Abstract
Abstract Multi stream heat exchangers (MHEXs) allow simultaneous heat exchange among multiple streams. These exchangers are usually used in energy-intensive applications such as natural gas liquefaction, air separation, etc. Minimizing the energy consumption of processes with existing MHEXs is crucial, but reliable system-wide operational optimization requires the knowledge of flow distribution and individual heat-transfer areas of the exchanging streams in MHEXs. However, MHEXs are virtually black boxes due to their proprietary designs and complex geometry. In this work, we present a generic non-linear programming (NLP) model to estimate the flow distribution and heat transfer areas for each pair of exchanging streams in an MHEX based on its historic operational data. We apply the developed geometry-independent model on the main cryogenic heat exchanger (MCHE) from an existing C3MR LNG plant and estimate its heat transfer parameters successfully. These parameters can then be used for the operational optimization of the process.
Published Version
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