Activated Energy Analysis in Aspen HYSYS – Crude Preheat Train

Introduction
Using the demo file and this walkthrough, the user will learn how to properly use Activated Energy
Analysis in Aspen HYSYS to revamp the existing heat exchanger network in order to reduce energy
consumption in the developed process model. In order to access the Activated Energy Analysis features,
Aspen HYSYS V8.8 and Aspen Energy Analyzer V8.8 or later versions must be installed.

Process Description
The demo file is based on a simplified crude distillation column with a crude preheat train, modeled in
Aspen HYSYS. Cold crude is heated to 232°C in the first section of the crude preheat train and then sent
to the pre-flash drum to separate the light naphtha and gases from the heavy components. The bottom
of the pre-flash drum is then heated to 260°C in the second section of the preheat train before being
sent to the crude furnace. The hot crude from the furnace is pumped to the crude atmospheric column
at 343°C and separated into several straight-run fractions, including naphtha, kerosene, diesel, and gas
oil. The reduced crude would then be sent to the vacuum tower (not included in the demo) for the
further separation.

The entire crude preheat train is modeled in a subflowsheet named ‘Preheat Train’. Because of tight
thermal coupling between the crude column and the crude preheat train model, two dummy heaters
named ‘HEN-1’ and ‘HEN-2’ are used in the simulation to represent the first and section sections of the
preheat train, respectively, so the crude distillation column and crude preheat train can be more easily
converged by Activated Energy Analysis.

Activated Energy Analysis Procedure

To begin, load case ‘Crude Preheat Train Demo.HSC’ from HYSYS example folder. Once Aspen HYSYS
case has loaded, Click on the empty space on Energy panel to bring up Configuration form, as shown
below in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Configuration form for energy analysis in Aspen HYSYS v8.8

For the purposes of the ‘Crude Preheat Train’ demo file, specify the process type as ‘Crude Unit’, and
select Preheat Train (TPL1) subflowsheet as displayed in Figure 2. All process heat exchanger units are
located in this subflowsheet, and including the other flowsheet sections could lead to double counting
on the utilities usage in the energy analysis.
Figure 2. Change the energy analysis parameters in Aspen HYSYS prior activating energy analysis

The table located at the bottom of the window is a convenient tool to allow the utility types for the
energy streams to be defined in the flowsheet. If no utilities are selected, Activated Energy Analysis will
automatically choose the appropriate utilities based on temperature and utilities cost information; If an
incorrect utility selection is made, a warning icon will appear in the table.

After updating parameters in the ‘Energy Analysis Options’ window, click the Analyze Energy Saving
button in Configuration form to activate energy analysis.

The updated Activated Energy Analysis panel is shown in Figure 3 below. Displayed is the energy and
greenhouse gas cost view.

Figure 3. Activated Energy panel and Summary tab in energy analysis form in HYSYS

The absolute (55.93 MW) and relative (65.21%) utilities saving potentials are displayed on the panel in
the unit of measurements user specified in HYSYS. Note these values are the maximum utilities saving
opportunities calculated by the difference between current utilities consumption on the flowsheet and
the utilities target calculated by pinch technology in Aspen Energy Analyzer.

Summary form lists high level utilities saving opportunities in both bar chart and tabular form in term of
the heat flow and cost. User could also export this form into Excel by clicking on See Report button.

User clicks on the Utilities tab to see the detail breakdown of current utilities consumption vs. the target
for each utility, as shown in Figure 4. The form is organized in such a way that hot utilities are listed on
the top of the grid and cold utilities are listed at the bottom of the grid. The current consumption is
listed side-by-side against target so the saving potential is obvious for each utility. It is worthwhile
mentioning that the status for each utility is shown in HYSYS V8.8 as a new feature. This column will
indicate an error if the utilities definition cannot satisfy the process demand. To overcome the problem
caused by insufficient utilities, it would be helpful to either adjust utilities inlet/outlet temperatures in
simulation, or decrease the approach temperature in Configuration form to make them sufficient.

Figure 4. Navigating to the utilities tab on energy analysis form in Aspen HYSYS

Similarly Carbon Emissions tab lists the detail breakdown of carbon emission and target as well as the
potential emission cost savings for each utility (Figure 5). Note user need to enter carbon cost in
Configuration form in Aspen HYSYS, or the carbon cost would be zero.

Figure 5. Navigating to the Carbon Emission tab on energy analysis form in Aspen HYSYS
Navigating to Exchangers tab on Activated Energy Analysis form, user is able to see all the heat
exchangers including heaters, cooler, and process-process heat exchangers.

