CPE 633 PROCESS ENGINEERING II

WATER PINCH

By Siti Shawalliah Idris, AMIChemE

Disclaimer
¨  This presentation is shared from Prof Dominic Foo and
Prof Zainudin Manan Lectures.
WATER
Daily water usage
Daily water usage
Daily water usage
Water Usage for Processing Plant
Water Network
¨  Conventionally
Improved Water Utilisation Scheme
Re-use of water
¨  Reusing water in this wayreduces
both the volume of the freshwater
and the volume of wastewater, as
the same water is used twice.

¨  However, for such an arrangement

to be feasible, any contamination
level at the outlet of Operation 2
must be acceptable at the inlet of
Operation1.

¨  Not all operations require the

highest quality of water.
Re-use of water
¨  For example, the extraction process for desalting crude oil prior
to distillation does not need the highest quality water. Some level
of contamination is acceptable, but certain specific contaminants
(e.g. hydrogen sulfide and ammonia in the case of crude oil
desalting) can cause problems.

¨  Another example would be a multistage washing operation.

¨  Low quality water could be used in the initial stages, and high-
quality water used in the final stages. There are many examples
when water with some level of certain contaminants is acceptable
for use rather than using the highest quality water.
Regeneration - Reuse
¨  Regeneration is a term used to describe any treatment
process that regenerates the quality of water such that
it is acceptable for further use.

¨  Figure shown: regeneration reuse where the outlet water

from Operation 1 is too contaminated to be used
directly into Operation 2. A regeneration process
between the two allows reuse to take place.

¨  Regeneration -reuse reduces both the volume of the

freshwater and the volume of the wastewater, as with
reuse, but also removes part of the effluent load (i.e.
kilograms of contaminant). The regeneration, in addition
to allowing a reduction in the water volume, also
removes part of the contaminant load that would have
to be otherwise removed in the final effluent treatment
before discharge.
Regeneration-Recycling
¨  A third option is where a regeneration
process is used on the outlet water from
the operations and the water is recycled.

¨  The distinction between the regeneration

reuse and the regeneration recycling
shown, is that in regeneration reuse the
water only goes through any given
operation once.

¨  Regeneration recycling reduces the volume

of freshwater and wastewater and also
reduces the effluent load by virtue of the
regeneration process taking up part of
the required effluent treatment load.
Water Use: Mass Transfer Operation
Water Use: Non-Mass Transfer Operation
An Acrylonitrile Plant
A Poor Recycle
Fresh Water Elimination in Scrubber?
Fresh Water Elimination in Boiler?
Fresh Water Elimination in Scrubber &
Boiler?
Stream Segregation?
Add a Purification Unit?
Defining Separation Technologies?
Or Hybrid Technology?
Or In Different Order?
Problem Statement
¨ Is there any possibility of water reuse in this process?
¨  How to minimise the fresh water usage?

¨  How much wastewater flowrates can be reduced?

¨  Where to place a water purifier?

Opportunities for Improvement

Process Integration
Water Pinch
Mass Exchange Network
Water Pinch
¨  Water pinch is a systematic technique
¤  foranalyzing water networks
¤  identifying projects to increase the efficient use of water in
industrial processes.

¨  Advanced applications make use of advanced

algorithms
n  to identify
n  to optimize the best water reuse, regeneration (partial treatment
of process water that allows its reuse), and effluent treatment
opportunities.
¨  The most important ‘driver’ to performing a water
pinch study:
¤  reducing flows to the wastewater treatment plant
¤  avoiding capital expenditures in new plants.

¨  Simple savings in freshwater and wastewater are

unlikely, on their own, to justify the cost of carrying
out a detailed water pinch study and implementing
the recommended projects.
¨  As with energy, water pinch analysis should be regarded
as a natural part of new process design, and
incorporated into normal design procedures.

¨  Significant water and wastewater reductions have been

achieved by applying water pinch in various industries.
Savings of 25 to 40% have been observed in the
following industries: oil refining, chemicals, pulp & paper,
and food & drink.
 Water Use

¨  The water starts with no

contamination and its level of
contamination increases as a
result of the mass transfer.
¨  If the flowrate of water
to an operation is
decreased by some
change to the
operation, then for the
same mass load
transferred, the
reduction in the water
flowrate will lead to a
steeper line and higher
outlet concentration
¨  Reduction in water usage:
¤  Will be limited by either the operation requiring some minimum
flowrate, below which it cannot operate, or
¤  The outlet concentration from the operation goes to a maximum
value.

¨  The maximum outlet concentration might be set by a number

of considerations:
n  maximum solubility
n  corrosion limitations
n  fouling limitations
n  minimum of mass transfer driving force
n  minimum flowrate requirements
n  maximum inlet concentration for downstream treatment
Utility Targeting Techniques
Flowrate vs load composite
Water Cascade Analysis (WCA)
Graphical approach Algebraic Approach

¨  Advantages ¨  Advantages

¤  Good insights of the ¤  Computational effectiveness
problems ¤  Ease for large & complex
¤  Intuitive problems
¨  Limitations ¤  Interaction with other
¤  Tedious solution for complex softwares, e.g. process
problem simulators, spreadsheets
¤  Inaccuracy problems ¨  Limitations
¤  Scaling problems/ ¤  Less insight on the problem
dimensionality
Flowrate vs. load composite
Flowrate vs load composite

