Chapter two

process integration
2.1 pinch point analysis
oWhat is pinch technology

o basic concepts of pinch technology

o Objective of pinch analysis

o A simple examples of process integration by pinch

o Areas of applications of pinch technology

 Pinch technology
Process integration can lead to a substantial reduction in the energy
requirements of a process.
Pinch Technology provides a systematic methodology for energy
saving in processes and total sites. The methodology is based on
thermodynamic principles.
one of the main advantages of Pinch Technology over conventional
design methods is the ability to set energy and capital cost targets for
an individual process or for an entire production site ahead of design.
Contd
Therefore, ahead of identifying any specific project, we know the scope
for energy savings and investment requirements.

o Most industrial processes involve transfer of heat either from one process

stream to another process stream (interchanging) or from an utility stream

to process stream.

o In the present energy crisis scenario all over the world, the target of

any industrial process designer is to maximizes the process-to- process heat

recovery and to minimize the utility (energy) requirements.
Contd
o A Pinch Analysis starts with the heat and material balance for the process.
o Using Pinch Technology, it is possible to identify appropriate changes in
the core process conditions that can have an impact on energy savings
o After the heat and material balance is established, targets for energy saving
can be set prior to the design of the heat exchanger network.
o The Pinch Design Method ensures that these targets are achieved during
the network design.
 Contd
General Process Improvements

In addition to energy conservation studies, Pinch Technology enables

process engineers to achieve the following general process improvements:

Update or Modify Process Flow Diagram: Pinch quantifies the savings

available by changing the process itself. It shows where process change

reduce the overall energy target, not just local energy consummation.
 Contd

Conduct Process Simulation Studies: Pinch replace the old energy

studies with information that can be easily updating using simulation.
Such simulation studies can help avoid unnecessary capital costs by
identifying energy savings with a smaller investment before the projects
are implemented.
 Contd

Set Practical targets: By taking in account practical constrains (difficult

fluids, layout, safety, etc.), theoretical targets are modified so that they can
be realistically achieved. Comparing practical with theoretical targets
quantifies opportunities lost by constraints - a vital insight for long
term development.
Basic concepts
1. Identification of the hot, cold and utility streams in the process.

2. Thermal data extraction for process and utility stream.

3. Selection of Initial TMIN value.

4. Construction of Composite Curves and Grand Composite Curve.

1.Identification of the hot, cold and utility streams in the process.
Hot streams: are those that must be cooled or are available to be
cooled (Tout < Tin).

Cold streams: are those that must be heated (Tout > Tin).
Contd

Utility streams: are used to heat or cool process stream, when heat
exchange between process stream is not practical or economic. A
number of different hot utilities (steam, hot water, flue gas, etc) and
cold utilities (cooling water, air, refrigerant, etc.) are used in industry.

2.Thermal data extraction for process and utility stream.

For each hot, cold and utility stream identified, the following thermal
data is extracted for the process material and heat balance flow sheet:
Contd

o The figure below shows an example process flow-sheet involving a two

stage reactor and a distillation column. The process already has heat
recovery, represented by the two process to process heat exchangers.

Fig 2.1
Contd
Table 2.1 typical stream data

Supply temperature TS, the temperature which the stream is available.

Target temperature TT, the temperature the stream must be taken to.
Heat capacity flow rate (CP), the product of flow rate and specific heat.
Enthalpy change H, H = CP(TS - TT)
3. Selection of Initial TMIN value.

oThe design of any heat transfer equipment must always adhere to the
second law of thermodynamics that prohibits any temperature crossover
between the hot and the cold stream i.e. a minimum heat transfer driving
force must always be allowed for a feasible heat transfer design.

oThus the temperature of the hot and cold stream at the any point in the
exchanger must always have a minimum temperature difference (TMIN).
This TMIN value represents the bottleneck in the heat recovery.
Contd
In mathematical terms, at any point in the exchanger

Hot stream temp. (TH) - Cold stream temp. (TC) = TMIN

The value of TMIN is determined by the overall heat transfer coefficient

(U) and the geometry of the exchanger. In a network design, the type of
heat exchanger to be used at the pinch will determine the practical
TMIN for the network.