Figure 6. Heat exchanger details grid on energy analysis form

This form displays the key information of exchanger s on the flowsheet. User hoovers the mouse over
Hot Side Fluid and Cold Side Fluid to display the hot side process pinch and cold side process pinch
temperatures. In addition, the energy inefficiency in the current flowsheet is displayed in term of the
recoverable duty for each exchanger. This information is valuable to help user to understand the design
change solutions later on.

Note if a yellow triangle warning sign shows up on the energy panel after activation (Figure 7), it
indicates error occurs during the process of analysis. User should click the warning icon and it will take
user to the problematic area to either Utilities tab or Exchangers tab.

Figure 7. Warnings shown on energy panel (with a different example).

Switching to Design changes tab, user is able to quickly generate up to 11 possible design changes to the
existing flowsheet to achieve the energy saving opportunities. Three types of retrofit options are
explored. These include:
 • Modify Exchanger – Add additional surface areas to the existing heat exchangers to save
energy. This optimization option generates one solution.
• Add Exchanger – Add one new heat exchanger to the existing heat exchanger network at a
time. This optimization option will provide up to 5 solutions by default but can be altered by
the user
• Relocate Exchanger – Relocate one existing heat exchanger to a different location within the
process. This optimization option will provide up to 5 solutions by default but can be
altered by the user.

Figure 8. Generate potential design changes to save energy in Aspen HYSYS

Once retrofit analysis is completed, the table in the optimization generation form is populated with the
retrofit solutions, as shown in Figure 8. The top grid shows the solution summary for modifying
exchangers. In this ‘Crude Preheat Train’ file, 3418 m2 of new area was added to the network to reduce
energy by 17.3%, with a payback period of 0.944 years for this upgrade.
The second grid highlights the improvements found for adding a new exchanger to the process. Each
row represents a possible location for the new heat exchanger. In this case, the options are listed in the
ascending order of payback period. The least payback period indicates that the heat exchanger addition
solution will reduce energy by 31.43% with a payback period of 0.568 years, resulting from 3637 m2 of
new surface areas additions to the heat exchangers.

The third grid highlights all improvement opportunities for relocating existing E-105 exchanger in the
process. In this case, the relocation of heat exchanger E-105 reduces energy by 30% with a payback
period of 0.554 years, resulting from 3500 m2 of new area additions to the heat exchangers.

It is worthwhile mentioning that user is able to arrange the layout of the windows in simulation so that
the energy analysis form can be displayed side-by-side with the flowsheet (Figure 9). By this way user is
able to visualize the changes on the flowsheet easily.

Figure 9. Visualize energy analysis results on the flowsheet in Aspen HYSYS

For the users who understand pinch technology concepts, it is easy to understand the automatic
solutions by checking recoverable duty (cross pinch duty) tables of heat exchangers listed in Figure 8.
The solution should also try to eliminate the cross pinch heat transfer in the flowsheet. However the
automatic solution process is much faster compared to manually coming up with an idea on how to get
rid of cross pinch heat transfer in the flowsheet.

Clicking the hyperlink on each grid in the form will take user to the details in Energy Analysis
environment. For example, shown in Figure 10, clicking on Add E-100 hyperlink will take user to node
Scenario 2 in Energy Analysis environment.
Figure 10. Solution Details for Adding a Heat Exchanger Retrofit Option for Crude Preheat Train File

In the second table in the solution details window, the specific heat exchanger addition solution desired
by the user can be selected using the corresponding radio button, as shown in Figure 11. Note that the
areas (e.g. 3637 m2) listed on the first column in this table are the total areas added to the entire heat
exchanger network, and not the area added to the new heat exchanger.

Figure 11. Add Heat Exchangers Solutions Generated by Activated Energy Analysis

The solutions are calculated without actual constraints. For that reason, the new total areas are large in
the initial solutions. The minimum temperature approach is set as 10°C, which is the minimum
approach temperature in the current flowsheet, and the maximum new area allowed for each heat
exchanger is set to be 10,000 m2. To refine the optimization solution, tighter constrains can be imposed
on each heat exchanger by manually updating the maximum areas and minimum approach
temperatures, as listed in blue font.
To illustrate this, in the Crude Preheat Train Aspen HYSYS simulation, enter 800 m2 in ‘Maximum Extra
Area’ for E-112@TPL1 and 0 m2 for E-103, E-118, E-111, E-105, and E-110 in ‘Maximum Extra Area’. Click
‘Update’ button, as shown in Figure 12.

Figure 12. Imposing Tighter Constraints on a Heat Exchanger in the Energy Analysis Environment

Upon completing this, the new area of E-112@TPL1 is reduced to 800 m2, which becomes the upper
bound of the limits entered. Using this approach to tighten optimization constraints, the retrofit
solution can be fine-tuned and the capital cost expenditure can be reduced, keeping in mind that energy
cost saving could also be diminished through more stringent constraints. An equation oriented
nonlinear optimizer helps to achieve the optimum trade-off between capital cost expenditure and
energy cost saving.

