PART 1

PINCH AND MINIMUM UTILITY USAGE

TEMPERATURE-ENTHALPY (T-H) DIAGRAMS

Assume one heat exchanger. These are alternative representations T
H,in

TC,in
Q

TC,out

TH,in TC,out

TH, out TH,in TH, out TH, out

Slopes are the inverse of F*Cp.
(Recall that Q=F Cp T)

TC,in

TC,out Q

TC,in

H Q

T-H DIAGRAMS
Assume one heat exchanger and a heater
TH,in TH,in TC,out

TC,in
Q QH

TC,out

TH, out TH,in TH, out

TH, out

TC,in
H Q QH

TC,out
H
QH

TC,in Q

T-H DIAGRAMS
Assume one heat exchanger and a cooler
TH,in

TC,in
Q

TC,out T TH,in TC,out

QC TH, out TH,in C

QC

TH, out TH, out

TC,in
H QC Q

TC,out Q

TC,in

T-H DIAGRAMS
Two hot-one cold stream
TH1,in TH2,in TC,out T TH1,in TC,out TH2,out TH1,out TH2,out TH2,in

TC,in
Q1 TH2,out TH1,in TH2,in TH1,out TH2, out Q2

TC,in
H Q1 Q2
Notice the vertical arrangement of heat transfer

TC,out
Q2 Q1

TC,in

Streams under phase change

Phase change

T
Slope change

Liquid

We say this stream has variable Cp

Single component

Multicomponent

Piece-wise linear representation

Composite Curves (T-H DIAGRAMS)

Obtained by lumping all the heat from different streams that are at the same interval of temperature.
T T

Remark: By constructing the composite curve we loose information on the vertical arrangement of heat transfer between streams

Composite Curves (T-H DIAGRAMS)

Moving composite curves horizontally
T T

Cooling

Heating
Smallest T
H Smallest T H

TH1,in TC,in
Q1

TH2,in
Q2

TH1,in
Q1
QC

TH2,in
Q2
QH

TC,in

TC,out

TC,out

TH1,out TH2,out

TH2,out
TH1,out

Composite Curves (T-H DIAGRAMS)

T

Moving the cold composite stream to the right

Cooling Heating Increases heating and cooling BY EXACTLY THE SAME AMOUNT Increases the smallest T Decreases the area needed A=Q/(U* T ) Notice that for this simple example the smallest T takes place in the end of the cold stream

Smallest T TC,in

TH1,in
Q1
QC

TH2,in
Q2
QH

TC,out

TH2,out TH1,out

Composite Curves (T-H DIAGRAMS)

T

Cooling Heating

In general, the smallest T can take place anywhere. We call the temperature at which this takes place THE PINCH.
H

Composite Curves (T-H DIAGRAMS)

T

Cooling

Heating
H

From the energy point of view it is then convenient to move the cold stream to the left. However, the area may become too large. To limit the area, we introduce a minimum approach Tmin

Tmin is also known as HRAT (Heat Recovery Approximation Temperature)

GRAPHICAL PROCEDURE
Fix Tmin (HRAT) Draw the hot composite curve and leave it fixed Draw the cold composite curve in such a way that the smallest temperature difference is equal to Tmin The temperature at which T=Tmin is the PINCH The non-overlap on the right is the Minimum Heating Utility and the non-overlap on the left is the Minimum Cooling Utility

EXAMPLE
H=27 MW T=140 0C T=230 0C REACTOR 2 T=200 0C H=-30 MW T=80 0C

H=32 MW REACTOR 1 T=180 0C

H=-31.5 MW T=40 0C

T=20 0C

T=250 0C

Stream
Reactor 1 feed Reactor 1 product Reactor 2 feed Reactor 2 product Tmin=10 oC

Type
Cold Hot Cold Hot

Supply T
(oC) 20 250 140 200

Target T
(oC) 180 40 230 80

H
(MW) 32.0 -31.5 27.0 -30.0

F*Cp
(MW oC-1) 0.2 0.15 0.3 0.25

Hot Composite Curve

250 200 250 200

FCp=0.15

80 40 31.5 30
H

80 40 FCp=0.15 6 48 7.5 H

Cold Composite Curve

230 180 140 230 180 140

20
H

20 32 27
H

24

20

15

Pinch Diagram
250 230 200 180 Pinch 140
The pinch is defined either as - The cold temperature (140 o) - The corresponding hot temp (140 o+Tmin=150 o) - The average (145 o)

T= Tmin

80 40 20
H

10

51.5

7.5

Observation: The pinch is at the beginning of a cold stream or at the beginning of a hot stream

UTILITY COST vs. Tmin

T

COST
H

Utility
T

TOTAL OVERLAP

Tmin
PARTIAL OVERLAP

Note: There is a particular overlap that requires only cooling utility

Special Overlap Cases

Overlap leads only to cooling utility
T

Different instances where the cold stream overlaps totally the hot stream. Case where only heating utility
T T T

TOTAL OVERLAP

We prefer this arrangement even if T>Tmin

PARTIAL OVERLAP

SUMMARY
The pinch point is a temperature. Typically, it divides the temperature range into two regions. Heating utility can be used only above the pinch and cooling utility only below it.

