Heat Exchanger Networks

& Utility Minimization

David A. Rockstraw, Ph.D., P.E.

New Mexico State University
Chemical Engineering
 Pinch Technology
• systematic procedure for designing efficient heat
exchanger networks for process heat recovery/reuse.
• Advantages include:
– simple, does not require elaborate mathematics
– sets performance targets before actual design (minimum
required theoretical utility for entire process)
– analysis provides network design by matching hot and cold
streams for heat integration
– graphical representation (composite curve) used to increase
conceptual understanding of system
– method table used to predict minimum utility requirements
 Application of Pinch Technology
• Design an integrated heat exchanger system with a
minimum approach temperature of 10°F to minimize
utility for the following six streams:
hot streams cold streams
str A B C D E F
m 4000 10000 6000 6000 9000 6000 lb/hr
Cp 0.65 1.00 0.50 0.70 0.95 0.55 btu/lb°F
To 410 370 270 260 310 340 °F
Tf 350 290 250 300 370 390 °F
mCp 2600 10000 3000 4200 8550 3300 btu/hr°F
 Composite Curves
Prepare the composite curves, A B C F E D
distinguishing interval of temperature
400°F
where streams influent/effluent
temperatures begin/end 1 1

2 2
350°F

3
3
300°F
4

4 5

5
250°F
 Composite Curves
Treating all Hot streams and all Cold A B C F E D

streams together, determine heat flow in 400°F

each interval H1  104,000
1
H  m
 c p T 1

2 2
H1  m
 1c p,1T1 350°F

H1   4,000 lb hr  3
3
  0.65 Btu lb  hr  F 300°F
4

  370  410  F 4 5

H1  104,000 Btu hr 250°F

5
 Composite Curves
Treating all Hot streams and all Cold A B C F E D

streams together, determine heat flow in 400°F

each interval H1  104,000
1 H1  66,000
H  m
 c p T 1
H2  252,000 H2  355,500
2 2
H2   m  2c p,2  T2 350°F
 1c p,1  m H3  600,000

H2    4,000  0.65 

3
3 H3  256,500

4
 10,000 1.0  
H4  0
300°F

H4  0 H5  168,000

  350  370 
4 5
H5  60,000
5
H2  252,000 250°F
Composite 420
410
400
hot
cold
Define pinch point as temperature approach
Pinch

Curves 390
380
Point

370
360

temperature (°F)
350
only reject
340
heat below
330
320
the pinch
point Qhot
310
300
Never transfer heat only add heat
290
across the pinch point. above the
280 Qcold pinch point
270
260
250
0.E+00 2.E+05 4.E+05 6.E+05 8.E+05 1.E+06 1.E+06
H
 Method Table
• draw hot/cold temperature scales offset by Tmin
• plot stream temperatures on appropriate scales
• determine temperature intervals
• divide stream’s temperature change into intervals
based on supply & target temperatures for each
stream
 Method Table
int T(°F) mcc - Hi cumulative
A B C F E D
mch 400°F
400°F 1
1 10 -2.60 -26.0 -26.0
2
2 20 +0.70 +14.0 -12.0
3 10 +9.25 +92.5 +80.5
3 pinch
point
4 20 -0.75 -15.0 -15.0 4 350°F
350°F
5 30 -1.45 -43.5 -58.5
6 10 -10.00 -100.0 -158.5 5
7 20 -5.80 -116.0 -274.5
6 300°F
8 20 +4.20 +84.0 -190.5
9 20 -2.50 -50.0 -250.5
300°F 7

heat surplus may be transferred 8

to the lower temperature interval
9 250°F
250°F
 HOT Heat Cascade COLD

Heat Cascade 410

400
-26000
-26000
400

390

14000
380 Qhot -12000 370

-80500 92500
0 360
pinch
370
point
-15000
350 -15000 340

-43500
320 -58500 310

-100000
310 -158500 300

-116000
290 -274500 280

84000
270 -190500
Qcold 260

-60000 250500
250 0 240
Minimum Energy Network Design
mcp A B C D E F
(x 10 Btu/hr°F)
-3
2.6 10 3.0 4.2 8.55 3.3
400°C
400°C

