While it's a little more time consuming, a plant-wide assessment approach yields better results compared to a piecemeal approach — more than justifying the extra effort and resources. In this case study, Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A. partnered with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to assess the energy efficiency of the company's linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) plant in Point Comfort, Texas.
The plant manufactures polyethylene pellets for downstream customers that produce plastic consumer products. The primary production process is polymerization, converting ethylene into useful and stable polyethylene pellets. Four process units carry out production: namely, the catalyst preparation unit, prepolymerization unit, polymerization unit and the additives and pelletizing unit. The process requires electricity, water, natural gas, nitrogen and steam utilities.