Chalmers

University of
Technology

What is Process Integration?

NTNU

by

Truls Gundersen
Department of Energy and Process Engineering
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
Trondheim, Norway

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 1

Content of the Presentation

n
n

Definitions and the birth of Process Integration

Process Integration (PI) as a Term
Heat, Power, Chemical and Equipment Integration

Some early stage Developments, however

Bodo Linnhoff: A Historical Overview of early Developments

n
NTNU

3 Major and Generic Results from Pinch Analysis with

widespread Use in Process Integration
The Tool Box in PI
Graphical Diagrams, Representations and Concept

Various Extensions of Pinch Analysis in PI

Applications, Objectives, Scope, etc.

n
n

Use of Optimization in Process Integration

PI and Global Warming / Emissions Reduction
From Energy Focus to Environmental Concern

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 2

The IEA Definition

of Process Integration

NTNU

"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"

P R O C E S S

From an Expert Meeting

in Berlin, October 1993

20.03.13

INTEGRATION
IEA
OECD

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 3

More Descriptions of Process Integration

n

An Alternative to the IEA Definition:

Process Integration is a Methodology for Analysis, Design and
Optimization of Material and Energy related Production Systems

What is unique in Process Integration (PI)?

Pinch Analysis (PA) was developed in the 1970s/1980s based on
the Discovery of a Heat Recovery Pinch, and PA was the Birth of
PI as a Systems oriented Process Design Methodology
PA/PI represented a Departure from Traditional Design Practice
Improving Process Technologies (following the Learning Curve)
through Operating & Engineering Insight using Design based on
Case Studies was replaced by Systematic Design using Targets
The new Design Methods enabled Step Changes in Performance

NTNU

The real Value of Performance Targets ahead of Design:

Removing the Uncertainty among Engineers whether a Process
Design could be further improved and by how much

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 4

The use of Process Integration as a Term

1800"

1666

2071

1600"

1420

1400"
1200"
1000"

714

800"

651

600"

"

20
10
)P
re
se
nt

20
05
)2
00
9"

0"

20
00
)2
00
4"

121
19
90
)9
9"

19
70
)7
9"

200"

19
80
)8
9"

400"

19
60
)6
9"

NTNU

Date: 7 March 2013 Source: Science Direct, Journal papers only

Subjects: Chemical Engineering, Energy, Engineering
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 5

The Title: What is Process Integration?

This Question can be decomposed into
What do we mean by a Process?
NTNU

and
What do we mean by Integration?
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 6

A Process can be regarded as a Converter

Mechanical
Energy
Com
Thermal Energy
HP, MP, LP
Flue Gas
AP, CW
Refrigerants

NTNU

Exp

Energy

Thermal Energy
HP, MP, LP
Cooling

Material
Product(s)

Raw Material(s)
Byproduct(s)
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 7

What is the meaning of Integration?

n
n

NTNU

Integration means combining Needs/Tasks of opposite

kinds so that Savings (or Synergies) can be obtained
Examples of such Integration in the Process Industries:
Heat Integration
Cooling & Condensation integrated with Heating & Evaporation
Identify near-optimal Level of Heat Recovery
Design the corresponding Heat Exchanger Network
Power Integration
Expansion integrated with Compression
Same Shaft or combined in Compander
Chemical Integration
Byproducts from one Plant used as Raw Materials in other Plants
The Idea of materials integration is used in Industrial Clusters
Equipment Integration
Multiple Phenomena (Reaction, Separation, Heat Transfer) are
integrated in the same piece of Equipment Process Intensification

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 8

T (C)

ST

QH,min

300

270C - - - - - - - 250C

H1

QRecovery

250

720 kW

230C - - - - - - - 210C

Tmin

200

500 kW

180 kW

150

C2

- 520
200 kW
220C - - - - - - - 200C
2000 kW

720 kW

- 1200

100

880 kW

180C - - - - - - - 160C 800 kW

360 kW

50

Pinch
0

T' (C)
300

C1

440 kW 160C - - - - - - - 140C

H (kW)
2000

400 kW

+ 400

QC,min

NTNU

+ 720

4000

1980 kW

H2

6000

70C - - - - - - - - 50C

Heat
Integration

QH,min

250

1800 kW

+ 180

220 kW

+ 220
60C - - - - - - - - 40C

Tmin = 20C

CW

Pinch
180

200

270
H1

235.6

mCp
(kW/C)

