CHAPTER 5

PROCESS INTEGRATION

5.1

ABSTRACT

This plant is designed to produce product of 45,000 metric tonne per year of
polytetrafluoroethylene. The production rate of the product was determined by break even
analysis. Generally, PTFE has many unique properties that made their chemical is in highest
ranking of applications. It involves in material coating, use in laboratory equipment that can
resist corrosive and can be an insulator. PTFE also can used to insulate much data
communication cable, and also can act in manufacture of semi-conductors, as their properties
that low electrical conductivity. In this plant, there are two processes in which preparing the
monomer which is tetrafluoroethylene and the polymerisation process. For, monomer
preparation, pyrolysis reaction took place while suspension polymerisation type was chosen. As
for the market demand and supply, polytetrafluoroethylene is monopoly by Asian Countries. By
comparing the demand in Asia, Japan has largest demand of PTFE compared to other Asian
Country. However, the main producer and manufacturer of PTFE is comes from China. Although
the demand for PTFE is high at Japan, the new plant is decided to build in China because the
availability of raw material supply. Therefore, the plant is to be built in Suzhou National New &
Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone because the area provide low land cost and many
facilities. In process flow diagram, there are seven major equipments which have been detailed
design to ensure it suitable for the process. Besides, the process control systems have been
designed in all equipments in PTFE plant to make sure that the flow in each process runs in
desired condition. In economic analysis, all costs involved in the plant had been calculated and
profitability analysis had been done. The payback period for this PTFE plant is about 5 years
which is in the range of industrial payback period. In environmental aspect, waste water
treatment and waste gas treatment involved in the process. For gas treatment, incineration is
used. Last but not least, some hazards analysis had been done and plant layout had been
sketched to ensure the safety of the process condition, people, and environment.

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5.2 INTRODUCTION OF HEAT EXCHANGER NETWORKS

Energy conservation is very important in process design. Energy can be conserved by using
process integration method. In recent years, much work has been done in developing a perfect
method for energy integration and the efficient design of heat exchanger networks (Gundersen
and Naess, 1988). However, Bodo Linnhoff had successfully developed a method that had been
usually used until now: pinch technology. The term was derived from the fact that in a plot of the
system temperature versus the heat transferred. A pinch usually occur between the hot stream
and cold stream curve. It has been shown that the pinch represent a distinct thermodynamic
break in the system and that, for minimum energy requirements, heat should not be transfer
across the pinch. (Linnhoff and Townsend,1982)

Figure 5.2 Hot and cold stream composite curve

5.3 PINCH TECHNOLOGY

Pinch Technology provides a systematic methodology for energy saving in processes and total
sites. The methodology is based on first and second law thermodynamic principles. Pinch
Technology gives three rules that form the basis for practical process design:
a) No external (utility) cooling above the Pinch Temperature.
b) No external (utility) heating below the Pinch Temperature.
c) No heat transfer between process streams across the Pinch Temperature.
By using Pinch Technology, appropriate changes in the core process conditions that can have
an impact on energy savings can be identified. After the heat and material balance is
established, targets for energy saving can be set prior to the design of the heat exchanger
network. The Pinch Design Method ensures that these targets are achieved during the network
design.
In PTFE production plant, there are nine streams with five hot streams and 4 cold streams that
need to be considered for the problem of integrating the utilization of energy. The heat capacity
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flow rate of each stream is shown as C P. For streams where the specific heat capacity can be
taken as constant, and there is no phase change, CP will be given by:

C p =mC p
Where
m = mass flow rate, kg/s
Cp = average specific heat capacity between

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Properties

Stream 1

Stream 2

Stream 3

Stream 4

Stream 5

Stream 6

Stream 7

Stream 8

Stream 9

Temperature, T
(oC)
Temperature
difference, T
( oC )

25

77

102

308

850

-35

75

29

350

13

13

12

214.5

890

162

675

301

330

Mass flow, m
(kg/h)
Mole Heat
capacity, Cp
(J/kg oC)
Heat capacity,
mCP (kW/oC)

1.45x104

8.66x104

8.66x104

2.58x104

3.52x104

2.58x104

9.41x103

8.71x104

6.39x105

2.87x103

78

6.49x102

8.47x102

2.49x103

8.74x102

3.29x103

1.89x102

3.41x102

11.6

1.88

15.6

5.82

11.9

6.26

8.59

4.57

60.3

Table 5.3.1 Aspen Data Properties

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5.3.1 ENERGY TARGETING PROCEDURE

Pinch Analysis provides a target for the minimum energy consumption. There are two
procedures to achieve the energy targets for the process, which are:
a) Problem Table Algorithm
Calculates the process heat surpluses and deficits within some specified temperature
intervals.
b) Composite Curves
The cumulative process heat availability (surplus) and heat requirement (deficit)