For a given value of heat transfer load (Q) the selection of TMIN
values has implications for both capital and energy costs.
 Contd

A few values of based Linnhoff Marchs application experience are

tabulated below for shell and tube heat exchangers.
Table 2.2 Typical Tmin values.
4. Construction of Composite Curves and Grand Composite
Curve.
Composite Curves
Composite Curves consist of temperature (T) - Enthalpy (H) profiles of
heat availability in the process (the Hot Composite Curve) and heat
demands in the process (the Cold Composite Curve) together in a
graphical representation.

In general any stream with a constant heat capacity (CP) value is

represented on a diagram by a straight line running from stream supply
temperature to stream target temperature.
Contd
When there are a number of hot and cold composite curves simply
involves the addition of the enthalpy changes of the stream in the
respective temperature intervals.

Fig. 2.2 Temperature - Enthalpy relation used to construct Composite Curves.

Contd
A complete hot or cold composite curves consists of a series of connected
straight lines, each change in slope represents a change in overall hot
stream heat capacity flow rate (CP).

Combined Composite Curves.

Combined Composite Curves are used to predict targets for;

Minimum energy (both hot and cold utility) required.

Minimum network area required, and

Minimum number of exchangers units required.

 Contd
For heat exchange to occur from the hot stream to the cold stream,
the hot stream cooling curve must lie above the cold stream-heating
curve. Because of the kinked nature of the composite curves, they
approach each other most closely at one point defined as the
minimum approach temperature (TMIN).

TMIN can be measured directly from the T-H profiles as being the
minimum vertical difference between the hot and cold curves.
 Contd
This point of minimum temperature difference represents a bottleneck in heat
recovery and is commonly referred to as the Pinch.
T min and pinch Point
The Tmin values determine how closely the hot and cold composite
curves can be pinched (or squeezed) without violating the second
law of Thermodynamics (none of the heat exchangers can have a
temperature crossover).
Contd

Fig. 2.3 Energy targets and the pinch with Composite Curves.
Contd

Fig. 2.4 Combined Composite Curves.

Contd

At a particular TMIN value, the overlap shows the maximum possible scope for
heat recovery within the process. The hot end and cold end overshoots indicate
minimum hot utility requirement (QH,MIN) and minimum cold utility
requirement (QC,MIN), of the process for the chosen TMIN.

Thus, the energy requirement for a process is supplied via process to process
heat exchange and/or exchange with several utility levels (steam levels,
refrigeration levels, hot oil circuit, furnace flue gas, etc.)
 2.1 Practical Energy Integration
2.1.1 Basic concepts of heat exchange
Consider the simple process shown in Figure 2.5. There is a chemical
reactor, which will be treated at present as a black-box. Liquid is
supplied to the reactor and needs to be heated from near-ambient
temperature to the operating temperature of the reactor.

Conversely, a hot liquid product from the separation system needs to be

cooled down to a lower temperature. There is also an additional unheated
make-up stream to the reactor.
Contd

o Any flow which requires to be heated or

cooled, but does not change in
composition, is defined as a stream.
o The feed, which starts cold and needs to
Fig. 2.5 Simple process flow sheet
be heated up, is known as a cold stream.
o Conversely, the hot product which must
be cooled down is called a hot stream
Contd
Table2.3 Data for simple two-stream example

Fig.2.6 Simple process flow sheet with heat exchange

Contd
Composite curves

To handle multiple streams, we add together the heat loads or heat capacity
flow rates of all streams existing over any given temperature range. Thus, a
single composite of all hot streams and a single composite of all cold streams
can be produced in the T/H diagram, and handled in just the same way as the
two-stream problem.

In Figure 2.7(a) three hot streams are plotted separately, with their supply
and target temperatures defining a series of interval temperatures T1T5.
Contd
Between T1 and T2, only stream B exists, and so the heat available in this
interval is given by CPB(T1 - T2).

However between T2 and T3 all three streams exist and so the heat
available in this interval is (CPA + CPB + CPC)(T2 T3).

A series of values of H for each interval can be obtained in this way, and
the result re-plotted against the interval temps. as shown in Figure 2.7(b).

The resulting T/H plot is a single curve representing all the hot streams,
known as the hot composite curve.
Contd
A similar procedure gives a cold composite curve of all the cold
streams in a problem

Fig.2.7 Formation of the hot composite curve

Contd
Problem Table Algorithm for minimum utility calculations.