350°C
350°C

300°C
300°C

250°C
250°C
Minimum Energy Network Design
mcp A B C D E F
(x 10 Btu/hr°F)
-3
2.6 10 3.0 4.2 8.55 3.3
400°C
400°C

402.9°F
85.5 85.5

350°C
HAA,,  m
 c ppT
350°C
85.5  1033   2600  T  370 
T  402.9F
300°C
300°C HEE,  m
 c ppT

  8550 10 
 85.5  10 33 Btu hr
250°C
250°C
Minimum Energy Network Design
mcp A B C D E F
(x 10 Btu/hr°F)
-3
2.6 10 3.0 4.2 8.55 3.3
400°C
400°C

18.5 18.5
402.9°F

350°C
350°C
HAA,,  m
 c p T

  2600  410  402.9 

 18.5  10 33 Btu hr
300°C
300°C

250°C
250°C
Minimum Energy Network Design
mcp A B C D E F
(x 10 Btu/hr°F)
-3
2.6 10 3.0 4.2 8.55 3.3
400°C
400°C
365.6°F
18.5
402.9°F

350°C
350°C HFF,,  m
 c ppT

18.5  10 3   3300  T  360 

 365.6F
300°C
300°C

250°C
250°C
Minimum Energy Network Design
mcp A B C D E F
(x 10 Btu/hr°F)
-3
2.6 10 3.0 4.2 8.55 3.3
400°C
400°C
366.6°F
QH = 80.5
402.9°F

350°C
HF,,  m
 c ppT
350°C
  3300  390  365.6 
 80.5  10 33 Btu hr
300°C
300°C

250°C
250°C
Minimum Energy Network Design
mcp A B C D E F
(x 10 Btu/hr°F)
-3
2.6 10 3.0 4.2 8.55 3.3
400°C
400°C
366.6°F
QH = 80.5
402.9°F

350°C
350°C
52.0 If we do this, stream B will no longer 66.0
have heat available at a sufficiently 14.0
high temperature to supply stream E
427.5
300°C
300°C

800.0

168
250°C
250°C
50.0
Minimum Energy Network Design
mcp A B C D E F
(x 10 Btu/hr°F)
-3
2.6 10 3.0 4.2 8.55 3.3
400°C
400°C
366.6°F
QH = 80.5
402.9°F

350°C
350°C
52.0 If we do this, stream B will no longer 66.0
have heat available at a sufficiently 14.0
high temperature to supply stream F
427.5
300°C
300°C

800.0

168
250°C
250°C
50.0
Minimum Energy Network Design
mcp A B C D E F
(x 10 Btu/hr°F)
-3
2.6 10 3.0 4.2 8.55 3.3
400°C
400°C
366.6°F
QH = 80.5
402.9°F

350°C
350°C
360.3°F
52.0 66.0
344.4°F 14.0

427.5
300°C
300°C

800.0
Split streams B and F into
168 two streams to prevent
violation of the second law 250°C
250°C
50.0
Minimum Energy Network Design
mcp A B C D E F
(x 10 Btu/hr°F)
-3
2.6 10 3.0 4.2 8.55 3.3
400°C
400°C
366.6°F
QH = 80.5
402.9°F

350°C
350°C
360.3°F
52.0 66.0
344.4°F 14.0

427.5
300°C
300°C 320.0°F
QC = 190.5
116 684

QC = 50.0 168 QCtotal = 240.5 250°C

250°C
50.0
Minimum Energy Network Design
A B C D E F
400°C
400°C
366.6°F
402.9°F

350°C
350°C
360.3°F

344.4°F

A – F, E, F 300°C
300°C 320.0°F B1 – F, U
B2 – E, D, U
C–U
D – B2
E – B2, A
F – B1/A, A, U 250°C
250°C
Minimum Energy Network Design

402.9
410

370

350
A

370
18.5 85.5 52.0

340
360
365

390

290
360
14

370
B

310 320
250
270

C
360
427.5

A – F, E, F E
B1 – F, U

260 300
B2 – E, D, U
C–U

300
D – B2 168
E – B2, A
D
F – B1/A, A, U