• A method of using the overall thermal balance of a process

• Theoretically predicts minimum energy consumption

• Predicts the construction costs of the plant using a heat recovery system
• First put into practical use in 1984, at Linhoff March Co.

Pinch point technology, or process integration, is the name given for a technique developed by Prof.
Linnhof and co-workers (1978) at Leeds University, UK to optimize the heat recovery in large complex
plants with several hot and cold streams of fluids.
To illustrate the basic principle take a case of a plant with two hot and two cold streams, as shown in
Table 1.9.

Table 1.9 Data for 4 (four) fluid streams

The hot streams can be combined into an equivalent composite stream as follows:
From Table 1.9, it is clear that both stream 1 and 2 are having common temperature drop between
170°C to 70°C. For the common processes, we go for process integration (heat recovery) by
considering composite thermal capacity.

The hot composite curve will consist of the following

1. Stream1 from 200°C to170°C with heat capacity 1.98 kW/K,

2. Stream (1+2) between temperature 170°C to 70°C, a combined stream of thermal capacity
rate (2.2+3.9) = 6.1 kW/K
3. Stream2 between temperature 70°C to 50°C, stream 1 with heat capacity rate 1.98 kW/K.

To plot the composite heating curve the calculations can be estimated as shown in Table 1.10.

Table 1.10 Composite Heating Curve

Similarly, the cold streams can be combined.
The cold composite curve will consists of

4. Stream3 from 40°C to 100°C with heat capacity 2.8 kW/K,

5. Stream (3+4) between temperature 100°C to 150°C, a combined stream of thermal capacity
rate (2.8+5.12) = 7.92 kW/K
6. Stream4 between temperatures 70°C to 50°C, stream 1 with heat capacity rate 1.98 kW/K.

To plot the composite cooling curve the calculations can be estimated as shown in Table 1.11.

Table 1.11 Composite Cooling Curve

The two composite streams are then plotted on a temperature heat load graph. The temperature and
rate of change of enthalpy for cold stream and hot stream are estimated in Table 1.12.

At temp 50°C the rate of change of enthalpy = Heat capacity rate × Δt

= 2.2 × 50
= 110 Kw
Similarly, at temp 40°C the rate of change of enthalpy = Heat capacity rate × Δt
= 2.8 × 40
= 112 Kw
Similar calculations are done for the selected data.

Table 1.12 Estimation of hot and cold steam

The two composite streams are then plotted on a temperature heat load graph as shown in Fig. 1.34.
Fig 1.34 Temperature verses rate of change enthalpy change for composite hot and cold
streams

The pinch point is defined as the point where temperature difference between the two
composite curves is minimum.

The temperature difference at the pinch point depends on the design of the heat exchanger. Smaller
the temperature difference, the more expensive is the heat exchanger. A high value of pinch point
indicates high thermal losses due to external irreversibility.

Example 1: Pinch point temperature of 7°C

Pinch point temperature of 7°C, then the cold stream (composite) can be moved from left to right on
the diagram horizontally, keeping the hot composite curve fixed, until the temperature difference at
pinch point is 7°C. It is then seen from Fig 1.35 that the external heating load of 30 kW and external
cooling load of 102kW are required for the system, all other energy changes can be achieved by the
heat exchangers between the various streams.
Fig 1.35 Temperature verses rate of change enthalpy change for composite hot and cold
streams for 7°C Pinch

Mathematically to obtain the pinch point at 7°C the values of cold steams are increased by 100KW,
keeping the values of hot streams constant. Required estimation of hot and cold streams for 7°C pinch
point is given in Table. 1.13.

Table 1.13 Estimation of hot and cold streams for 7°C pinch point
The mathematically the cooling and heating above and below 7°C Pinch point is mentioned in Table
1.14.

Table 1.14 Cooling and heating above and below 7°C pinch point

From Table 1.14, and Fig 1.35 we can infer that for a pinch point of 7°C, we require external heating
load of 29.7kW and cooling load of 101.7kW above and below the pinch point respectively.
The process integration is now as follows:
Above pinch point, stream 1 and 3 exchanges 204.6 kW heat, stream 2 and stream 4 exchanges 245.7
kW. Below pinch point, stream 2 and stream 3 exchange 168 kW heat. Stream 3 and 4 are to be
externally heated with (-224+204.6 =-19.4 kW) and (-256+245.7 =-10.3 kW) respectively to meet
the deficit /demand of 29.7 kW. Similarly, stream 1 has to be cooled externally with 125.4 kW and 3
has to be heated externally with (144.3-168 =-23.7 kW) heat exchangers respectively to meet the
demand of 101.7 kW.

Possible processes are shown in Fig. 1.36.

Fig 1.36 Possible plant to heat and cool four fluid streams for a minimum 7°C
temperature difference.
Example 2: Pinch point temperature of 23.5°C

Similar to example1 the cold stream (composite) is moved from left to right on the diagram (Fig 1.37)
horizontally, keeping the hot composite curve fixed, until the temperature difference at pinch point is
23.5°C. It is then seen that the external heating load of 130 kW and external cooling load of 202kW
are required for the system, all other energy changes can be achieved by the heat exchangers between
the various streams.

Fig 1.37 Temperature verses rate of change enthalpy change for composite hot and cold
streams for Pinch point temperature of 23.5°C

Mathematically to obtain the pinch point at 23.5°C the values of cold steams are increased by 200KW,
keeping the values of hot streams constant. Required estimation of hot and cold streams for 23.5°C
pinch point is given in Table. 1.15.

Table 1.15 Estimation of hot and cold streams for 23.5°C pinch point
Different heat loads are shown in Table 1.16

Table 1.16 Cooling and heating above and below 23.5°C pinch point.

From Table 1.16, mathematically with reference to the Fig 1.37 we can infer that for a pinch point of
23.5°C, we require external heating load of 130.35kW and cooling load of 202.35kW above and below
the pinch point respectively.
The process integration is now as follows:
Above pinch point, stream 1 and 3 exchanges 168.3 kW heat, stream 2 and stream 4 exchanges
181.35kw. Below pinch point, stream 2 and stream 3 exchange 168 kW heat. Stream 3 and 4 are to
be externally heated with (224-168.3 = 55.7 kW) and (256-181.35 = 74.65 kW) respectively to meet
the deficit /demand of 130.35 kW. Similarly, stream 1 and 3 are to be cooled externally with 161.7
kW and (208.65-168 = 40.65 kW) heat exchangers respectively to meet the demand of 202.35 kW.

Possible processes are shown in Fig. 1.38.

Fig 1.38 Possible plant to heat and cool four fluid streams for a minimum 23.5°C
temperature difference.
The following rules should be followed in process integration

7. Do not transfer heat from one fluid to another across the pinch point
8. No external heating below pinch point
9. No external cooling above the pinch point
10. A heat exchanger should operate on one side of the pinch, either taking a heat supply from
below the pinch, or rejecting heat to a fluid above the pinch
11. A heat pump should operate across the pinch from a cold stream below the pinch to a hot
stream above the pinch.

Summary:

12. Exergy is the maximum work potential of a system

13. Exergy transfer with heat, work and mass
14. For an isolated system exergy always decreases
15. Exergy remains constant in a reversible process

Anything that generate entropy is responsible for decrease of exergy