Optimization of heat exchanger network in styrene production plant using pinch technology

الملخص

Pinch technology is a systematic technique for analysing heat flow through an industrial process based on fundamental thermodynamics to minimize energy consumption and maximize heat recovery. This technique was widely applied in downstream sectors, particularly in refineries and petrochemical facilities, where there are complex heat exchangers networks. During operation of heat exchangers, the major aim is to focus on the best performance of the network and to reduce the external energy costs by utilizing the most energy within the system. This research aimed to design an optimum heat exchanger networking for a styrene production plant using HINT software, which uses pinch technology. Composite curve, grand composite curve, heat cascade diagram, and grid diagram were constructed. The pinch temperature was determined to be 509.3 K and the optimal value of ΔTmin found to be equal to 20 K. The minimum hot and cold utility requirements obtained were 14,332.0 kW and 7,375.0 kW, respectively. The estimated total heat transfer area was found to be 9,400 m2. Generally, the obtained results are considered to be promising for achieving considerable improvements in energy savings and cost reduction.