•  Analysis of Water Network

Step 1

•  Data Extraction
Step 2

•  Maximum Water Recovery Targeting

Step 3
Flowrate vs load composite

•  Analysis of Water Network

Step 1

•  Data Extraction
Step 2

•  Maximum Water Recovery Targeting

Step 3
AN Case Study
Flowrate vs load composite

•  Analysis of Water Network

Step 1

•  Data Extraction
Step 2

•  Maximum Water Recovery Targeting

Step 3
Identify water demands
Identify water sources

Water Source???
Definition of water source and sink
Water Source and Sink
Technical Constraints
Limiting water data
Flowrate vs load composite

•  Analysis of Water Network

Step 1

•  Data Extraction
Step 2

•  Maximum Water Recovery Targeting

Step 3
Flow rate vs load composite plot

Limiting mass load

Flow rate
The mass load concept

Process (Rich stream)

Δm Water (Lean stream)

Δm = F (kg/s) x ΔC (ppm) ΔH = mCPx ΔT

Δm = change in mass load
Sounds familiar??
F = flowrate
ΔC= change in concentration
Sink Composite
Source Composite
Composite curve

Fresh Water
PINCH
Water recovery Waste
Water
Less or Over Integration
Water Cascade Analysis Technique
Water Cascade Table

Minimum utility targets

Concept of Water Cascading
Example of AN case study
Infeasible water cascade

= FC*ΔC
FFW = 0 0+(-0.4) = 0+(-4)
Feasible Water Cascade
General form of Cascade Table
Significant of the pinch region
¨  Region above the pinch:
¤  Require FW
¤  Most constrained part of the network à control overall
flowrate targets
¨  Region below the pinch:
¤  Water sources>demand à WW is produced
¤  Total mass load surplus> total mass load deficit
Significant of pinch point
¨  The pinch point:
¤  Always located at the pinch causing source
¤  The point where the source switches from being below a demand
(i.e. deficit) to being above a demand (i.e. surplus)
¤  Part of the source at the pinc is included in the region above the
pinch and belongs to the region below it
¨  Some golden rules
¤  Water sources above the pinch (including FW) may not feed to
demand below the pinch & may not also mix with the sources that
are below the pinch concentration.
¤  The source at the pinch is an exception, as part of it belongs to
the region below the pinch.
Pinch Causing Stream
Water Network Design
¨  Feed the cleanest demand with the cleanest water
sources
¨  Constraints for the network design between source, i and

demand, j
¤  Demands;
n  Flowrate
n  Concentration

¤  Sources;
n  Flowrate
¨  Arrange stream in ascending of C values
¤  S = Supply
¤  D = demand

¨  Sum of FW (as per obtained in water cascade)

¨  Sum of WW

¨  Must satisfy the overall material balance i.e.

¨  Must satisfy the overall impurity (mass load) balance i.e.

m = FC
Polley & Polley Example

Demands, Dj Water flowrate, Fj (t/h) Concentration (ppm)

1 50 20
2 100 50
3 80 100
4 70 200
Sources, Si Water flowrate, Fi (t/h) Concentration (ppm)
1 50 50
2 100 100
3 70 150
4 60 250

Polley & Polley, 2000

Network design
FW = 35 t/h
FW = 30 t/h C=0
C=0
Start with the cleanest
demand/source first D2
D1
F = 50 t/h F = 100 t/h
C = 20 ppm C = 50 ppm
Δm = 1000 g/h Δm = 5000 g/h

20 t/h 30 t/h
35 t/h
F = 50 t/h Δm = 1000 g/h Δm = 1500 g/h
Δm = 3500 g/h
C = 50 ppm
S1
Δm = 2500 g/h

F = 100 t/h 65 t/h

C = 100 ppm Δm = 6500 g/h
S2 Δm = 10000 g/h
 A Complete Network
FW = 30 t/h FW = 35 t/h
C=0 C=0
D1 D2 D3 D4
Σ FW = 70 t/h F = 50 t/h F = 100 t/h F = 80 t/h F = 70 t/h
Σ WW = 50 t/h C = 20 ppm C = 50 ppm C = 100 ppm C = 200 ppm
Δm = 1000 g/h Δm = 5000 g/h Δm = 8000 g/h Δm = 14000 g/h
20 t/h 30 t/h
Δm = 1000 g/h Δm = 1500 g/h 35 t/h
F = 50 t/h Δm = 3500 g/h 35 t/h 35 t/h
S1 C = 50 ppm Δm = 5250 g/h
Δm = 2500 g/h 65 t/h
Δm = 6500 g/h Δm = 8750
S2 F = 100 t/h g/h
C = 100 ppm
Δm = 10000 g/h 25 t/h
F = 70 t/h
S3 C = 150 ppm
Δm = 10500 g/h 25 t/h
F = 60 t/h
S4 C = 250 ppm
Δm = 15000 g/h
What if violate the first rule?
FW = 50 t/h
FW = 40 t/h C=0
C=0
Start with the cleanest
demand/source first D2
D1
F = 50 t/h F = 100 t/h
C = 20 ppm C = 50 ppm
Δm = 1000 g/h Δm = 5000 g/h

10 t/h 50 t/h
Δm = 1000 g/h Δm = 5000 g/h
F = 100 t/h 40 t/h
S2 C = 100 ppm Δm = 4000 g/h
Δm = 10000 g/h

S1 F = 50 t/h
C = 50 ppm
Δm = 2500 g/h