Stream Splitting

ENGM071 - Process and Energy Integration

Outline
• Review of HEN Design and Essential Matches
• Rules for splitting above the pinch
• Rules for splitting below the pinch
• Algorithms for stream splitting and matching

2
The Pinch Design Method
Identify essential matches at the pinch
A) Above the Pinch B) Below the Pinch

CPH ≤ CPC CPs in CPH ≥ CPC

4 25 30 3 descending 4 25 20 1
order 2 15
2 15 20 1

Fill the gaps by heat recovery and use of utilities

3
Essential Matches
Essential matches are HEXs at the pinch

At the pinch means there are no other HEXs between an essential match
and the pinch (neither on the cold nor on the hot stream)

✓
✓ × ✓

✓ essential match
× non-essential match
4
Number of Essential Matches (EMs)
Pinch rule: no inappropriate use of utilities
1) no external cooling above the pinch
2) no external heating below the pinch
Implication: use only process-to-process heat transfer near the pinch
(i.e., in the most restricted part of the HEN)
• Above the pinch, at the pinch there should be as many EMs as
hot streams (to satisfy (1))
• Below the pinch, at the pinch there should be as many EMs as
cold streams (to satisfy (2))

5
Stream Splitting

6
Above the Pinch
CP PINCH
CPH ≤ CPC Above the pinch Below the pinch

100°
12 1

100°
20 2
To avoid using a cold utility
100°
7 3 above pinch all the hot
streams must be brought
T > 90° 90°
15 4
to the pinch by process-to-
T > 90° 90° process heat transfer!
30 5
What do we do?
Use a cold utility?.. 7
Split a Cold Stream
CP PINCH
CPH ≤ CPC Above the pinch

100°
12 1 If the number of hot
100° streams at the pinch,
20 2
above the pinch, is
100°
7 3
greater than the number

15
90°
4 of cold streams, then
split a cold stream
90°
30 5

8
Above the Pinch
Rule: essential matching of all the hot streams
is possible* above the pinch if

𝑁H ≤ 𝑁C

• 𝑁H is the number of hot streams

• 𝑁C is the number of cold streams

Otherwise splitting of a cold stream needs to be

considered

* As long as the CP rules are also satisfied!

9
 Below the Pinch
CP PINCH Below the pinch CPH ≥ CPC
100° T < 100°
35 1
To avoid using a hot utility
100° T < 100°
below pinch all the cold 60 2

streams must be brought ?

to the pinch by process-to- 90°
24 3
process heat transfer!
90°
30 4

90°
20 5

10
Split a Hot Stream
CP PINCH Below the pinch CPH ≥ CPC
100°
35 1
If the number of cold
100°
60 2 streams at the pinch,
below the pinch, is
90° greater than the number
24 3
of hot streams, then split
90°
30 4 a hot stream
90°
20 5

11
Below the Pinch
Rule: essential matching of all the cold streams
is possible* below the pinch if

𝑁H ≥ 𝑁C

• 𝑁H is the number of hot streams

• 𝑁C is the number of cold streams

Otherwise splitting of a hot stream needs to be

considered
* As long as the CP rules are also satisfied!
12
No essential matches
CPH ≥ CPC
These rules must be satisfied
NH ≥ NC
5 7 But CP values do not suggest any
4 feasible matches!

PINCH Below the pinch CP

100° 30°
1 5

100° 40°
2 4

90° 15°
3 7

13
A solution
CPH ≥ CPC 𝑄1 = 4 90 − 15 = 300 kW
NH ≥ NC
𝑄2 = 3 90 − 15 = 225 kW
5 4
7 𝑇𝐻1 = 100 − 300Τ5 = 40°C
4 3
𝑇𝐻2 = 100 − 225Τ4 = 43.75°C
PINCH Below the pinch CP

100° 40° 30°

1 C 5

100° 43.75° 40°

2 C 4

Split cold stream 3

90° 4

15°
3 3
7
14
Choosing Split Ratio
What about

CPH ≥ CPC
NH ≥ NC
5 3.5
7
4 3.5

or There is an infinite number of split ratios!

CPH ≥ CPC
NH ≥ NC
5 4.5
7
4 2.5

15
A solution
Attempt to save one unit by ticking off two streams at once
The example eliminates the hot stream and the cold branch, as well as the
second cooler

PINCH Below the pinch CP

100° 43° 30°

1 C 5

100° 40° 40°

2 4

Split cold stream 3

90° 3.8

15°
3 3.2

16
Stream splitting

In general:

• Branch flow rates = Degree of freedom

• Finding the best choice = Optimisation problem

17
Stream splitting
Splitting:
• apart from at the pinch, a stream can be split wherever
convenient (e.g., away from the pinch)

Mixing:
• ideally, consider as two separate streams through to target
temperature 200°
T
50°

50°
• alternatively, streams (or branches) being mixed should be
at the same temperature
T1 T2
200° 50°

50°
18
Stream splitting: Example

Composite curves indicate low

driving forces over a wide
range of enthalpy values

Splitting at the pinch is

not required
However, splitting the cold
stream away from the
pinch allows to meet the
energy targets
19
Stream Splitting Above the Pinch: the
Algorithm
It works but does not cover all
eventualities, e.g. what if some CP
rules are satisfied but others are not?...

… in such a case splitting a cold

stream may be an option (since
we don’t mind having more
cold streams above the pinch!)

R. Smith. Chemical process design and integration, Wiley, 2005 20

Stream Splitting Below the Pinch: the
Algorithm
It works but does not cover all
eventualities, e.g. what if some CP
rules are satisfied but others are not?...

… in such a case splitting a hot

stream may be an option (since
we don’t mind having more hot
streams below the pinch!)

R. Smith. Chemical process design and integration, Wiley, 2005 21