Graphical constructions are not the most convenient means of determining

energy needs. A numerical approach called Problem Table Algorithm PTA
was developed by Linnhoff & Flower (1978) as a means of determining the
utility needs of a process and the location of the process Pinch. The PTA
lends itself to hand calculations of the energy targets.
Contd
In the construction of composite curves it shows how enthalpy balance
intervals are set up based on stream supply and target temperatures. The
same can be done for hot and cold streams together, to allow for the
maximum possible amount of heat exchange within each temperature
interval. The only modification needed is to ensure that within any
interval, hot streams and cold streams are at least Tmin apart. This is
done by using shifted temperatures.
Contd
For the problem data from Table 2.4 (Grid representation is shown in Fig.
2.8) streams are shown in a schematic representation with a vertical
temperature scale. Temp. interval boundaries are superimposed.

The interval boundary temps. are set at 1/2 TMIN ( 5oC in this example)
below hot stream temps. and 1/2 TMIN above cold stream temps.

So for example in interval number 2 in Fig2.8 , streams 2 and 4 (the hot

streams) run from 150 oC to 145 oC, and stream 3 (the cold stream) from
135 oC to 140 oC.
Contd

Setting up the intervals in this way guarantees that full heat

interchange within any interval is possible. Hence, each interval will
have either a net surplus or net deficit of heat as dictated by enthalpy
balance, but never both. This is shown in Fig. 2.9.
Contd

Table 2.4 Data for PTA example Fig.2.8 Grid representation of hot and cold
streams.
Contd
can easily be calculated for each according to:
Hi = (Ti - Ti + 1 )(CPC - CPH)I for any interval i.

Fig2.9 Example for Table Problem Algorithm.

Contd
The last column in Fig. 2.9 indicates whether an interval is in heat
surplus or heat deficit. It would therefore be possible to produce a
feasible network design based on the assumption that all surplus
intervals rejected heat to cold utility , and all deficit intervals took heat
from hot utility. However, this would not be very sensible because it
would involve rejecting and accepting heat at inappropriate
temperatures.
Contd
We now, however, exploit a key feature of the temperature intervals
Namely, any heat available in interval i is hot enough to supply any duty
in interval i +1. This is shown in Figure 2.10 (a), where interval 1 and 2
are used as an illustration. Instead of sending the 60 kW of surplus heat
from interval 1 into cold utility, it can be sent down into interval 2.

It is therefore possible to set up a heat cascade as shown in the Figure

2.10 (b).
Contd

Fig.2.10 heat cascade principle - target prediction by problem table

analysis.
Determining QH,MIN ,QC,MIN and Pinch Point from heat cascade.

Assuming that not heat is supplied to the hottest interval (1) from hot
utility, then the surplus of 60 kW or surplus heat from interval 1is
cascaded into interval 2. There it joins the 2.5 kW surplus from interval
2, making 62.5 kW to cascade into interval 3.

Interval 3 has a 82.5 kW deficit, hence after accepting the 62.5 kW it

van be regarded as passing on a 20 kW deficit to interval 4.

Interval 4 has a 75 kW surplus and so passes on a 55 kW surplus to

interval 5.
Contd

Finally, the 15 kW deficit in interval 5 means that 40 kW is the final

cascaded energy to cold utility. This in fact is the net enthalpy balance on
the whole problem.

Looking at the heat flows between intervals clearly the negative flow of
20 kW between intervals 3 and 4 is thermodynamically infeasible. To
make this feasible (i.e. equal to zero), 20 kW of heat must be added from
hot utility as shown in Figure 2.9 (b), and cascaded right through the
system.
Contd

The net result of this operation is that the minimum utilities

requirements have been predicted, i.e. 20 kW hot and 60 kW cold.

Further, the position of the pinch has been located. This is at the 85 0C
interval boundary temperature where the heat flow is zero.

o Grand Composite Curve (GCC)

In selecting utilities to be used, determining utility temperatures, and

deciding on utility requirements, the composite curves and PTA are
not particularly useful.
Contd

The introduction of a new tool, the grand Composite Curve (GCC),

was introduced in 1982 by Itoh, Shiroko and Umeda. The GCC
(Figure 2.11) shows the variation of heat supply and demand within
the process. Using this diagram the designer can find which utilities
are to be used. The designers aim is to maximize the use of cheaper
utility levels and minimize the use of expensive utility levels. Low-
pressure steam and cooling water are preferred instead of high-
pressure steam and refrigeration, respectively.
 Contd
The information required for the construction of the GCC comes directly
from the Table Problem Algorithm. The method involves shifting (along
the temperature [y] axis) of the hot composite curve down by 1/2 TMIN
and that of cold composite curve up by 1/2 TMIN. The vertical axis on
the shifted composite curves shows process interval temperature.

