HEAT EXCHANGER

NETWORK (HEN) AND

UTILITIES:
ENERGY TARGET

Reference: Chemical Process Design and Integration, 2nd edition

Robin Smith, University of Manchester, UK
The Hierarchy of Chemical Process Design and
Integration
1. Exergy analysis studies techniques of minimising destroyed exergy
due to temperature between hot and cold streams, velocity
related to friction, or, concentration within mass transfer unit
operations.
2. Pinch analysis is an application of exergy analysis which maximises
heat exchange/heat recovery between hot and cold streams by
minimising T between hot and cold streams resulting in minimum
use of utilities, i.e. hot utilities, cold utilities, mechanical work or
electricity in reactors, unit operations, heat engines, heat pumps and
heat exchanger networks.
 MOMENTUM TRANSPORT
velocity in fluid inside the pipe

Newtons
Momentum
law on transfer, where
viscosity faster molecules
will diffuse
across an area
below and impart
their kinetic
energy to slower
molecules

Boundary layer induces higher velocity gradient close to the inner

wall of the pipe. Higher velocity gradient corresponds to higher shear
stress where more dynamic pressure is converted to heat and
consequently higher pump energy is required.
 Smaller pipe
higher average
velocity for a
given volumetric
flowrate

Higher velocity
incurs higher
velocity gradient
near the pipe wall,
which consequently
increases pump
power and vice
Fluid velocity versa
decreases
Velocity gradient
decreases
 MASS TRANSPORT
concentration in a distillation column

equilibrium curve
Vapour transfer

operating line

liquid transfer

The higher the difference between equilibrium curve and

operating line, the larger are loads of condenser and
reboiler, but the smaller the column diameter.
 Concentration
gradient increases

The higher the reflux ratio R (ratio of reflux to distillate product) of the
distillation column, the higher is the concentration between equilibrium
curve and operating line. This incurs higher utility cost (steam cost). At
lower R, column becomes higher (capital cost higher) due to more plates
required; at higher reflux ratio, column diameter becomes bigger (capital
cost higher). There is an optimised R to get minimum total cost.
 temperature in heat recovery of heat exchangers
Heat recovery at larger T
Larger hot
utility load Heat
at larger T
transfer

Larger cold
utility load at Heat recovery at smaller T temperature gradient
decreases
larger T

Reduced temperature increased heat recovery (more heat from hot stream is
given to cold stream) reduced both hot and cold utilities and vice versa, but
increased area of heat transfer.
Composite Curves (curve
method)
temperature in heat transfer between natural gas- refrigerant cooling
curves

W = Q (1- T0/T)

The lower temperature between natural gas cooling curve and

refrigerant cooling curve due to cascading and mixed refrigerant
reduces the load of compressors.
Heat Recovery Pinch
Threshold Problems
Problem Table Algorithm
(calculation method)
Positive value
means heat
flows from
higher temp
interval to
lower temp
interval. It
obeys 2nd law

Negative value Pinch point

means that heat
flows from
lower temp
interval to
higher temp
interval. It
violates 2nd law
 T is set 1oC to
allow using heat
capacity for stream
data instead of
latent heat
Tmin = 5oC
 Data for
Grand
Composite
Curve (GCC)
for utility
selection (see
next slides)
Utility Selection
 Saturated
steam
Superheated
steam
Furnaces
 TFT occurs if
there is no heat
loss, no 2nd
combustion
reaction, nor
equilibrium
reactions
more air in the
flame incurs
lower TFT

more total flow in

flue gas makes
higher CP
S + O2 SO2, SO3
H2O + SO3 H2SO4 as droplet when it is below dew point
 HEAT EXCHANGER NETWORK
ENERGY TARGETS SUMMARY
The energy targets for the process can be set without
having to design the heat exchanger network and utility
system.
These energy targets can be calculated directly from the
material and energy balance.
Thus, energy costs can be established without design for
the outer layers of the process onion.
Using the grand composite curve, different utility
scenarios can be screened quickly and conveniently.
HEAT EXCHANGER
NETWORK:
DESIGN
Pinch Design Method
T near the pinch
T near the
< Tmin. It is not
pinch >
allowed
Tmin. It is
allowed
T near the pinch T near the pinch
< Tmin. It is not > Tmin. It is
allowed allowed
Design for Threshold
Problems
Start from the most
constrained area,
away
above the pinch
Below the pinch
Stream Splitting
T near the pinch
< Tmin. It is not
allowed

T near the pinch

= Tmin. It is
allowed
T near the pinch
< Tmin. It is not
allowed

T near the pinch

= Tmin. It is
allowed
Above the pinch

below the pinch

Tmin = 50oC
Design for Multiple
Pinches
LP can be treated as
part of process
stream population.
Design may start
from left to right or
in contrary. If it
starts from left, then
the design is
regarded as that of
below the pinch.

Above
the pinch
The most constrained
area, from which the
design starts
Exhaust is treated as a hot stream (400 to 10oC)
HP and LP steam are generated. Therefore,
they are treated as cold utilities and their
shifted temp (T*) = actual temp + Tmin

T*=260oC

exhaust
Process pinch Utility pinches

LP can be treated as part of

process stream population.
Design may start from left to
right or in contrary. If it
starts from left, then the
design is regarded as that of
below the pinch.
Network Optimisation
The least load HE is to be scrapped
Work for assignment 3
Extract process streams
Set up Tmin depending on temperature regimes of the
process
Using problem table, obtain QHmin, QCmin and pinch
location as well as Grand Composite Curve (GCC)
Design Heat Exchanger Network
Make utility selection for heating and cooling on GCC.
Design heat and power systems (furnaces, gas turbines,
steam turbines, refrigeration cycle, boiler etc)
Calculate economics of heat and power systems.