Applying Pinch Technology in the Heat Exchanger Network for an Existing Refinery

Abstract

This project uses pinch analysis techniques to analyze the heat transfer characteristics and efficiency of a typical heat exchanger network, used in Elobied. The heat exchanger network, consist of eight heat exchanger with four hot streams and one cold stream. The pinch temperature was determined to be 688 ºF, using the Problem Table method and construction of the composite curves and 652 ºF by using HEN software. And the minimum hot and cold utility requirements are founded to be 48.95999 Btu/hr and 497.2229Btu/hr, respectively, as determined by the HEN software and 48.96Btu/hr and 497.85Btu/hr as determined by hand calculations using problem table method and also by composite curve which constructed by pinch online tool . The optimum minimum temperature difference between the hot and cold streams was chosen to be 68 ºF. after that we compare these results with existing heat exchanger network and we find that there is as saving in hot utility by 70% and for hot utility the existing is less than we calculated and thus require more field work to now the deficit, and also it save the heat transfer area by 30% of the total area.