Heat exchangers design methodology

FIGURE 17.53 Heat exchanger overall design methodology. 

The long way from an idea to a real process can be managed nowadays by means of a systemic approach. This involves systematic methodologies for designing the whole process and its sub-systems, as reaction, separations, heat exchangers network and utilities. 

Hierarchical Approach is a simple but powerful methodology for the synthesis of process flowsheets. It consists of a top-down analysis organised as a clearly defined sequence of tasks grouped in levels. Each level solves a fundamental problem as, number of plants, input/output structure, reactor design and recycle structure, separation system, energy integration, environmental analysis, safety and hazard analysis, and plantwide control. At each level, systematic methods can be applied for the synthesis of subsystems, as chemical reaction, separations, or heat exchangers network. 

The systematic procedure for designing the Heat Exchanger Network based on Pinch principle is designated as the Pinch Design method (Linnhoff et al., 1978, 1983). The methodology consists of the following steps ... 

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