Pinch analysis, technology

Baetens, D., Water pinch analysis minimisation of water and wastewater in the process industry, Chapter 11 in Water recycling and resource recovery in industry Analysis, technologies and implementation, Edited by P.Lens et al., IWA publishing, 2002, ISBN 1 84339 005 1. 

Most pinch analysis in industry is carried out using commercial pinch analysis software. Programs such as Aspen HX-Net (Aspen Technology Inc.), SUPERTARGET ... 

The pinch analysis or pinch technology method introduced by Linnhoff and co-workers ... 

Another approach, combining the best features of both, has been termed Hybrid Autothermal Technology , and is discussed in Ref. [60]. Its optimized heat integration was derived through systematic pinch analysis it can be imderstood as follows. 

The results of thermodynamic analysis may be in line with those of economic analysis when the thermodynamic cost optimum, not the maximum thermodynamic efficiency, is considered with process specifications. Figure 5.3 shows pinch technology in terms of optimum hot and cold utilities by accounting for the investment costs and exergy cost. With an optimum approach temperature ATmin, the total cost may be optimized. 

Recent improvements of process controls have resulted in improved operations and higher profits. Real-time optimization of thermal cracking furnaces based on the feedstock and product flow rates, pricing, and fuel cost has become a reality. Implementation of pinch technology, process separation network analysis, and optimization has made significant reductions in energy demands. 

A suitable aid for systematizing such considerations is Linnhoff analysis (pinch technology) [1981, Linnhoff 1983, Ullmann]. The Linnhoff analysis determines the process configuration for which the energy supplied from or lost to the surroundings is a minimum. The problem which must be solved is how to couple the heat sinks and heat sources within the plant such that minimum energy consumption is achieved. The initial step in the calculation is to determine the so-called composite curves ]i7(hot streams) = hot composite curve, 27(cold streams) = cold composite curve) and pinch temperature, which is the temperature above which heat can be lost and below which heat can be absorbed (Figure 6.1-5). 

Gallon, M. (1987) Society in the Making The Study of Technology as a Tool for Sociological Analysis , in WE. Bijker, TP. Hughes and T.J Pinch (eds) The Social Construction of Technology, Cambridge, MA MIT Press. 

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