180

Ca

160

18.0

360 kW

150

220
H2

180

100

80

Cb

60

22.0

440 kW
210

50

160

2
1000 kW

QC,min

Q (kW)

210

190

1000 kW

20.03.13

500

1500

620 kW

T. Gundersen

177.6

2200 kW
160
C2

50
C1

20.0

50.0

880 kW
160

Slide no. 9

Simultaneous Heat and Power Integration?

n
n

Feng and Zhu (1997) introduced the Energy Level ()

Energy Level is defined as Exergy/Energy:
For Work and Electricity: = 1
For Heat: = C = 1 T0 / T
For Steady-State Flow Systems: = E / H

n
NTNU

n
n
n

The Energy Level Concept is used to identify Losses in

Energy Quality (which is why Exergy is used)
Energy Level is evaluated at the Entrance and Exit of the
Process Units based on inlet and outlet Process Streams
Energy Level Composite Curves (ELCCs) are Energy
Level vs. Enthalpy Curves plotted in a Cumulative manner
Energy Level of Units will increase or decrease
Synergies possible through Integration?
Problem: High Energy Level caused by Temperature or Pressure?

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 10

ELCCs for a Methanol Process

0.6
Primary Reformer
Primary Reformer, Sec Reformer Shift Reactor

0.5

Sec Reformer Product Cooler

Raw Product Cooler,

Sec Reformer Product Cooler,
Prereformer 1

Energy Level

0.4

NTNU

Sec Reformer Product Cooler,

Prereformer 1

Primary Reformer, Sec Reformer

Prereformer 2, Primary Reformer
Prereformer 2

Raw Product Cooler,

Sec Reformer Product Cooler

0.3

Steam Generator, Prereformer 2

Steam Generator, MeOH Reactor Water Jacket, Prereformer 2
Steam Generator, MeOH Reactor Water Jacket

Raw Product Cooler

0.2

Steam Generator, MeOH Reactor

Steam Generator, MeOH Reactor Feed Preheater
Steam Generator, Syn Gas Compressor
Steam Generator, MeOH Recycle Compressor, Syn Gas

0.1

Omega Increasing Units

Steam Generator, Burner, MeOH Recycle Compressor, Syn Gas Compressor

Steam Generator, Burner, MeOH Recycle Compressor

Omega Decreasing Units

Steam Generator

0
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

Cummulative Enthalpy (MW)

Anantharaman R., Abbas O.S., Gundersen T., Energy Level Composite

Curves A New Graphical Methodology for the Integration of Energy Intensive
Processes, Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 26, pp. 1378-1384, 2006.
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 11

500

Chemical Integration in an Industrial Cluster

NTNU

Kaggerud K.H., Bolland O., Gundersen T., Chemical and Process Integration:
Synergies in Co-Production of Power and Chemicals from Natural Gas with CO2
Capture, Applied Thermal Engineering, vol. 26, pp. 1345-1352, 2006.
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 12

Equipment Integration Methyl Acetate

NTNU

Eastman
Chemical
Company

Siirola J.J., Industrial Applications of Chemical Process Synthesis,

Advances in Chemical Engineering, vol. 23, pp. 1-62, 1996.
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 13

Various Terms in Perspective

Energy
Conservation
Heat Integration
NTNU

Process Integration
Process Synthesis

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 14

Some early stage

Developments

Energy
Equipment
Raw Materials

NTNU

From powerful results and insight based on the

Concept of a Heat Recovery Pinch through a
Development along several axes to reaching
the Level or Status of a Design Discipline !!
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Batch
Retrofit
Grassroot

