Optimization of heat exchanger network in the dehydration process using utility pinch analysis

Moon Jeong; Seon Gyun Rho; Choon-Hyoung Kang; In Ju Hwang

Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering, Vol.37, No.9, 1565-1572, September, 2020

DOI10.1007/s11814-020-0540-3 Export Citation

Optimization of heat exchanger network in the dehydration process using utility pinch analysis

Moon Jeong, Seon Gyun Rho¹, Choon-Hyoung Kang^{2, †}, and In Ju Hwang^{3, †}

Department of Chemical & Industrial Eng., Hanyeong University, Yeosu-si, Jeollanam-do 59720, Korea
¹Department of Fire Service Admin., Honam University, Gwangju 62399, Korea
²School of Chem. Eng., Chonnam National University, Gwangju 61186, Korea
³Korea Institute of Civil Eng. and Building Tech., Goyang-si, Gyeonggi-do 10223, Korea

E-mail:,

Pinch analysis was applied to optimize the heat exchange network used in the moisture removal processes of energy plants. The moisture removal process absorbs moisture from natural gas using glycol as an absorbent, and the recycling process then separates moisture from the H2O-rich glycol in a regenerator column by applying the principle of vapor-liquid equilibria. For the dehydration process of a natural gas plant, the heat and mass flows are properly established and calculated by means of a static process model for a utility system embedded in the process based on the properties of natural gas. The results of the calculation generate a T-H composite curve that can be used to compare the pinch and to assess the installation and operating costs for the target temperature. The results show that approximately 61% of the total heat supply can be replaced with low-pressure steam, depending on the optimization of the heat exchanger network of the moisture removal process. Further, the annual operating costs can be reduced by about 17% in this case.

Keywords:Dehydration Process;Heat Exchanger Network;Pinch Analysis;Plant Engineering;Cold Region

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[Related Articles]

[1] Eggleston S, Buendia L, Wa K, Ngara T, Tanabe K, IPCC guidelines for national greenhouse gas inventories, IPCC (2006).

[2] Yeo GC, NICE, 28(1), 32 (2010)

[3] Nguyen TV, Pierobon L, Elmegaard B, Haglind F, Breuhaus P, Voldsund M, Energy, 62, 23 (2013)

[4] Bengtsson C, Nordman R, Berntsson T, Appl. Therm. Eng., 22(9), 1069 (2002)

[5] Quesada I, Grossmann IE, Comput. Chem. Eng., 19(12), 1219 (1995)

[6] Linnhoff B, Comput. Chem. Eng., 3, 295 (1979)

[7] Ebrahim M, Kawari A, Appl. Energy, 65(1-4), 45 (2000)

[8] Geldermann J, Treitz M, Rentz O, Eur. J. Opera. Res., 171, 1020 (2006)

[9] Ryu HW, Kim NG, Kang SO, Oh M, Lee CH, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 36(8), 1226 (2019)

[10] Smith R, Jobson M, Chen L, Appl. Therm. Eng., 30(16), 2281 (2010)

[11] Ebrahim M, Kawari A, Appl. Energy, 65(1-4), 45 (2000)

[12] Song DS, Yoon YG, Lee CJ, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 35(12), 2348 (2018)

[13] Yoon SG, Lee J, Park S, Appl. Therm. Eng., 27(5), 886 (2007)

[14] Tuan CI, Yeh YL, Hsu LF, Chen TC, Korean J. Chem. Eng., 29(3), 341 (2012)

[15] Mokhatab S, Poe W, Speight J, Handbook of natural gas transmission and processing, 3rd Ed., Gulf Professional Publishing, Oxford (2015).

[16] Peng DY, Robinson DB, Ind. Eng. Chem. Fundam., 15(1), 59 (1976)

[17] Pitzer KS, Thermodynamic, 3rd Ed., McGraw-Hill, New York (1955).

[18] Kemp IC, Pinch analysis and process integration, Elsevier Publication, Oxford (2008).

[19] Aspen energy analyzer: user guide, Aspen Technology Inc., Cambridge (2011).

[20] Basic design package for LNG test bed train No. 1, GS E&C, Seoul (2010).