A generalised guideline for process changes for resource conservation networks

Abstract

In the past one and a half decades, resource conservation network (RCN) synthesis has been well accepted by both academics and industrial practitioners in enhancing sustainability aspect for the process industry. Various insight-based pinch analysis and mathematical optimisation techniques have been proposed to synthesise optimum RCN. For the former, the developments to date have been focusing on various targeting and design tools, with very little emphasis on the systematic assessment of process changes. The latter involves the modification of process operating conditions (e.g., flowrate, concentration, temperature, etc.), which leads to further reduction of minimum fresh resource flowrates. In this study, the plus-minus principle in heat exchanger network synthesis is extended for use with graphical targeting tool in assessing opportunities for process changes in the RCN of fixed-flowrate problems, aiming to further reduce its minimum fresh resource flowrate. Literature examples are used for illustration.