Environment

Bodo Linnhoff
used the
Rubic Cube
to illustrate
Progress
Slide no. 15

3 Major Results from PA with widespread Use in PI

T

QH,min

QC,min

Heat
Pinch

Water
Pinch
Watermin

The Concept of Composite Curves (Cumulative Plots)

Applicable whenever an Amount has a Quality

Heat & Temperature, Mass & Concentration (Chemical Potential),

NTNU

Refinery Gases & H2 Purity (and Pressure), Money & Time, etc.
n
n

Targets for Best Performance ahead of Design

Decomposition of Systems into Surplus and Deficit Regions
PDM for Grassroot Design develops Separate Networks
Process Modifications guided by the Plus/Minus Principle
Appropriate Placement (or Integration) of Distillation Columns,
Evaporators, Heat Engines (Steam Turbines) and Heat Pumps

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 16

Correct Integration and Appropriate Placement

Process
Cascade

Distillation
Column

Heat
Pump

Steam
Turbine

QHP,out

QST,in

QH,min
QReboiler
Above
Pinch

Q=0

NTNU

WST

WHP

Below
Pinch

QCondenser

QHP,in

QST,out

QC,min

Simple Rule: Connect Sources with Sinks

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

But: TSource > TSink

Slide no. 17

Diagrams, Representations and Concepts in PI

n

NTNU

Graphical Diagrams

Composite Curves
Grand Composite Curve
Energy Target Plot
Area/Energy Plot
Driving Force Plot
Column Grand Composite Curve
Exergy Composite Curves
Exergy Grand Composite Curve
Column Grand Composite Curve
Total Site Source & Sink Curves
More?

Representations & Concepts

Process & Utility Pinch

Feasibility Table
Problem Table
Heat Cascade
Grid Diagram
Penalty Heat Flow Diagram
Bipartite Graph
Heat Load Loops
Heat Load Paths
Rubic Cube and the Onion
More?

Important Tools for Analysis, Design and Optimization

as well as for Learning and Communication
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 18

Expansions in Process Integration

based on Pinch Analysis
and using Analogies

NTNU

20.03.13

Applications Areas

Objectives

Scope

Type of Plants

Type of Projects

Thermodynamics
T. Gundersen

Slide no. 19

NTNU

Expansions

Application Areas
w From Heat Pinch for Heat Recovery
and CHP in Thermal Energy Systems
w to Mass Pinch for Mass Transfer /
Mass Exchange Systems
w to Water Pinch for Wastewater
Minimization and Distributed
Effluent Treatment Systems
w to Hydrogen Pinch for Hydrogen
Management in Oil Refineries
w to Oxygen Pinch for Wastewater
Bio-Treatment Plants
w to Carbon Pinch to satisfy Energy
Requirements while meeting CO2
Emission Limits in the Energy Sector

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

of PA & PI

Slide no. 20

Expansions
n

of PA & PI

Objectives
w from Energy Cost
w to Equipment Cost
w to Total Annualized Cost
w and also Operability, including
Flexibility
Controllability
Switchability

NTNU

Start-up & Shut-down

New Operating Conditions

w and finally Environment, including

Emissions Reduction
Waste Minimization
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 21

Expansions
n

of PA & PI

Scope

w from Heat Exchanger Networks

w to Separation Systems, especially
Distillation and Evaporation (heat driven)
w to Reactor Systems
w to Heat & Power, including
Steam & Gas Turbines and Heat Pumps
w to Utility Systems, including
Steam Systems, Furnaces, Refrigeration Cycles
w to Entire Processes
w to Total Sites
w to Regions

NTNU

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 22

Expansions
n

of PA & PI

Plants
w from Continuous
w to Batch and Semi-Batch

Projects
w from New Design
w to Retrofit
w to Debottlenecking

NTNU

Thermodynamics
w from Simple 1st Law Considerations
w to Various 2nd Law Applications
Exergy in Distillation and Refrigeration

