Simultaneous retrofit of direct and indirect Heat Exchanger Storage Network (HESN) via individual batch process stream mapping

Abstract

This paper proposed a novel methodology to retrofit Heat Exchanger Storage Networks (HESN) of batch processes using a modified graphical retrofit tool, namely batch Stream Temperature Enthalpy Plot (batch STEP). Unlike other graphical retrofit tools, batch STEP maintains individual characteristic of process streams as well as serves as the one-stop retrofit tool to retrofit direct and indirect HESN simultaneously. The conventional batch heat integration typically aimed to synthesise new Heat Recovery Loops (HRLs) for heat recovery enhancement without exploiting the benefits of reusing existing HRLs in saving the additional volume of heat storage units (HSUs) and space allocated for retrofit. Thus, this paper extends the STEP continuous retrofit methodology to batch processes by introducing a batch STEP diagram for identification of the potential process streams to be integrated into existing HRLs and potential modifications of existing HRLs operating temperature. The methodology also introduces HRL– problem table algorithm (HRL-PTA) and heuristics to target the maximum indirect heat recovery and integrate process streams into the existing HRLs systematically. The methodology proposed achieves plant savings of 23.9%–60.0% for hot utility, 25.9%–42.2% for cold utility and a reduction of 6.3%–8.1% for additional volume of HSUs required in two illustrative case studies.