Thermal analysis and new insights to support decision making in retrofit and relaxation of heat exchanger networks

Applied Thermal Engineering, Volume 31, Issue 16, November 2011, Pages 3479-3499

Thermal analysis and new insights to support decision making in retrofit and relaxation of heat exchanger networks

Antonio Piacentino

piacentino@dream.unipa.it

Department of Energy, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy

Abstract

Pinch analysis offers a rational framework for identifying energy saving targets and designing efficient heat recovery networks, especially in the process industry. In recent years, a number of contributions have been made to improve and automate the original pinch method.

A procedure for retrofit of existing networks is proposed, based on an integrated use of several techniques. Diagnosis of the existing network and of a “Minimum Energy Requirement” configuration emerges as a useful preliminary instrument for the retrofit study.

An innovative spider-type diagram is presented to identify a hierarchic order among a set of retrofit topologies and the most promising relaxation paths for each network topology. The procedure attempts to offer a conceptual-interpretative approach to energy analysts, to identify preferential routes in networks’ retrofit.  It may be conceived as an alternative to algorithms for automatic optimization of heat exchanger networks. The main focus is on the energetic performance of the different schemes

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... Another interesting approach, based on the network pinch concept, was presented by Asante and Zhu [3]; these authors preserved the valuable role of the analyst's expertise, through a highly interactive procedure oriented to gradually debottleneck the network, removing ...

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