5.3.2 PROBLEM TABLE METHOD

Problem table method (PTA) was developed by Linnhoff & Flower (1978) as a mean of
determining the utility needs of a process and the location of the process pinch. The procedure
for PTA is as follows:
1. Convert the actual stream temperatures, Tact, into interval temperatures, Tint. The use of
the interval temperature rather than the actual temperatures allows the minimum
temperatures difference to be taken into account (Tmin = 10 K).
2. Note that any duplicated interval temperatures.
3. Rank the interval temperatures in order of magnitude, showing the duplicated
temperatures only once in the order.
4. Carry out a heat balance for the streams falling within each temperature interval.
For mixture:

( C p mix ( T )= y i C pi ( T )

Where
(Cp) mix = heat capacity mixture
yi
= mass/mole fraction of i-component
Cpi
= heat capacity of i-component
For the nth interval:

C pc C ph
Tn

H n=

Where
Hn
CPc
CPh
Tn

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= net heat required in the nth interval

= sum of the heat capacities of all the cold streams in the interval
= sum of the heat capacities of all the hot streams in the interval
= interval temperature difference = (Tn-1 Tn)

5. Cascade the heat surplus from one interval to the next down the column of interval
temperatures.
6. Introduce just enough heat to the top of the cascade to eliminate all the negative values.
Construct table by calculate:

T min
2

Since,

T interval =T act

T min
2

T interval =T act

Tmin = 10 oC

Therefore:
Hot streams,

Cold streams,
Stream no.
1-2
5-6
7-8
13-14
16-17
19-23
20-21
27-28
25-29

T interval =T act +

Stream
type
Hot
Cold
Hot
Cold
Hot
Cold
Cold
Cold
Hot

T min
2

Tactual ( oC )
Tinitial
Tfinal
25
12
77
90
102
90
35
522.5
850
-40
-35
127
75
750
29
330
350
20

Tinterval( oC )
30-17
72-85
107-95
30-745
905- -35
-40-122
70-745
24-325
355-25

Tinterval( oC
)
13
13
12
715
940
162
675
301
330

mCP (kW/
o
C)
11.6
1.88
15.6
5.82
11.9
6.26
8.59
4.57
60.3

Table 5.3.2.1 Summary Process Data for Each Stream

Then, draw temperature interval to shows the series of temperature intervals for hot and cold
stream.

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11.6

15.6

11.9

60.3

7
1.88

8
5.82

6.26

8.59

4.57
845
1.99x104

755

1.06x104

527.5
345

1.87x102

335

1.50x102

132

1.37x103

97
5.80x103

95
85
82
80
40
34
20

1.01x103

15

2.84x103

7
2.44x101

-30
-45
Hot

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Hot

Hot

Hot

Cold

Cold

Cold

Cold

Cold

Figure 5.3.2.1 Temperature Interval

Tranked (oC)
Stream
Cp

845
755
527.5
345
335
132
97
95
85
82
80
40
34
20
15
7
-30
-45

Interval T (oC)
845
755
527.5
345
335
132
97
95
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Tint (oC)
90
227.5
182.5
10
203
35
2
10
3
2
40
6
14
5
8
37
15

CP(kW/K)=CPCCPH

H(kW)=CP x Tint

11.9
1.071x103
3.31
7.53x102
-2.51
-4.581x102
57.79
5.779x102
53.22
1.08x104
46.96
1.644x103
62.56
1.251x102
60.68
6.068x102
45.08
1.352x102
46.96
93.9
55.55
2.222x103
61.37
3.682x102
65.94
9.232x102
77.54
3.877x102
17.24
1.379x102
5.64
2.087x102
11.9
1.785x102
Table 5.3.2.2 Problem Table Method

Grand Composite net heat,

H (kW)
1.071x103
7.53x102
-4.581x102
5.779x102
1.08x104
1.644x103
1.251x102

Hot and Cold Cascaded

heat (kW)
0
1.071x103
1.824x103
1.366x103
1.944x103
1.275x104
1.439x104
1.452x104

Q=CpT

85
82
80
40
34
20
15
7
-30
-45

6.068x102
1.512x104
2
1.352x10
1.526x104
93.9
1.535x104
3
2.222x10
1.757x104
2
3.682x10
1.794x104
9.232x102
1.887x104
2
3.877x10
1.925x104
2
1.379x10
1.939x104
2
2.087x10
1.960x104
1.785x102
1.978x104
Table 5.3.2.3 Cascading Heat Table Analysis

Cascading the heat from one interval to the next indicates that the temperature difference is such that the heat can be transferred between the hot
and the cold streams. As the value is all positive, there is no pinch occur as it is thermodynamically feasible. From Table 5.4:
Hot and Cold Cascaded heat (kW)
1. At interval temperature, T = 750 oC