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 23

Process Integration Methodologies

Expert Systems

qualitative

Knowledge
Based Systems
NTNU

automatic

Optimization
Methods

Heuristic
Methods

Hierarchical
Analysis

interactive

Thermodynamic
Methods

quantitative
Stochastic Methods
Mathematical Programming
20.03.13

Rules of Thumb

T. Gundersen

Pinch Analysis
Exergy Analysis
Slide no. 24

Limitations in Pinch Analysis & the PDM

n

Rigor sometimes replaced by Heuristic Rules

The (N 1) Rule for minimum Number of Units
The Bath formula for minimum total Heat Transfer Area

The Composite Curves have their Limitations

Cannot handle Forbidden Matches between Streams
Simple Rules for Appropriate Placement do not work when
Distillation Columns are included in the Composite Curves

NTNU

The Pinch Design Method is Sequential in Nature

Targeting Design Optimization (Evolution)
One Match at a time, one Loop at a time, one Path at a time, etc.
Unable to properly handle Multiple Trade-offs

Pinch Decomposition guides Correct Integration, but

In Network Design, less Costly and less Complex Designs can
be found by actually ignoring strict Pinch Decomposition

Time consuming but normally results in good Designs

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 25

CMU

Why not use Optimization?

UMIST

T (C)
HP

250
200
150

LP

Energy

Minimum Area
=> Counter-Current or
Vertical Heat Transfer

100
50
CW

NTNU

MILP

Units

H (kW)
2000

MINLP
NLP

4000

6000

Targeting
Design
Evolution

Area Considerations using

a vertical MILP Model?

Area/TAC

Software: MAGNETS

Transshipment Models (LP & MILP)

Clever Stream Superstructure (NLP)
20.03.13

Gundersen T., Grossmann I.E., Improved Optimization

Strategies for Automated Heat Exchanger Networks
through Physical Insights, Comput. chem. Engng., vol.
14, no. 9, pp. 925-944, 1990.
T. Gundersen

Slide no. 26

UMIST Comments after Sabbatical

NTNU

Promoting Mathematical Programming

was quite challenging in those Days !
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 27

The Sequential Framework SeqHENS

n

Heat Transfer Area: Loops 1 & 2

# of Heat Exchangers:

Loop 3

Energy Consumption:

Loop 4

NTNU

Compromise between Pinch Design and MINLP Methods

Surprisingly few Iterations thanks to excessive use of Insight
Anantharaman R., Gundersen T., The Sequential Framework for Heat Exchanger
Network Synthesis Network Generation and Optimization, PRES2007, Ischia
Island, Chemical Engineering Transactions, vol. 12, pp. 19-24, 2007
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 28

Process Integration and Global Warming

n

The IEA: 3 main Measures to reduce CO2 Emissions

Energy Efficiency (short term, even profitable?)
Carbon Capture & Storage (medium term, expensive!)
Renewable Energy Forms (long term, expensive?)

Public Discussion in the US (2012)

Energy Efficiency is the 5th Energy Form
Following Oil, Gas, Coal and Nuclear

NTNU

An obvious Observation
The cleanest Energy is the one that is not used

A Shift of Focus in Process Integration

From Energy Focus in the 1970s and 1980s (Availability
and Cost) to Environmental Concern in the 1990s and later

Global Warming A new Opportunity for PI?

Energy Efficiency is a Core Activity in Process Integration

20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 29

Pinch Analysis developed by an Accident?

Bodo Linnhoff, PhD Thesis, University of Leeds, April 1979:
Thermodynamic Analysis in the Design of Process Networks
Abstract: This thesis discusses the use of thermodynamic Second
Law analysis in the context of chemical process design

2nd Law of Thermodynamics for Open/Flowing Systems:

Q j
dScv
= + m i si m se + cv
dt
j Tj
i
e

NTNU

Entropy (S) is the twin brother/sister of Exergy (Ex)

T0
dExcv
dVcv

= 1 Q j Wcv p0
+ m i e f ,i m e f ,e Ex

dt
Tj
dt i
j
e
20.03.13

T. Gundersen

Slide no. 30