Energy integration

Introduction

Energy integration is technique for designing a process to

minimize energy consumption and maximize heat recovery. It is also known as
pinch analysis and pinch technology.

A key insight is the pinch temperature, which is the most constrained point in the
process. The process data is represented as a set of energy flows, or streams, as a
function of heat load (kW) against temperature (deg C). The point of closest
approach between the hot and cold composite curves is the pinch point (or
just pinch) with a hot stream pinch temperature and a cold stream pinch
temperature.

History

Energy integration , is a fairly new term that emerged in 80’s and has been
extensively used in the 90’s to describe certain systems oriented activities related
primarily to process design. . It has incorrectly been interpreted as Heat
Integration by a lot of people, probably caused by the fact that Heat Recovery
studies inspired by Pinch Concept initiated the field and is still core elements of
Process Integration. It appears to be a rather dynamic field, with new method and
application areas emerging constantly.
The techniques were first developed in late 1977 by Ph.D. student Bodo
Linnhoff under the supervision of Dr John Flower at the University of Leeds

In 1977 Linnhoff joined Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) where he led practical
applications and further method development. In 1982 he joined University of
Manchester Institute of Technology (UMIST, present day University of
Manchester) to continue the work. In 1983 he set up a consultation firm known as
Linnhoff March International Ltd (later acquired by KBC Energy Services plc).

Many refinements have been developed since and used in a wide range of
industries, including extension to heat and power systems and non-process
situations. Both detailed and simplified (spreadsheet)programs are now available
to calculate the energy targets. A commonly used, free pinch analysis program is
PinchLeni.

Software

Pinchleni - Freeware developed by Laboratoire d'Energétique Industrielle de

l'Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland Pinchleni

Online Pinch Analysis Tool - Free for personal and educational use, hosted by the
College of Chemical Engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Pinch technology

The term "Pinch Technology" was introduced by Linnhoff and Vredeveld to

represent a new set of thermodynamically based methods that guarantee
minimum energy levels in design of heat exchanger networks. Over the last two
decades it has emerged as an unconventional development in process design and
energy conservation. The term ‘Pinch Technology’ is often used to represent the
application of the tools and algorithms of Pinch Technology for studying industrial
processes

The Onion Diagram

The heat and material

1 balance is at this
2 boundary

3
4
Reactor

Separator
Heat exchange network

Utilities

Site-Wide Utilities
Onion Diagram
Pinch technology provides a systematic methodology for energy saving in

processes and total sites. Figure illustrates the role of Pinch Technology in the

overall process design. The process design hierarchy can be represented by the

“onion diagram” as shown below. The design of a process starts with the reactors

(in the “core” of the onion). Once feeds, products, recycle concentrations and

flow rates are known, the separators (the second layer of the onion) can be

designed. The network (the third layer) can be designed. The remaining heating

and cooling duties are handled by the utility system (the fourth layer). The

process utility system may be a part of a centralized site-wide utility system.

A Pinch Analysis starts with the heat and material balance for the process. Using

Pinch Technology, it is possible to identify appropriate changes in the core

process conditions that can have an impact on energy savings (onion layers one

and two). After the heat and material balance is established, targets for energy

saving can be set prior to the design of the heat exchanger network.
PINCH TECHNOLOGY – AN OVERVIEW

One of the most practical tools to emerge in the field of process integration in the

past 20 years has been pinch analysis, which may be used to improve the efficient

use of energy, hydrogen and water in industrial processes. Pinch analysis is a

recognized and well-proven method in each of the following industry sectors:

 Chemical

 Petrochemical

 Oil refinery

 Pulp and paper

 Steel and metallurgy

 Food and drink

Over the past 20 years, pinch analysis has evolved and its techniques perfected. It

provides tools that allow us to investigate the energy flows within a process, and

to identify the most economical ways of maximizing heat recovery and of

minimizing the demand for external utilities (e.g., steam and cooling water). The

approach may be used to identify energy-saving projects within a process or

utility systems.
Pinch technology analyses process utilities (particularly energy and water) to find

the optimum way to use them, resulting in financial savings. Pinch Technology

does this by making an inventory of all producers and consumers of these utilities

and then systematically designing an optimal scheme of utility exchange between

them. Energy & water re-use are at the heart of pinch technology. With the

application of pinch technology, both capital investment and operating cost can

be reduced. Emissions can be minimized and throughput maximized.

How is Pinch technology different?

Pinch technology reveals all the possible savings and their corresponding financial

benefits.

• It defines the maximum possible savings.

• It looks at the overall site.

• It does not bench-mark but takes into account all specific mill factors, age,

location, process equipment, operating preferences, product, etc.

• It reveals the maximum cogeneration potential.

Benefits of energy integration to various industries

Lakeland milks

Company background
Lakeland Dairies, with its headquarters in Killeshandra, Co Cavan,

is Ireland’s second largest dairy-processing co-operative. It processes

about 1bn litres of milk annually into a range of dairy products and

food ingredients

Use of energy integration

In late 2008, Lakeland Dairies used pinch technology and process

Integration methodology to investigate thermal energy usage in

its Killeshandra facility.

Course of action
The project started out as a process requirement for additional

Cooling capacity.

Initially, Lakeland Dairies proposed to add approximately 650kWt of

extra refrigeration cooling capacity at an order of magnitude cost of

€100,000. However, based on advice from SEI’s EED Special Working

Group, it decided to undertake a process integration study to see if the

Demand for this additional cooling could be reduced.

The Lakeland engineering and production teams, with SEI support,

carried out the investigation on all the production areas on the site and

identified significant energy-savings opportunities in the casein plant.

The detailed engineering phase of the casein energy-savings project,

identified in the pinch study, began in early February 2009 and

completion is planned by end of September 2009.

Achievements
• The requirement to invest in additional mechanical cooling plant

was eliminated – saving around €100,000.

• The process was optimized, thus reducing heating and cooling

demands and reducing annual running costs by €164,307.

• An increase in running costs (by installing additional cooling capacity)

was avoided.

• The optimisation of the process was achieved by a capital investment

of €90,000 in heat exchangers and piping, giving a simple payback

of 6.5 months.
References

 Case Study: Lakeland Dairies PUBLICATION DATE: Q1 2009

 IITM CHE pdf : http://www.che.iitm.ac.in/~naras/ch401/Pinch%20Intro.pdf
 Wikipedia : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinch_analysis