H=0(3.64 102 )
H=3.64 102 W
2. At interval temperature, T = 350 oC

H=3.64 102( 5.71 10 2)

H=2.07 10 2 W

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Cascade Diagram

Pinch
temperature

Heat Load (W)

Temp ( C)

H
O
T
U
T
I
L

1.071x1
03
1.824x1
03
1.366x1
03
1.944x1
03
1.275x1
04
1.439x1
04
1.452x1
0444
1.512x1
04
1.526x1
04

1.535x1
04

1.757x1
04

1.794x1
04
1.887x1
04
1.925x1
04
1.939x1
04
1.960x1
04

1.071x103

7.53x102

-4.581x102

5.779x102

1.08x104
1.644x103
1.251x102

6.068x102

1.352x102

9.392x101

2.222x103
3.682x102
9.232x10

3.877x102

1.379x102
2.088x102
1.785x102

QC=1.978
x104

1.978x1
04
Figure 5.3.2.2 Cascaded Diagram

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Therefore,
1. Minimum amount of heat must be Removed by Cold Utilities is 1.978x104 kW.
2. Pinch Point at interval, T = 845oC.
a) Cold Stream, T = 850 oC.
b) Hot Stream, T= 840 oC.

5.3.3 GRAND COMPOSITE GRAPH

A graph of net heat flow against shifted temperature can be plotted from the data of
the Problem Table (heat cascade). This graph is known as the Grand Composite Curve
(GCC). GCC is done to highlight the difference between heat available from the process hot
streams and the heat required by the process cold streams, relative to the pinch, at a given
shifted temperature
Temperature (oC)
Grand Composite net heat, H (kW)
845
0
755
1.071x103
527.5
1.824x103
345
1.366x103
335
1.944x103
132
1.275x104
97
1.439x104
95
1.452x104
85
1.512x104
82
1.526x104
80
1.535x104
40
1.757x104
34
1.794x104
20
1.887x104
15
1.925x104
7
1.939x104
-30
1.960x104
-45
1.978x104
Table 5.3.3.1 Data for plotting the grand composite curve

Figure 5.3.3.1 Grand Composite Curve

5.3.4 Design for Heat Exchanger Network (HEN)
5.2.4.1 Grid Representation
Grid representation is a method to present a heat exchanger as a grid. Heat
exchangers are drawn as circles connected by a vertical line. The circles connect the two
streams that are in between heat being exchanged. Thus, the streams would flow through
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the actual exchanger. Heaters or coolers will be drawn as a single circle, connected to the
appropriated utility (Sinnot et. al, 2013).
In PTFE production process, only below pinch grid diagram is needed. The network design
below the pinch is as follows:
CPHOT CPCOLD

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H1

25

H2

102

H3

850

11.6

24.

15.6

187.2

11.9

10591

60.3

19899

150.

150.8

187.

1254.9

FCP

5798.

676.1

2837.
25
19778.

120.6

H4

350

C1

90

1.88

24.44

C2

522.5

5.82

2837.25

C3

127

6.26

1014.12

C4

750

8.59

5798.25

C5

330

4.57

1375.57

Figure 5.3.4.1 Grid diagram of PTFE production process

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5.2.5 Minimum Number of Heat Exchangers

For simple networks, Holmann (1971) has shown that the minimum number of exchangers is given by;

Z min =N , 1
Where;
Zmin

NHE

= minimum number of exchangers needed, including heaters and coolers

= Ns+Nu-1

NHE

= Number of Heat Exchanger

NS

= Number of stream

NU

= Number of Utilities

= the number of streams, including the utilities

Therefore,
Above Pinch:

N HE =0+11
N HE =0

Below Pinch:

N HE =8

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N HE =8+11

Figure 5.3.4.2 Process flow diagram of PTFE production before heat integration
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Figure 5.3.4.3 Process flow diagram of PTFE production before heat integration

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5.3.6 Comparison Before and After Heat Integration

5.3.6.1 Total Energy Can Be Saved
By implementing the heat integration, the heat removal from condenser can be utilized to heat
up the reactant mixture.
Utility
Hot (kW)
Cold (kW)
Total (kW)

Before integration

After integration

3.142x104
0
1.237x104
1.978x104
4.379x104
1.978x104
Table 5.3.6.1 Comparison Before and After Integration

Therefore, percentage (%) total energy can be saved:

4.379 104 1.978 104

100
4.379 10 4
54.83

5.4 Conclusion
As a conclusion, by doing heat integration, the energy requirement can greatly be reduced as
shown at the step above. By reducing the energy requirement it will help reduced the cost and
the payback period of the plant.

5.5 References
Gary Smith, Ajit Patel. (1987, November). Step by step through the pinch. Energy Integration,
pp. 26-31.
Richard Turton. (2012). Analysis, Synthesis, and Design of Chemical Processes. Pearson.

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