Additional modifications to the heat exchanger network can also be made on top of previous
optimization solutions (i.e. adding a new exchanger E-101 on top of 1st new exchanger E-100).

In the Energy Analysis environment, open the Scenario 2 tree and select the ‘Add E-100’ node on the
tree view. Click the ‘Add Exchanger’ button from the Home ribbon, shown in Figure 15, to attempt to
add the 2nd new heat exchanger to the process.

The solution generated indicates that a new exchanger named E-101 could be added to possible five
locations. The cumulative energy saving with these two changes are 37.6% greater compared to the
base simulation case, as shown in the top table in Figure 15. It is worthwhile mentioning that the
previously specified constraints on the exchanger area are respected during the second new exchanger
addition.
Figure 14. Results for Instituting Multiple Optimization Solutions

The Activated Energy Analysis process described in this guide can be repeated and explored more in
depth for any Aspen HYSYS simulation.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Q: How are the targeted values calculated in Activated Energy Analysis in Aspen HYSYS?

A: The targeted values of heating and cooling consumptions are calculated using pinch analysis
through Aspen Energy Analyzer. As the user clicks to activate the energy dashboard, Aspen Energy
Analyzer is launched in the background and “reads” the flowsheet data to formulate the energy
analysis. The results are then populated back to the energy dashboard once the calculation is
completed.

2. Q: Why are the actual heating and cooling consumptions reported in the energy dashboard
sometimes doubled compared to the values reported in simulation?

A: As the data is transferred from simulation to Aspen Energy Analyzer, some heating and cooling
information might be double counted because of the way the simulation flowsheet is developed.
We strongly encourage the user to utilize subflowsheeting features in Aspen HYSYS to organize
entire heat exchanger networks into one subflowsheet. The user can then select the appropriate
hierarchies in Energy Analysis>Configuration tab (Figure 2 in this guide).
3. Q: Why are the absolute and relative energy saving potential negative for some flowsheet?

A: Energy Analysis in Aspen HYSYS utilizes pinch technology to calculate energy target based on user
specified heat recovery temperature approach (HRAT). When the HRAT is smaller than the actual
heat exchanger minimum approach temperature (EMAT) in the flowsheet, the saving potential could
be negative. It is critical to specify the “right” HRAT in order to derive the correct energy target.
Reducing HRAT closer to EMAT would help to get rid of this problem in some circumstance.

4. Q: Are there any online training materials available for the Activated Energy Analysis?

A: Yes. There is a computer based training material “Getting Started with Energy Analysis in Aspen
HYSYS”, available via the online training websites of Aspen HYSYS.

5. Q: Can I enter custom heat exchanger cost correlations in energy analysis?

A: Yes. The user can enter the cost correlations in the Energy Analysis environment under the
‘Costing’ tab in the ‘Setup’ window located in Energy Analysis environment. However, the cost
correlations need to be in the format of exponential functions of new area on the heat exchanger.

6. Q: Can I make additional modifications (e.g. adding multiple heat exchangers or relocating
multiple heat exchangers) on top of the previous modifications to the heat exchanger network?

A: Yes. Even though the retrofit engine only allows user to add or relocate one heat exchanger at a
time, the user can still add or relocate more exchangers sequentially in multiple run. Using the
scenario tree is a great way to organize the revamping options in the Energy Analysis environment.
Multiple designs can be created in one scenario. The energy savings from each design is cumulative
from the base simulation case.

7. Q: Why are the new areas required from the initial solutions so large?

A: The initial solution from automatic optimization design is calculated without any constraints, i.e.
the maximum extra area and minimum approach temperature are not constrained during the
solution generation. As a result, the approach temperature of a heat exchanger could be very small.
Generally, it is best to generate solutions first and then fine tune the solution later, due to the
complex mathematical model.

8. Q: How can I control the new area distribution within the heat exchanger network?

A: The user can impose the limits in Maximum Extra Area column, or Minimum Approach
Temperature column for each exchanger in the heat exchanger details table. Then, click the
‘Update’ button on the top left corner of the table to regenerate the solution. However, the energy
savings could be compromised as more and more constraints are imposed on the heat exchangers.

9. Why I see zero cost for GHG emission on the dashboard, even though GHG emission in utilities
specification is activated
 A: User needs to specify carbon fee/tax in Energy Analysis>Configuration form, as shown below. By
default the value is zero.

10. Where can I see the composite curves and grand composite curve?

A: User needs to see composite curves and grand composite curves inside Aspen Energy Analyzer,
which can be launched directly in Energy Analysis environment as shown below.