Optimum heat integration of Cumene process by heat exchanger network

In process industries, heat exchanger networks represent an important part of the plant structure. The purpose of the networks is to maximize heat recovery, thereby lowering the overall plant costs. This work attempt to present process design of heat exchanger network using pinch technology. Pinch Technology concept based on thermodynamic principles, offers a systematic approach to optimum energy integration in a process. The improvements in the process associated with this technique are not due to the use of advanced unit operations, but to the generation of a heat integration scheme. One of the key advantages of pinch technology over conventional design methods is the ability to set an energy target for the design. The energy target is the minimum theoretical energy demand for the overall process. After introducing cumene manufacturing process, its thermodynamic properties- molar flow rate and temperature values have been used for material balances and energy balances which further results in total energy required for the process. After getting total energy for the process we have calculated heat recovery by finding pinch point with the help of composite curve. Finally we have proposed a heat exchanger network design which shows maximum of heat recovery from different process streams.