Ana Pinch

Question 1

Process Integration Defintion

Answer 1

Systematic and general methods for designing integrated production systems, ranging from individual processes to total sites, with special emphasis on the efficient use of energy and reducing environmental effects.

• efficient processes use less resources and less energy, hence less money
• when possible, heat integration should be adopted in the design because it optimises the energy consumption of the process

Question 2

When is pinch applied
What is a stream
When can you exchange heat

Answer 2

Pinch is applied when:
- it is physically possible: no constraints in processes such as the location of diff streams
- savings justify the investment
Stream: flow that requires heating or cooling, no change in composition
Can exchange heat when there is a difference in temperatures, if delta Tm is small, require very high transfer area which is unfeasible/costly

Question 3

What is the significance of pinch?

Answer 3

Above the pinch the process needs external heating and below the pinch it needs external cooling. This tells us
where to place furnaces, steam heaters, coolers, etc. It also tells us what site steam services should be used and how we
should recover heat from the exhaust of steam and gas turbines.