In others words, the curves are shifted by subtracting part of the allowed
temperature approach from the hot stream temperatures and adding the
remaining part of the allowed temperature approach to the cold stream
temperatures.
Contd

Fig.2.11 Grand Composite Curve.

 Contd
Figure 2.11 shows that it is not necessary to supply the hot utility at the top
temperature level. The GCC indicates that we can supply hot utility over two
temperature levels TH1 (HP steam) and TH2 (LP steam). Recall that, when placing
utilities in the GCC, intervals, and not actual utility temperatures, should be used.
The total minimum hot utility requirement remains the same: QH,MIN = H1 + H2.
Similarly, QC,MIN = C1 + C2. The points TH2 and TC2 where the H2 and C2
levels touch the GCC are called the Utility Pinches.

The shaded green pockets represents the process-to-process heat exchange.

Contd
2.3 Heat and power integration
Heat integration

o In a typical process, there are several hot streams that must be cooled
and several cold streams that must be heated.
o The usage of external cooling and heating utilities (e.g., cooling
water, refrigerants, steam, heating oils, etc.) to address all the heating
and cooling duties is not cost effective.
o Indeed, integration of heating and cooling tasks may lead to
significant cost reduction.
Contd
oThe key concept is to transfer heat from the process hot streams to the
process cold streams before the external utilities are used.

o The result of this heat integration is the simultaneous reduction of heating

and cooling duties of the external utilities

The problem of synthesizing HENs can be stated as follows:

oGiven a number NH of process hot streams and a number NC of process cold

streams it is desired to synthesize a cost-effective network of HES that can
transfer heat from the hot streams to the cold streams.
Contd
o Given also are the heat capacity (flow rate x specific heat) of each
process hot stream, FCP,u ; its supply temperature, Ts; and its target
temperature, Tt, where u = 1,2,...,NH.

o In addition, the heat capacity, FcP,v , supply and target temperatures, ts

and tt, are given for each process cold stream, where v = 1,2,.,NC.
Available for service are NHU heating utilities and NCU cooling
utilities whose supply and target temperatures (but not flow rates) are
known.
Contd

Fig 2.12. Synthesis of HENs.

One of the key advances in synthesizing HENs is the identification of
minimum utility targets ahead of designing the network using the thermal
pinch analysis. This technique is presented in the following section.
 Contd
HEAT-EXCHANGE PINCH DIAGRAM
o Let us consider a heat exchanger for which the thermal equilibrium
relation governing the transfer of the heat from a hot stream to a cold
stream is simply given by T= t (2.1)

oBy employing a minimum heat-exchange driving force of T min , one

can establish a one-to-one correspondence between the temperatures of
the hot and the cold streams for which heat transfer is feasible, i.e.

T = t + T min
Contd
oThis expression ensures that the heat-transfer considerations of the
second law of thermodynamics are satisfied.

o For a given pair of corresponding temperatures (T, t) it is

thermodynamically and practically feasible to transfer heat from any
hot stream whose temperature is greater than or equal to T to any cold
stream whose temperature is less than or equal to t.
Contd
o The first step in constructing the thermal-pinch diagram is creating a
global representation for all the hot streams by plotting the enthalpy
exchanged by each process hot stream versus its temperature. Hence,
a hot stream losing sensible heat is represented as an arrow whose tail
to its supply temperature and its head corresponds to its target
temperature.

oAssuming constant heat capacity over the operating range, the slope
of each arrow is equal to Fu CP,u
Contd
The vertical distance between the tail and the head of each arrow represents
the enthalpy lost by that hot stream according to the following expression:

Heat lost from the uth hot stream:

Where u =1,2,.,NH. (2.2)

Note that any stream can be moved up or down while preserving the same
vertical distance between the arrow head and tail and maintaining the same
supply and target temperatures one can create a hot composite stream using
the diagonal rule.
 Contd
Figure below illustrates this concept for two hot streams.

