Tutorial 7: Designing and Simulating Heat Exchanger Networks [35 Marks]

PROBLEM 1 [15 Marks]

Energy conservation is important in any chemical plant or process for a profitable

operation. Heat exchanger network design takes into consideration energy integration of
the total process. Heat exchanger network design has been made easier with the use of
simulation software such as HX-NET.

A. Creating a Heat Integration Case

1. Open HX-NET from the 3G4 Course Folder or Faculty and Department
Application folder.
2. We can change the unit preferences in HX-NET. Select Tools and Preferences.
Select the Variables tab. Select Clone and name the unit set. Check the units for
energy in the current unit set by scrolling down in the Display Units group. The
energy unit is currently set to MMkCal/h. Click in the cell and type k. A drop-
down list should appear. Select kW. Scroll down to the MCp value. Select W/C
as the unit of preference. Close the box.
3. On the top menu bar, select Heat Integration and HI Case. You should be on the
Process Streams tab.

Consider the following process with two hot and cold streams. Enter the data into
HX-NET under the appropriate headings. In HX-NET, hot streams are red and cold
streams are blue.

Stream Name MCp (W/oC) Ti (oC) To (oC)

C1 6000 60 160
H2 7000 160 93
C3 5000 116 260
H4 9000 249 138

4. Now we can enter the utilities to be used for heating and cooling. Click on the
Utility Streams tab. Notice the two status bars at the bottom indicating that there
are not enough cold and hot utilities to satisfy the process streams. Under name
select the following utilities from the scroll down list and enter the appropriate
information.

Name Ti (oC) To (oC)

HP Steam 300 249
Cooling Water 38 50

Notice that both utilities are sufficient. HX-NET has built in default costs associated
with each utility. The cost information is required to calculate the operating cost targets
for the system. In this tutorial, we will ignore the economics associated with the system.

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 5. We can view the various energy targets calculated by HX-NET. These targets
represent the performance of an ideal heat exchanger network. To open the
Targets view, click on the Targets button at the bottom left hand corner.
6. Click on the summary tab. The default minimum approach temperature (DT min)
should be 10oC. We will use 10oC as the minimum approach temperature.

1. Fill in the following information (4 marks)

Minimum Heating Utility requirement ________________

Minimum Cooling Utility requirement ________________
Minimum Number of Heat Exchangers required ________________
The Pinch temperature ________________

2. Go to the Plots/Table Tab. Print a Composite Curve. Label the pinch

temperature, minimum cooling utility and minimum heating utility.
(4 marks)

B. Building the Heat Exchanger Network

7. Close the Targets view. You will be returned to the main HI Case view. Open
the Heat Exchanger Network Design view by clicking on the HEN button in the
bottom left hand corner of the HI Case View. The Grid Diagram tab will be
open.

We can now start adding heat exchangers to the design. Currently on the Grid Diagram,
the streams appear dashed. This is because the energy in the streams have yet to be
satisfied. Once these streams are satisfied they will appear solid. The following design is
based on the feasible match criterion above and below the pinch temperature outlined in
lecture. A temperature interval diagram is included at the end of the tutorial to help you
solve and follow along with the design as you build it.

8. Open the list of property presets by clicking on the Open HEN Diagram
Properties View button in the bottom right hand corner. Click on the Edit button
and the Annotations tab. Select Name from the middle list of the heat exchangers
group and Load from the bottom list. This will allow the name of the heat
exchanger and its load to be displayed on the HEN Grid.
9. To start we will match stream H4 with C3. To add a heat exchanger, the Grid
Diagram Palette must be available. Click on the Open Palette View button (looks
like a wrench) in the button bar at the bottom right corner of the Grid Diagram.
10. Move the cursor over the Add Heat Exchanger icon on the Grid Diagram Pallete.
Right click, hold and drag the cursor over stream H4 until the bull’s eye icon
appears. Release the mouse button.

