6 Pinch Analysis and Process Integration

Site heat and power systems

Heat exchanger network
Separation
Reaction

Chemical synthesis

Des

ign

pro

ces

Process development
Heat recovery
Utility heating/cooling, pumps and compressors

Figure 1.3 The onion diagram for process synthesis

In fact, experience has showed that pinch analysis can bring benefits in a huge range
of plants and processes, large and small, both within and outside the traditional process
industries. This is borne out by the applications and case studies described in Chapters 8
and 9. Improvements come not only from heat recovery projects, but also from changing
process conditions, improved operability and more effective interfacing with utility systems, all underpinned by better process understanding. Pinch analysis has broadened
a long way beyond the original studies. It is now an integral part of the overall strategy for process development and design, often known as process synthesis, and the
optimisation of existing plants.
The overall design process is effectively represented by the onion diagram,
Figure 1.3. Process synthesis is hierarchical in nature (Douglas 1988). The core of the
process is the chemical reaction step, and the reactor product composition and feed
requirements dictate the separation tasks (including recycles). Then, and only then,
can the designer determine the various heating and cooling duties for the streams,
the heat exchanger network and the requirements for heating and cooling. The
design basically proceeds from the inside to the outside of the onion.
Figure 1.4 shows a more detailed flowsheet for the front end of the specialty chemicals process which was shown in Figure 1.1. The four tasks in the layers of the onion
are all being performed, namely reaction, separation, heat exchange and external
heating/cooling.
The design of the reactor is dictated by yield and conversion considerations, and
that of the separator by the need to flash off as much unreacted feed as possible. If
the operating conditions of these units are accepted, then the design problem that
remains is to get the optimum economic performance out of the system of heat
exchangers, heaters and coolers. The design of the heat exchange system or network as it stands in Figure 1.4 may not be the best and so it is necessary to go back
to the underlying data that define the problem.
The basic elements of the heat recovery problem are shown in Figure 1.5. All the
exchangers, heaters and coolers have been stripped out of the flowsheet and what
remains therefore is the definition of the various heating and cooling tasks. Thus