials and material properties.<br/>This paper describes the overall IDAES framework and capabilities for synthesizing optimized innovative systems, including (1) techniques to effectively integrate multi-scale surrogate models, uncertainty, and optimization, (2) flexible design approaches, which enable optimization over broad ranges of potential operation, and (3) support for synthesizing flowsheets to enable the identification and scale up of crosscutting technologies that are smaller, more modular, and more cost effective.

Optimization of materials and processes for advanced energy systems

2019 Spring National Meeting

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