Improving Energy Efficiency in CCS, Hydrogen and Energy systems
Student insights from the first use of our cloud-based process simulator
As part of the upcoming beta release of our cloud-based steady-state process simulator, three student groups from across Europe have used TP-Process to analyze processes central to the energy transition. Their projects covered CO2 capture by liquefaction, industrial heat pump processes and hydrogen liquefaction.
In this article, the students share what they worked on, their impressions of the software and, just as importantly, what needs improvement. Nearly half of the students had prior experience with established process simulation software, allowing for an early and honest comparison.
One key reason to use TP-Process in these projects is its native integration of total exergy calculations directly into the simulation workflow. Unlike most commercial simulators where exergy analysis requires time-consuming post-processing, TP-Process makes energy-efficiency analysis automatic, immediate and iterative.
What the students told us
- TP-Process is already computationally fast, ergonomic, and easy to use
- Integrated exergy analysis makes energy-efficiency evaluation fast and accessible
- Collaboration through shared processes was used extensively
- The checkpoint functionality makes it easy to keep track of and compare cases
- Debugging and iteration felt easier and faster than in established tools
- Several features (phase diagrams, checkpoints, shared use, missing process units) need refinement and improvement
From theory to practice: three technologies, one software
Despite working on very different technologies, all three groups used the same software to move from theoretical concepts to practical process insight. TP-Process allowed them to build processes, explore alternatives, and evaluate energy efficiency consistently across CCS, hydrogen, and industrial heat pump systems.
“Exergy analysis helped us go beyond energy balances and actually understand where the real inefficiencies are,” says Cecilie, who worked on CO2 capture.
“It changes how you think about process design.”
A recurring theme across all projects was speed: moving quickly from model setup to results, and spending more time understanding the process than configuring, debugging, and post-processing.
CO2 capture by liquefaction
Image from left: Cecilie Ødegaarden Gjertsen (Norway), Gabin Wantelet (France) and Emma Simone Duprat (France)
The first group analyzed a CO2 capture process based on liquefaction, a promising but energy-intensive CCS technology. Using TP-Process, they identified that the cooler and compressor train contributed most to exergy destruction and proposed innovative improvements to increase the energy efficiency.
Collaboration and workflow
The group actively used the sharing functionality to collaborate on the same process model.
“It was very ergonomic and convenient to be able to share the process,” says Emma.
“It allowed us to review and contribute to each other’s work instead of working separately.”
They noted that switching between lead user sometimes involved some delay and they encountered several bugs when using the functionality, reflecting the early-stage nature of the collaboration features.
Ease of use and calculation speed
“I don’t come from this field, and for a first attempt, TP-Process made it very easy to get started,” says Gabin.
“The interface is modern and interactive, and calculation times are very short.”
Emma highlights how quickly models could be built and accessed:
“Setting up unit operations was fast, and working directly through a web browser made the workflow smooth and efficient.”
Limitations and comparison to established tools
Some limitations became visible for more advanced setups.
“Certain components, such as strippers and adsorbers are not yet available,” notes Cecilie.
“Adding more unit operations would make advanced CO2 capture modeling easier.”
Both Emma and Cecilie had prior experience with established simulators and found the new workflow noticeably lighter.
“TP-Process requires much less setup before you can actually start working,” says Emma.
“And it’s faster and easier to debug,” adds Cecilie.
Industrial heat pump processes (CERN)
Image: Jan Bengsch (Germany)
Jan, who has previously worked in SINTEF, is now pursuing a PhD at NTNU. He worked on an industrial heat pump process related to CERN applications. His focus was on early-stage design and exergy-based prioritization.
Early design and learning
“It was easy to generate steady-state simulations quickly,” Jan explains.
“Relatively little information was required before I could start exploring cycles.”
He sees clear long-term value:
“In its current state, I can use TP-Process very well for initial heat-pump design, and I could include exergy destruction studies in my PhD.”
Areas for improvement
“The phase-diagram functionality did not work as intended for my use case,” Jan notes.
“I used a different tool for that part, but improving this would make the workflow more complete.”
Hydrogen Liquefaction
Pol Estany Obiols (Spain) and Xavier Excaler Pedragosa (Spain)
Hydrogen liquefaction is highly energy-intensive, and Xavier and Pol focused on understanding where the largest losses of useful work occur. Their analysis showed that cryogenic cooling and compression dominated the exergy destruction, and they proposed improvements to the process.
Clarity and iteration
“The process representation is very clear, and implementing it is straightforward,” says Pol.
“You can get all the data you need, especially exergy and lost work, even for complex processes.”
Xavier highlights the interface:
“The drawings are intuitive, the error information is useful, and you don’t need to program anything.”
They encountered some solver-related challenges and bugs.
“When initial conditions need to be changed, it can be difficult to know which values to use,” says Xavier.
They also made extensive use of checkpoints.
“The checkpoint feature was very useful for comparing and keeping track of cases,” he adds.
“Once we understood how to use it safely, it became an important part of our workflow.”
Key takeaways from the first pilot
Across the projects, the students aligned on several points:
- Fast setup and iteration allowed them to focus on understanding and improving processes
- Integrated exergy analysis was a major advantage for analyzing energy efficiency
- Debugging felt more transparent and easier than in established tools
- Collaboration through shared models was used extensively.
- Checkpoints enabled effective comparison of different cases
- Some features (phase diagrams, checkpoints, missing process units, shared use) need refinement and improvement.
Looking ahead
These projects are part of the preparations for our upcoming pilot release, where 15 invited users will gain access to TP-Process starting February 1st. The students’ work demonstrates how cloud-based steady-state simulation and exergy analysis can enable fast, collaborative, and insightful process evaluation for CCS, hydrogen, and industrial energy systems.
