Graphical Approaches to Pinch Analysis

1. Re-use
Wastewater is re-used directly in other operations in the process. Re-use may require
blending wastewater from one process with wastewater from another process and/or
freshwater. Re-use of wastewater in the same process is not allowed.
Wand and Smith (1994a) constructed a limiting water composite curve for a system
with more than one process, using maximum water inlet and outlet constraints set (Fig 1a).
The limiting water profile for the system is then matched with a water supply line. This
water supply line represents the minimum water flow required to satisfy all concentration
restrictions of the system (Fig 1b). This sets the flow target for the design.

Fig 1: (a) (b)

For this minimum water supply to be meaningful, a design is needed in which the target
flowrate and all other concentration restrictions are met. Wang and Smith (1994a) then
expand on the methods introduced by El-Halwagi (1989) and Manousiouthakis (1990) to
set up a network design.
This was done by minimizing the number of water sources, thus ensuring that as few
as possible matches are made. This involves bypassing and mixing to minimize the number
of matches. This method was also expanded to multi-contaminant systems.

2. Regeneration – Re-use
Wastewater can be generated by partial treatment to remove contaminants that prevent
it re-use. This generated water can be re-used in other operations. Blending with another
wastewater and/or freshwater. Re-use in the same process is not allowed.
 Wang and Smith (1994a) define a regeneration process that has to perform to a
minimum outlet concentration or a removal ratio.
If a regeneration process is used, the water supply line will be as shown in Figure 2a.
The water is taken to a concentration CREGEN, up to limiting composite curve. It then enters
the regeneration process, which brings the level of contaminant down to CO. The rest of
the mass transfer is completed with regenerated water, at the same flowrate as before
regeneration.
From Figure 2b, it is clear that regeneration reduces flowrate. Figure 3a shows the
composite water supply line for regeneration. Clearly, the composite supply curve can be
minimized further if the concentration at which regeneration takes place is increased.

Fig 2: (a) (b)

Figure 3a shows the water supply line when water is regenerated at the pinch
concentration. Although the water supply crosses the limiting composite curve, it is not
feasible, as the composite water supply line does not cross the limiting composite figure
(Fig. 3a). It is clearly shown that the composite water supply line for regeneration has been
minimized.

Fig 3: (a) (b)

 The water flowrate cannot be reduced below the flowrate obtained in Fig 3a, as a
lower flowrate would cause the composite water supply line into the cross the limiting
composite curve.
If the water is allowed to go beyond the pinch concentration before regeneration, at
the same flowrate as Figure 3a, the water supply line is shown in Figure 4a. The
composite water supply line in Figure 4b indicates that the flowrate is still minimized.
However, the slope above the pinch concentration is lower than in Figure 3a. This means
that some unnecessary regeneration has been done.

Fig 4: (a) (b)

It is therefore clear that allowing the water supply line to reach the pinch
concentration before regeneration achieves two criteria simultaneously for regeneration
re-use. These are the minimum water flowrate and the minimum concentration reduction
in regeneration process.
Wang and Smith (1994a) then proceed to develop a method for designing
regeneration – re-use, and also expand the method to multi-contaminant problems.

3. Regeneration – Recycling
Wastewater can be regenerated to remove contaminants which have built up, and then
is recycled. Treated water may enter processes in which it has previously been used.
If recycling is allowed, the flowrate can be reduced below as shown in Figure 3a. The
flowrate is then dictated by the flowrate below CO in the limiting composite curve, as
shown in Figure 5a. There is clearly not enough water to satisfy the problem. The flowrate
after regeneration therefore needs to be increased, which can only be done through
recycling. Figure 5b shows the composite water supply line before and after regeneration.
 Fig 5: (a) (b)

Water Network Synthesis

Pinch analysis provides a conceptual approach for water network synthesis. Under
reuse/recycle scheme, two exclusive problems, multiple utilities, and threshold, are given special
attention. The historical development of water pinch targeting methods is clearly mapped. In a
journal by Parand (2014), water network design methodologies were tabulated against each the
problem they contribute. These analyses provide an opportunity to find the existing research gaps
in the literature and to bridge the gaps systematically.

Water network can be designed through two approaches known as (1) optimization-based; or
(2) insight-based. Problem dimensionality and computational effectiveness are the advantages of
mathematical optimization especially when dealing with complex water distribution system
including multiple contaminant, problem uncertainty, and compulsory and forbidden matches.

Water Pinch Analysis (WPA) offers a conceptual view upon the total system and gives
engineers the full control to design the water network. The main power of this technique is in its
ability to locate minimum utility targets (fresh water consumption and wastewater generation) with
some basic data (contaminant concentration and flow rate) prior to detailed network design. This
provides a base line for any water network to be synthesized.

