Pinch analysis
Pinch analysis is a methodology for minimising energy
consumption of chemical processes by calculating ther-
modynamically feasible energy targets (or minimum en-
ergy consumption) and achieving them by optimising heat
recovery systems, energy supply methods and process op-
erating conditions. It is also known as process integration,
heat integration, energy integration or pinch technology.
The process data is represented as a set of energy ows,
or streams, as a function of heat load (kW) against tem-
perature (deg C). These data are combined for all the
streams in the plant to give composite curves, one for all
hot streams (releasing heat) and one for all cold streams
(requiring heat). The point of closest approach between
the hot and cold composite curves is the pinch point (or
just pinch) with a hot stream pinch temperature and a
cold stream pinch temperature. This is where the de-
sign is most constrained. Hence, by nding this point
and starting the design there, the energy targets can be
achieved using heat exchangers to recover heat between
hot and cold streams in two separate systems, one for tem-
peratures above pinch temperatures and one for tempera-
tures below pinch temperatures. In practice, during the
pinch analysis of an existing design, often cross-pinch
exchanges of heat are found between a hot stream with
its temperature above the pinch and a cold stream below
the pinch. Removal of those exchangers by alternative
matching makes the process reach its energy target.
1 History
In 1971, Ed Hohmann stated in his PhD that 'one can
compute the least amount of hot and cold utilities re-
quired for a process without knowing the heat exchanger
network that could accomplish it. One also can estimate
the heat exchange area required'.
In late 1977, Ph.D. student Bodo Linnho under the su-
pervision of Dr John Flower at the University of Leeds[1]
showed the existence in many processes of a heat integra-
tion bottleneck, the pinch, which laid the basis for the
technique, known today as pinch-analysis. At that time
he had joined Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) where
he led practical applications and further method develop-
ment.
Bodo Linnho developed the 'Problem Table', an algo-
rithm for calculating the energy targets and worked out The problem of integrating heat between hot and cold
the basis for a calculation of the surface area required, streams, and nding the optimal network, in particular
known as the spaghetti network. These algorithms en- in terms of costs, may today be solved with numerical
1
abled practical application of the technique.
In 1982 he joined University of Manchester Institute of
Technology (UMIST, present day University of Manch-
ester) to continue the work. In 1983 he set up a consul-
tation rm known as Linnho March International later
acquired by KBC Energy Services.
Many renements have been developed since and used in
a wide range of industries, including extension to heat and
power systems and non-process situations. Both detailed
and simplied (spreadsheet) programs are now available
to calculate the energy targets. See Pinch Analysis Soft-
ware below.
In recent years, Pinch analysis has been extended beyond
energy applications. It now includes:
Mass Exchange Networks (El-Halwagi and
Manousiouthakis, 1987)
Water pinch (Yaping Wang and Robin Smith, 1994;
Nick Hallale, 2002; Prakash and Shenoy, 2005)
Hydrogen pinch (Nick Hallale et al., 2003; Agrawal
and Shenoy, 2006)
2 Weaknesses
Classical pinch-analysis primarily calculates the energy
costs for the heating and cooling utility. At the pinch
point, where the hot and cold streams are the most con-
strained, large heat exchangers are required to transfer
heat between the hot and cold streams. Large heat ex-
changers entail high investment costs. In order to reduce
capital cost, in practice a minimum temperature dier-
ence ( T) at the pinch point is demanded, e.g., 10 C. It
is possible to estimate the heat exchanger area and capital
cost, and hence the optimal T minimum value. How-
ever, the cost curve is quite at and the optimum may be
aected by topology traps. The pinch method is not
always appropriate for simple networks or where severe
operating constraints exist. Kemp (2006) discusses these
aspects in detail.
3 Recent Developments[2]
2 6 PINCH ANALYSIS SOFTWARE
algorithms. The network can be formulated as a so-
