Towards sustainable development using pinch analysis

Abstract

The advent of Pinch Analysis as a tool for the design of optimal heat, mass and water recovery network has been one of the most significant advances in the area of process synthesis over the last ten years. This paper presents the key innovations in process integration for conservation of resources and utilities such as heat, water, power, solvent and gas that have been exclusively developed by Process Systems Engineering group,Department of Chemical Engineering, UTM. The ultimate goal of the innovations is to significantly contribute towards sustainability through the development of tools that enables the conservation of such valuable resources to mankind. The tools and techniques developed include the new MATRIX technique for heat recovery network retrofit, cascade analysis technique for setting the minimum resource conservation targets, new graphical techniques for setting water and energy targets, batch water targeting and network design, retrofit network design, retrofit and optimization of new and existing regeneration units, and new holistic framework for minimum water network and a systematic method for economical water design system. Significant inroads have also been in shifting the pinch analysis paradigm from the traditional focus on water minimization for process industry into the domain of urban water systems. These tools have been incorporated in MATRIX, a software for resource conservation developed in UTM. In view of the latest development in pinch analysis for resource conservation, it is envisioned that the tool can yield significant benefits to mankind and bring us a step closer towards achieving our ultimate goal of sustainable development.