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 11. The heat exchanger will appear as a solid red dot. Attach the heat exchanger to
stream C3. Move the cursor over the red dot, click, hold and drag the cursor to
stream C3. Release the button and the heat exchanger will be added.
12. To open the Heat Exchanger Editor view, double-click on either end of the heat
exchanger. This heat exchanger and all others will be designed as a Shell and
Tube. For this exchanger we know:

Q = MCp∆T = 5 (239-116) = 615 kW = 9 (249- Th)

Since the inlet temperature is known for C3 and outlet temperature for H4 we can
“tie” these values entered on the Process Streams tab. To do this click on the
checkbox labeled Tied. Enter the Heat Load as 615 kW. The heat exchanger
should now be feasible (Green Light will appear at bottom of screen).
Note: Another possibility is to tie all three known temperatures (inlet and outlet
for C3 and outlet for H4). The heat load of 615 kW will be calculated by HX-
NET.

13. Transfer all the heat remaining in stream H4 by adding a heat exchanger between
stream H4 and C1. For this exchanger we know:

Q = MCp∆T = 9 (180.7-138) = 6 (160- Tc)

Select the “Tied” checkbox for the H4 inlet and outlet temperature and C1 outlet
temperature. The heat exchanger should now be feasible.

14. We can transfer heat in stream H2 by adding a heat exchanger between stream H2
and C1. For this exchanger we know:

Q = MCp∆T = 6 (96.0 - 60) = 7 (160- Th)

Select the “Tied” checkbox for the C1 inlet and outlet temperature and H2 inlet
temperature. The heat exchanger should now be feasible.

15. To view the remaining unsatisfied streams, open the Open Unsatisfied Stream
View icon in the bottom right hand corner. The remaining heating requirement
above the pinch in stream C3 is 105.0 kW which is just the minimum heating
requirement supplied from the hot utility. To complete the design above the
pinch, add a heat exchanger between the hot utility and C3. For this exchanger
we know:

Q = MCp∆T = 5 (260-239) = 105 kW

Select the “Tied” checkbox for the C3 outlet temperature and enter a load of 105
kW. The heat exchanger should now be feasible.

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 16. The remaining heat that needs to be rejected by stream H2 is 253.0 kW which is
the minimum cooling requirement supplied from the cold utility. To complete the
design below the pinch, add a heat exchanger between the cold utility and H2.
For this exchanger we know:

Q = MCp∆T = 7 (129.1-93) = 253.0 kW

Select the “Tied” checkbox for the H2 inlet temperature and enter a load of 253
kW. At the bottom of the HEN Grid Diagram a green light should appear stating
that there are zero unsatisfied and infeasible streams. If this does not occur
consult your TA. Save your design to a disk. The heat exchanger network design
is complete.

What is the area of the heat exchangers? (3 marks)

Between H4 Æ C3 (E-100) ________________

Between H4 Æ C1 (E-101) ________________
Between H2 Æ C1 (E-102) ________________

Print a copy of your HEN Diagram (4 marks)

APPENDIX

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PROBLEM 2 [20 Marks]

Note: This problem is to be done by hand

Streams FCp (Btu/oF hr) Ti (oF) To (oF)

H1 1000 250 120
H2 4000 200 100
C1 3000 90 150
C2 6000 130 190
Steam (Saturated Steam) 300
Cooling water 70
The minimum approach temperature is 20oF.

a) Determine: the minimum heating utility requirement, the minimum cooling utility
requirement, the pinch temperature, the minimum number of heat exchangers
required.
b) Draw a composite heat diagram (label the pinch temperature, minimum cooling
utility, and minimum heating utility).
c) Derive a minimum utility heat exchanger network.
d) Derive a minimum number of units heat exchanger network.

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For HX-NET Problem:

Stream H2 H4 C1 C3
MCp (kW/oC) 7 9 Th T6c 6 5
270 260 Above Pinch

Q = 105 kW
249 239

200 190
Q = 999 kW

Q = 615 kW

150 140

Q = 469 kW

100 90 Q = 600 kW

Below Pinch
50 40
Q = 469 +999 –660 – 615 = 253 kW

Figure 1. Shifted Temperature Diagram

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