Fig. 2.13 Representing hot streams

Contd

Fig.2.14. Constructing a hot composite stream using superposition

Contd

Next, a cold-temp. scale, t, is created in one-to-one correspondence with

the hot temp. scale, T, using Eq. (2.1). The enthalpy of each cold stream is
plotted versus the cold temp. scale, t. The vertical distance between the
arrow head and tail for a cold stream is given by

Heat gained by the vth cold stream HCv=

where v =1,2,.,NC. (2.3)

In a similar manner to constructing the hot-composite line, a cold composite

stream is plotted (see Fig. 2.16 for a two-cold-stream example).
Contd

Fig. 2.15 Representing cold streams

Contd

Fig.2.16 Constructing a cold composite stream using superposition

Contd
Next, both composite streams are plotted on the same diagram (Fig.
2.17). On this diagram, thermodynamic feasibility of heat exchange is
guaranteed when at any heat-exchange level (which corresponds to a
horizontal line), the temperature of the cold composite stream is
located to the left of the hot composite stream (i.e, temperature of the
hot is higher than or equal to the cold temperature plus than the
minimum approach temperature).
Contd
Hence, for a given set of corresponding temperatures, it is
thermodynamically and practically feasible to transfer heat from any
hot stream to any cold stream.

The cold composite stream can be moved up and down which implies
different heat-exchange decisions. For instance, if we move the cold
composite stream upwards in a way that leaves no horizontal overlap
with the hot composite stream, then there is no integrated heat
exchange between the hot composite stream and the cold composite
stream as seen in Fig. 2.17.
Contd
When the cold composite stream is moved downwards so as to
provide some horizontal overlap, some integrated heat exchange can
be achieved (Fig. 2.18).

However, if the cold composite stream is moved downwards such that

a portion of the cold is placed to the right of the hot composite stream,
thereby creating infeasibility (Fig. 2.19).
Contd
Therefore, the optimal situation is constructed when the cold
composite stream is slid vertically until it touches the rich composite
stream while lying completely to the left of the hot composite stream
at any horizontal level.

Therefore, the cold composite stream can be slid down until it touches
the hot composite stream. The point where the two composite
streams touch is called the "thermal pinch point."
Contd
o Now, the minimum heating and cooling utility requirements can be
determine using the pinch diagram . Again, the cold composite line
cannot be slid down any further; otherwise, portions of the cold
composite stream would be the right of the hot composite stream,
causing thermodynamic infeasibility. On the other hand, if the cold
composite stream is moved up (i.e., passing heat through the pinch),
less heat integration is possible, and consequently, additional heating
and cooling utilities are required.
Contd
Therefore, for a minimum utility usage the following design rules must
be observed:
o No heat should be passed through the pinch.
o Above the pinch, no cooling utilities should be used
o Below the pinch, no heating utilities should be used.
Contd

Fig.2.17 placement of composite streams with no heat integration

Contd

Fig.2.18 partial heat integration

Contd

Fig.2.19 Infeasible heat integration

 Contd

Fig.2.20 Thermal pinch diagram

Contd
Example 2.1 UTILITY MINIMIZATION IN A CHEMICAL PLANT
Consider the chemical processing facility illustrated in Fig. 2.1. The
process has two adiabatic reactors. The intermediate product leaving
the first reactor (C1) is heated from 420 to 490 K before being fed to the
second reactor. The off-gases leaving the reactor (H1) at 460 K are
cooled to 350 K prior to being forwarded to the gas-treatment unit. The
product leaving the bottom of the reactor is fed to a separation
network.
Contd
The product stream leaving the separation network (H2) is cooled
from 400 to 300 prior to sales. A byproduct stream (C2) is heated
from 320 to 390 K before being fed to a flash column. Stream data
are given in Table 2.1
Contd

Fig.2.1. Simplified Flow sheet for the Chemical Processing Facility.

 Contd

In the current operation, the heat exchange duties of H1, H2, C1, and C2 are
fulfilled using the cooling and heating utilities. Therefore, the current usage
of cooling and heating utilities are 83,000 and 56,000 kW, respectively.
Contd
The objective of this case study is to use heat integration via the pinch
diagram to identify the target for minimum heating and cooling
utilities. A value of Tmin = 10 K is used.

Once the minimum operating cost is determined, a network of heat

exchangers can be synthesized. The trade-off between capital and
operating costs can be established by iteratively varying Tmin until
the minimum total annualized cost is attained.
Contd

Hot Streams
Contd

Hot Composite Stream

Contd

Representing the Cold Streams

Contd

Cold Composite Stream

Contd

Thermal Pinch Diagram