called mixed integer non-linear programming (MINLP)
problem and solved with an appropriate numerical solver.
Nevertheless, large-scale MINLP problems can still be
hard to solve for todays numerical algorithms. Alterna-
tively, some attempts were made to formulate the MINLP
problems to mixed integer linear problems, where then
possible networks are screened and optimized. For sim-
ple networks of a few streams and heat exchangers, hand
design methods with simple targeting software are often
adequate, and aid the engineer in understanding the pro-
cess.
4 See also
CHP Directive
Energy policy of the European Union
Relative cost of electricity generated by dierent
sources
Cogeneration
Process owsheeting
5 References
[1] Ebrahim, M.; Kawari, Al- (2000). Pinch technology: an
ecient tool for chemical-plant energy and capital-cost
saving. Applied Energy. 65: 4540. doi:10.1016/S0306-
2619(99)00057-4.
[2] Furman, Kevin C.; Sahinidis, Nikolaos V. (2002-03-09).
A Critical Review and Annotated Bibliography for Heat
Exchanger Network Synthesis in the 20th Century. In-
dustrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 41 (10):
23352370. doi:10.1021/ie010389e.
El-Halwagi, M. M. and V. Manousiouthakis, 1989,
Synthesis of Mass Exchange Networks, AIChE J.,
35(8), 1233-1244.
Kemp, I.C. (2006). Pinch Analysis and Pro-
cess Integration: A User Guide on Process Inte-
gration for the Ecient Use of Energy, 2nd edi-
tion. Includes spreadsheet software. Butterworth-
Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-8260-4. (1st edition:
Linnho et al., 1982).
Shenoy, U.V. (1995). Heat Exchanger Network
Synthesis: Process Optimization by Energy and Re-
source Analysis. Includes two computer disks.
Gulf Publishing Company, Houston, TX, USA.
ISBN 0-88415-391-6.
Hallale, Nick. (2002). A New Graphical Targeting
Method for Water Minimisation. Advances in En-
vironmental Research. 6(3): 377-390
Nick Hallale, Ian Moore, Dennis Vauk, Hydro-
gen optimization at minimal investment, Petroleum
Technology Quarterly (PTQ), Spring (2003)
Agrawal, V. and U. V. Shenoy, 2006, Unied Con-
ceptual Approach to Targeting and Design of Water
and Hydrogen Networks, AIChE J., 52(3), 1071-
1082.
Wang, Y. P. and Smith, R. (1994). Wastewater
Minimisation. Chemical Engineering Science. 49:
981-1006
Prakash, R. and Shenoy, U.V. (2005) Targeting and
Design of Water Networks for Fixed Flowrate and
Fixed Contaminant Load Operations. Chemical En-
gineering Science. 60(1), 255-268
de Klerk, LW, de Klerk , MP and van der West-
huizen, D Improvements in hydrometallurgical
uranium circuit capital and operating costs by water
management and integration of utility and process
energy targets AusImm Conference, U 2015
6 Pinch analysis software
HeatIT - Free (light) version of Pinch Analysis soft-
ware that runs in Excel - developed by Pinchco, a
consultancy company oering expert advice on en-
ergy related matters
Pinchleni - Freeware developed by Laboratoire
d'Energtique Industrielle de l'Ecole Polytechnique
Fdrale de Lausanne, Switzerland
Simulis Pinch- Tool from ProSim SA that can be
used directly in Excel and that is dedicated to the di-
agnosis and the energy integration of the processes.
Pinexo - an extensive software oering alterna-
tive solutions with their payback times. Developed
out of research at Chalmers Technical University,
Gothenburg Sweden
Integration - A practical and low-cost pro-
cess integration computation tool developed by
CanmetENERGY, Canadas leading research and
technology organization in the eld of clean energy.
 3

7 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

7.1 Text
Pinch analysis Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinch_analysis?oldid=758440761 Contributors: Rich Farmbrough, Roychai, Superp,
SmackBot, Od Mishehu, Ebaksa, Mion, Hyperman 42, J Milburn, Cydebot, Billtubbs, Engineman, Chemical Engineer, TomasBat, Inwind,
VolkovBot, Rei-bot, Llywelyn2000, Donebythesecondlaw, Cirt, Mikaey, Mahbod 1363he~enwiki, Addbot, Sharifah81, Softy, Yobot, Punc-
tilius, Daniele Pugliesi, Kirsted, Zainmanan, Sr wanalwi, Prari, Pinethicket, Jasonanaggie, Newyorkadam, MerlIwBot, Helpful Pixie Bot,
Dexbot, Shahriar70, A.A.Askari, Thegreatsocrates, Echobleu, Some Gadget Geek, Martstart, Hdeclercq, Stuertebecker, Louiswdeklerk
and Anonymous: 21

7.2 Images

7.3 Content license

Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0