The water network in process industries mainly consists of three parts: pretreatment processes,
water using processes, and effluent treatment processes. In initial studies Takama et al. (1980)
water network synthesis was looking at both effluent and water using processes as one unified
system (so called total water network problem). The segregation of total water network to two
subsystems (water using and effluent treatment processes) was proposed by Wang and Smith
(1994b) who also developed WPA.

Water using processes can be further categorized as (a) processes uses (Operation 1, 2, 3) and
(b) utility uses (cooling tower, boiler) (Mann and Liu, 1999; Smith, 2005). As shown, raw water
is treated in preliminary water treatment facilities, then, it is fed to process uses and utility uses.
Common sources of wastewater which include the effluent of process uses, condensate losses,
boiler and cooling-tower blowdown is collected and directed to wastewater treatment system.

In this conventional water network, fresh water is directly utilized in all operations. However,
it can be argued that not all of these units require fresh water because some of them may tolerate
certain levels of contaminant concentration. Better water utilization schemes should be designed
to allow reuse/recycle between processes. Moreover, to design wastewater treatment process, there
is possibly not necessary to collect all wastewater streams in centralized waste treatment facilities.
Water Pinch Technology for Industrial Reuse

The pulp and paper industry is one of few water-based industries, and the only industry where
the final product consists of about 10% water. New environmental regulations must be met within
a climate of intense competition. Therefore, ignoring novel technologies and continuing to do
things in the old way could lead to being non-competitive (Koufos and Retsina, 2001)

Plant wide energy or water pinch is a practical tool for energy and water management in a mill.
The benefits of pinch analysis include meaningful energy water targets, feasible projects with real
savings, essential insights into energy water flows, distributions, benchmark and scope.

Bedard, Sorin and Leroy (2001) list standard steps in a literature for pinch analysis of industries
using mills. Koufos and Retsina (2001) added a step to the process where the design is reviewed
and new constraints were imposed. This includes the possibility of including regeneration options
into scheme to lower the targets.

Certain water pinch technique was presented in the dedicated monograph by Mann and Liu
(1999) and reviewed in the article by Foo (2009). The successful applications of pinch analysis for
water network synthesis have been documented in various process industries such as pulp and
paper (Tan et al., 2007; Tripathi, 1996), petrochemical (Mann and Liu, 1999), food processing
(Brouckaert and Buckley, 2000), municipal (Manan et al., 2006), and mineral (Deng and Feng,
2009).

Significance of the Study

This study helps in the minimization of freshwater consumption and reduction of wastewater
generation in the _____ industry. By developing an optimized water allocation network using
water pinch analysis, the resulting maximum water recovery network design gives opportunities
to save water usage cost and also lessens the environmental problems posed by the wastewater
discharges.
Conceptual Framework

Water Pinch Analysis involves four key steps. First step is to analyze the existing or the base case
water network through plant auditing. In implementing WPA for a plant, the overall water network
of the plant should first be obtained from process flow diagrams (PFD) and process and
instrumentation diagrams (P&ID). A water mass balance is conducted for all the water streams.

The second step is to identify water sources and water sinks having potential for reuse and
recycling and to extract the limiting water flowrate and limiting concentration data. Non-limiting
concentrations in the water system are situated at a concentration below their maximum limits and
do not affect the water sink for that operation. After analyzing the water network, the water
processes are grouped into plant sections. Processes chosen are preferably close geographically,
and are also chemically related. The main contaminants that prevent direct reuse in the water
system are chosen. The present study is focused on a single contaminant approach. The entire
water sources and sinks flowrates and quality requirements for each water-using process are
extracted. The water sources data are obtained by identifying the maximum concentration limit
and the minimum flowrate limit of the wastewater source from each process. The water sinks data
are usually obtained from the operators.

The third step is to establish the minimum possible quantity of fresh water requirement and
wastewater generation, or the minimum water targets using a targeting method. Here, Water
Cascade Analysis is to be employed. (advantages of the method to be used)

The final step is to design a water recovery network to realize the minimum water targets. To
recapitulate the substance of the Water Pinch Analysis, the concept framework of the study is
presented on Figure below
 INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

Contamination,
Water Network Water Network
Concentration
of ____ Process Analysis
and Flow Rates

Contamination,
Water Source
Concentration Data Extraction and Sink Data
and Flow Rates

Water Source Table (Pinch pt.,

Minimum FFW,min and
and Sink Data Water Targeting FWW,min)

Water Network
Table (Pinch pt.,
Water Network Design for
FFW,min and
Design Maximum Water
FWW,min)
Network Recovery