HEAT INTEGRATION USING ASPEN

Most important part of chemical processes is heat transfer units to and from the process
fluids. A heat exchanger is unit that transfers heat between two process streams. Heat
exchangers are referred to as heaters and coolers when process streams and plant operating
streams are heated or cooled. It is referred to as an evaporator when the process stream is
vaporized, when it is attached to the distillation column's reboiler and when it is utilized to
concentrate the solution. Heat exchangers that are heated by combustion gases are utilized
with direct-fired heaters (Towler, 2009).

The heat integration method helps minimize energy losses due to heat exchange network
modifications and has proven successful in many applications in predicting more efficient
heat exchange networks. Aspen energy analyser was used to determine energy network
saving to achieve maximum energy recovery at minimum capital costs. Analyses are done at
the lowest temperature approach difference of 10℃ .

Fig 7 above shows that the hot and cold pinch temperatures found are 180 degrees Celsius
and 17 degrees Celsius respectively. Hot utility that can be used to achieve the required
energy is furnace heater (1000), with the highest inlet temperature to achieve the heating
requirement for the system. Heating energy was found to be 6.04 × 107and cooling energy
obtained using pinch analysis is 4.308 × 107. Fig 8 above shows the possible streams
connections for each heat exchanger. It is discovered that the minimum number of units
targets for this process is 5 (see figure 7). Overall heat evaluation helps to know how much of
heat is required for heating and cooling to the plant production.