Pinch analysis

Pinch analysis, also Linnhoff - analysis refers to a systematic approach to optimizing the energy consumption of processes. The pinch analysis is a method for minimizing the energy consumption of industrial processes by thermodynamic minimum energy consumption can be calculated. The method also indicates how this can be achieved by heat exchanger networks for heat recovery, energy and process conditions are matched. Pinch analysis is also known as process integration, heat integration, energy integration or pinch technology.

A process is represented as energy flows or currents in the coordinate heat power ( kW ) and temperature ( ° C). The data of the individual streams are combined for all streams. Thus arise the so-called " composite curves, or composite curves", one for all the warm currents (hot streams that produce heat ) and one for all cold streams (cold streams that require heat).

The point at which the curves most closely approach is the so-called pinch temperature (pinch ). Consist most design constraints at this point. In which one finds this point, and around this point to develop the heat exchanger network begins, can the energy objectives are achieved through the heat exchange of heat between hot and cold streams. During the practical work you can often find heat exchangers that operate across the pinch, ie streams with a temperature above and below the pinch connect. By avoiding combinations of these flows by alternative power pairings do you improve the achievement of energy goals.

This approach was first developed in 1978 by Bodo Linnhoff at Imperial Chemical Industries as part of a thesis under the supervision of Prof. John Flower of the University of Leeds. Bodo Linnhoff later moved to the University of Manchester Institute of Technology ( UMIST ), now University of Manchester. Later he founded a consulting firm ( Linnhoff March International Ltd. ), Which was then taken over by CCP Energy Services PLC.