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  • Essay / A Brief Introduction to Pinch Analysis - 938

    The economics of industrial production, the limitation of global energy supplies, and the realities of environmental conservation are of constant concern to all industries. Wherever you turn, there is another demand to save energy, reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment for posterity. Pinch analysis is a tool used to design heat exchanger networks (HEN) that reduce energy consumption. This article will cover a brief introduction to pinch analysis, the application of the second law of thermodynamics in the design of a heat exchanger network. Pinch Analysis: Pinch technology is the technology that provides a systematic methodology for energy savings in processes and across sites. The methodology is based on the first and second minimum of thermodynamics. Application of Pinch technology to the HEN synthesis of the heat exchanger network. Pinch analysis uses the Temperature-Enthalpy (TH) diagram, composite curves. the temperature axis represents the driving forces available for heat transfer, while the enthalpy axis shows the supply and demand of heat. For processes with multiple cold streams, the individual thermal functions of the process can be combined into a single "cold composite curve" plotted on a TH temperature-enthalpy diagram, which represents the enthalpy demand profile of the process. Likewise, all thermal functions of the hot streams can be combined into a single “hot composite curve”, which represents the enthalpy availability profile of the process. The next step consists of recovering part of the heat from the hot flows to the cold flows. The optimal value of the minimum approach temperature (∆Tmin) is first determined based on the economic trade-off between the savings achieved through heat recovery and the investment cost of the heat exchangers. The TH curves are then ...... middle of paper ...... following: Flux Hos Flux Cols Flux Tin(K) All (K) Cp (MW/KG) Flux Tin(K) All (K) Cp (MW/KG)H1 204.4 65.6 1.3 C1 65.6 182 1.29H2 248.9 158.6 1.66 C2 37.8 204 1.1H3 158.6 121.1 1.66 C3 93.3 204 1.3Result: Utility used Total entropy (MW/K) Aream2HP average steam 0.846 3.36E+05MP steam 1.049 1.92E+05LP steam 1.201 1.63E+05The result shows that the maximum total entropy is for HP steam used networks with less area needed and minimum total entropy is for LP steam useConclusion: The second bottom of thermodynamics can be used as a tool to minimize the cost of utilities in case of network problem heat exchangers. The low total entropy productions show a better use of energy quality but with a high areal cost. This can help the mathematical programming mode to control the system entropy rather than the utility cost..