Energy integration of hydrodealkylation (HDA) of toluene

Abstract

The chemical industry is constantly making advancements. Previously, large equipment was used to transfer heat, but now the industry has modernized. Energy Integration is a trending area of study that can be applied in several sectors to redesign processes. Energy Integration refers to any technique in chemical engineering that results in smaller, environmentally friendly, and more energy-efficient appliances. The goal of energy integration is to improve energy transfer and reduce the equipment's capacity for heat transfer. Pinch analysis has been used in this study to explain the energy integration of Hydrodealkylation (HDA) of the toluene process by finding the best alternative for the Heat-Exchange Network (HEN). Pinch technology offers a systematic approach to reducing energy use across all sites and activities. By using pinch technology, it is possible to determine the proper alterations to the fundamental process parameters that can result in energy savings. In this study, the DWSIM, a chemical process simulator, has been used to simulate the flowsheet of the HDA process. Data obtained from the flowsheet have been used in the pinch analysis to find the best alternative for the heat exchanger network. Heat exchange from hot utility to cold utility has been done in this study, and a proper HEN has also been elaborated. The heating and cooling requirements for the HDA case study have been estimated using pinch analysis. It is estimated that the hot utility (HU) requirement is 64.19 kW and the cold utility (CU) is 202.83 kW. The detailed analysis suggests a 20–30 % reduction in energy consumption.