PROBLEM TABLE
Composite curves are inconvenient. Thus a method based on tables was developed. STEPS:
1. 2. 3. 4. Divide the temperature range into intervals and shift the cold temperature scale Make a heat balance in each interval Cascade the heat surplus/deficit through the intervals. Add heat so that no deficit is cascaded

PROBLEM TABLE
We now explain each step in detail using our example
Type
Cold Hot Cold Hot

Stream
Reactor 1 feed Reactor 1 product Reactor 2 feed Reactor 2 product Tmin=10 oC

Supply T
(oC)

Target T
(oC)

H
(MW)

F*Cp
(MW oC-1)

20 250 140 200

180 40 230 80

32.0 -31.5 27.0 -30.0

0.2 0.15 0.3 0.25

PROBLEM TABLE
1.
250 230 200 180 140 200 190 150

Divide the temperature range into intervals and shift the cold temperature scale
250 240

80 40 20

80 40 30

Hot streams

Cold streams

Hot streams

Cold streams

Now one can make heat balances in each interval. Heat transfer within each interval is feasible.

PROBLEM TABLE
2. Make a heat balance in each interval.
Tinterval
10
F Cp=0.25 200 190 150 F Cp=0.3 F Cp=0.15 250 240

Hinterval
1.5 - 6.0 1.0 -4.0 14.0

Surplus/Deficit
Surplus Deficit Surplus Deficit Surplus

40 10 40 70

80 F Cp=0.2 40 30

40
10 Hot streams Cold streams

-2.0
- 2.0

Deficit
Deficit

PROBLEM TABLE
3.
250

Cascade the heat surplus through the intervals. That is, we transfer to the intervals below every surplus/deficit.
1.5

1.5
240

- 6.0
200

This interval has a surplus. It should transfer 1.5 to interval 2. This interval has a deficit. After using the 1.5 cascaded it transfers 4.5 to interval 3.

1.5 - 6.0 -4.5 1.0 -3.5 -4.0 -7.5 14.0 6.5

The largest deficit transferred is -7.5. Thus, 7.5 MW of heat need to be added on top to prevent any deficit to be transferred to lower intervals

1.0
190

-4.0
150

14.0
80

- 2.0
40

-2.0 4.5

-2.0
30

- 2.0 2.5

PROBLEM TABLE
4. Add heat so that no deficit is cascaded.
7.5
250 250

1.5
240

1.5 1.5
240

9.0 - 6.0

- 6.0
200

This is the minimum heating utility This is the position of the pinch

-4.5 1.0

200

3.0 1.0

190

-3.5 -4.0

190

4.0 -4.0

150

-7.5 14.0
80

150

0.0 14.0

80

6.5 -2.0
40 40

14.0 -2.0

This is the minimum cooling utility

4.5 -2.0
30 30

12.0 -2.0

2.5

10.0

PROBLEM TABLE
If the heating utility is increased beyond 7.5 MW the cooling utility will increase by the same amount
7.5
250

7.5 + 1.5

1.5
240

9.0 - 6.0 - 6.0 3.0 1.0 1.0 4.0 -4.0 -4.0 0.0 14.0 14.0 14.0 -2.0 -2.0 12.0 -2.0 -2.0 10.0

9.0 +

Heating utility is larger than the minimum

200

3. 0 +

190

4. 0 +

Heat is transferred across the pinch

150

0. 0 +

80

14. 0 +

Cooling utility is larger by the same amount

40

12. 0 +

30

10. 0 +

IMPORTANT CONCLUSION
7.5 +

DO NOT TRANSFER HEAT ACROSS THE PINCH

THIS IS A GOLDEN RULE OF PINCH TECHNOLOGY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IN BADLY INTEGRATED PLANTS THERE ARE HEAT EXCHANGERS WHERE SUCH TRANSFER ACROSS THE PINCH TAKES PLACE

1.5 9.0 + - 6.0 3. 0 + 1.0 4. 0 + -4.0 0. 0 + 14.0 14. 0 + -2.0 12. 0 + -2.0 10. 0 +

Heating utility is larger than the minimum

Heat is transferred across the pinch

Cooling utility is larger by the same amount

Multiple Utilities
7.5 1.5 9.0 - 6.0 3.0 1.0 4.0 -4.0 0.0 14.0 14.0 -2.0 12.0 -2.0 10.0 -2.0 10.0 -2.0 12.0 14.0 14.0 -4.0 0.0 1.0 1.0 + 3.0 - 6.0 0.0 1.5 1.5 + 4.5 0.0

Heating utility at the largest temperature is now zero.

These are the minimum values of heating utility needed at each temperature level.