GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

Module04:Targeting
Lecture12:GrandCompositeCurve
Whilecompositecurvesprovideoverallenergytargets,thesedonotindicatetheamountof
energythatshouldbesuppliedatdifferenttemperaturelevelsthroughutilities.

A graph of net heat flow against shifted temperature can be plotted from the data of the
Problem Table (heat cascade) or it can be plotted from shifted temperature level composite
curves. This graph is known as the Grand Composite Curve (GCC). It highlights process/utility
interface.Itindicatesthedifferencebetweentheheatavailablefromtheprocesshotstreams
and the heat required by the process cold streams, relative to the pinch, at a given shifted
temperature. Thus, the GCC is a plot of the net heat flow against the shifted (interval)
temperature. It is also called residual heat curve. This is also a tool used for setting multiple
utility targets and placement of equipment such as heat engines, heat pumps, distillation
column, drier, evaporator, furnaces, CHP and to any other unit operation, be it process or
utility,whichcouldberepresentedintermsofsourceandsink.
ConstructionofGCCusingPTAdata

AfoursstreamproblemasdiscussedinLecture11problemTableAlgorithmasgiveninTable
4.2consideredforgenerationofGCC.
Table4.2FourstreamproblemforPTAforTminequalto10C.
Stream StreamType CP ActualTemperatures Shifted
SerialNo. (KW/K) Temperatures
Ts(0C) Tt(0C) Ts(0C) Tt(0C)
1 Cold 2.25 20 135 25 140
2 Hot 3 170 60 165 55
3 Cold 4.25 80 140 85 145
4 Hot 2 150 30 145 25
ThePTAfortheaboveproblemisreproducedinFig.4.8below:

FromHotUtility FromHotUtility


165 0 18.75
1 H=60kW 0(60)=60 H=+60kW

145 78.75
2 H=3.75kW H=+3.75kW

140 60(3.75)=63.75 82.5
3 H=+82.5kW H=82.5kW

85 63.7582.5=18.75 0
4 H=82.5kW H=+82.5kW

55 18.75(82.5)=63.75 82.5
5 H=+7.5kW H= 7.5kW

25 63.757.5=56.25 75

ToColdUtility ToColdUtility
(b)Transferofcascadesurplusheatfromhigh (c)Addheatthroughhotutilitytomakeall
tolowtemperature heatflowpositiveoratleastzero
Fig.4.8 Problemtablecascade
 GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

Fig4.9showstheGCCfortheproblemshowninTable4.2.Itisconstructedusingthedata
giveninFig.4.8.

Shifted
Temp.,C
Shifted

Temp.,C
180
Hotutility=18.75kW
165 18.75kW
165
78.75kW 78.75kW
145 145

140 140 82.5kW
82.5kW Processtoprocess
HeatTransfer



85 PinchPoint 0kW
0kW 85

Processtoprocess
HeatTransfer
55 82.5kW 82.5kW
55


25 Coldutility=75kW
75kW 25 H,kW
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Fig4.9ConstructionofGrandCompositeCurvefromPTAdataforprobleminTable4.2

The values of net heat flow to the top and from the bottom end of the PTA are the heat supplied
to and removed from the cascade, and thus indicates the hot and cold utility targets. GCC not
only informs about how much net heating and cooling is required, but also provides an
opportunity to find at what temperature levels it is needed ? Thus, there is no need to supply all
the utility heating at the highest temperature interval. Instead, a considerable amount of it can be
supplied at lower temperatures bringing down the utility cost. In GCC the pinch is also easily
identifiedasthepointwherenetheatflowis0.AtthispointtheGCCtouchesthetemperature
axis.

By watching GCC one can easily indentify the nature of problem. For example if pinch point
occursatoneendofthetemperaturerangethenitisathresholdproblem.Similarlysingle,
doubleandmultiplepinchproblemscanbeidentifiedwithease.

ConstructionofGCCusingcompositecurves

AnalternateprocedureforconstructionofGCCisthroughcompositecurves.Theconstruction
ofGCCusingcompositecurvesisillustratedinFig4.10.Fig.4.10(a)showsthehotandcold
compositecurvewhereasFig4.10(b)showsthehotandcoldcompositecurvesusingshifted
temperatures.Fig.4.10(c)showshowGrandCompositecurvecanbeconstructedusing
compositecurvewithshiftedtemperatures.


 GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

Actual
Temp.,C


170
150
145
140
HotComposite

HotPinch ColdComposite
90

80 T min =10C
ColdPinch
60

30
H,kW
20
0 100 200 300 400 500 600

(a)HotandcoldCompositecurves

Shifted
Temp.,C
Shifted

Temp.,C
180 180 Min.Hotutility=18.75
Min.Hotutility=18.75kW
165 165 kW
78.75kW
145 145
78.75kW
140 140 82.5kW
82.5kW Processtoprocess
Hotcomposite HeatTransfer
Coldcomposite
PinchPoint 0kW
85 85
Processtoprocess
82.5kW 82.5kW
HeatTransfer
55 55
Min.Coldutility=75kW
H,kW Min.Coldutility=75kW
H,kW
25 25
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
(b)HotandColdcompositecurvewithshifted (c) GrandCompositeCurve

Fig.4.10ConstructionofGrandCompositeCurveusingcomposite

PropertiesofGrandCompositeCurve

The GCC provides a graphical representation of the heat flow through the process from hot utility to
thosepartsoftheprocessabovethepinchpoint,andfromtheprocessbelowthepinchpointtothecold
utility.BecausetheGCCrepresentsheatflowinanidealprocessthereisnoheatflowthroughthepinch
point.HoweverinanonidealcaseheatmaypassthroughthepinchpointasshowninFig4.11(b).In
Fig.4.11(a) the hot utility transfers heat vertically to the segment ab in the above pinch region.
Hence,itisaheatsink.Whereas,inbelowpinchregion,thesegmentacrejectsitsheattothecold
utility making it a heat source. For a nonideal case ( Fig 4.11(b)) where 10 kW heat is transferred
throughpinch,thehotandcoldutilityamountincreasesby10kWeach.

 GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12
Shifted Shifted
Temp.,C Temp.,C
Min.Hotutility=18.75kW Min.Hotutility=28.75kW

180 180
AbovePinch
165 165

HeatSink
145 Processtoprocess 145 Processtoprocess
140 140
HeatTransfer HeatTransfer

Processtoprocess
b
HeatTransfer
85
a PinchPoint;0kW 85 PinchPoint;10kW Processtoprocess
BelowPinch HeatTransfer

HeatSource
c
55 55

25 25

Min.Coldutility=75kW Min.Coldutility=85kW H,kW

H,kW
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80
(a) IdealGCC (b)NonidealGCC

Fig.4.11GrandCompositeCurve

TheGrandCompositecurveisnotonlyausefultoolforenergytargetingandselectionofmulti
temperaturelevelutilities,butalsohelpsin understandingtheinterfacebetweentheprocess
andtheutilitysystem.Itisalsoanusefultooltostudytheinteractionbetweenheatintegrated
reactors,evaporatorsandseparatorsandrestoftheprocess.TheregionswheretheGCCbends
back on itself and net heat can be exchanged between different temperature intervals are
knownaspocketsorreentrants(Theareacoveredbypattern).Notethattheydonotrepresent
alltheheatexchangetakingplacebetweenhotandcoldstreams,whichisonlyrevealedbythe
composite curves. For the fourstream Example of Table 4.2, the total heat exchange in the
processis485kWbutonly73kWoccursinthepockets(65aboveand8belowthepinch).The
profile of the GCC represents residual heating and cooling demands after recovering heat within the
process.
GCCforThresholdproblems

TodemonstrateGGCofthresholdproblemstwofourstreamproblemsonegiveninTable4.4
requiringonlyhotutilityandtheotherinTable3.9requiringonlycoldutilityisconsidered.
ThesetablesarereproducedfromModule4and3.

Table4.4AfourstreamproblemformodifiedProblemTableAlgorithmforTmin=10C
Stream Stream Heat Capacity Source Target
Number Type FlowRate Temperature Temperature
0 0
(kW/ C) ( C) (0C)
1 HOT 2.5 150 60
2 HOT 8.0 90 60
3 COLD 3.0 20 125
4 COLD 3.0 25 100
 GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

(a)
(b)


QHmin=75kW QHmin =75kW





QCmin=0kW QCmin=0kW




Fig.4.12(a)Compositecurves and(b)GCCforthresholdproblemofTable4.4


Table3.9:FourstreamproblemutilitypredictionforTminequalto10C.
Nameofthestream SupplyTemperature TargetTemperature CP H
Ts,C Tt,C kW/C kW
Hot1 190 55 3.5 472.5
Hot2 155 40 1.8 207
Cold1 20 140 2 240
Cold2 70 150 2.5 200





(a) (b)




QHmin=0kW




QHmin=0kW
QHmin=239.5kW QCmin=239.5kW


Fig.4.13CompositecurvesandGCCforthresholdproblemofTable3.9
GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

Multiple Utility Targeting with the Grand Composite Curve

Several utilities having different temperature levels are used in processes to cool or heat
process streams. Common hot utilities used for process heating are steam at different
pressures,thermalfluidorhotoil,fluegas,heatrejectedfromheatengines,exhaustheatfrom
refrigeration system and heat pump condensers and electrical heating. Similarly cold utilities
used are cooling water, air, steam raising and boiler feed water heating, refrigerated fluid,
chilled water, heat pump evaporator, reboilers of distillation column and heat engines below
thepinch.

The utilities can be divided as constant and variable temperature utilities. For example a
condensing steam, provides latent heat of condensation at a single temperature. Thus it is a
constanttemperature utility. Whereas, the hot flue gas provides sensible heat over a
temperaturerangeand thus canbecalledavariabletemperatureutility. Some utilitiesarea
mixofbothtypes.Thecommonexampleofsuchautilityisheatingusingafurnaceaswellas
hot gases released from the furnace. Whereas, heating inside a furnace can be termed as
constanttemperature,heatingbyfluegasesreleasedfromfurnaceisofvariabletemperature.

Tominimizeenergycostthedesignershouldmaximizetheuseofcheaperutilitylevelsandat
the same time minimize the use of expensive utility levels. For example a designer should
maximizetheuseofLowpressure(LP)steamthanmediumpressure(MP)andhighpressure(HP)
steam.Similarly,oneshouldmaximizetheuseofcoolingwaterratherthanrefrigeration.

ThetoolthatisusedfortargetingmultipleutilitiesistheGrandCompositeCurve,whichplots
processenergydeficit(abovepinch)andenergysurplus(belowpinch)asafunctionofshifted
temperature.

MultipleconstanttemperatureutilityTargeting
ThesameGCCshowninFig.4.11isreproducedbelow.Inthebasecaseshownbelowitcanbe
seenthatthedeficitheatintheabovepinchareaissuppliedbyHighPressure(HP)steamatthe
highest temperature level which is higher than Tmin from the next lower temperature level.
WiththisheatfromHPsteamtheabovepinchsectionisinheatbalance.However,ifonelooks
intothecostaspects,thenhewillrealizethatalowpressure(LP)steamwouldhavebeenaright
choicetosupplyheatwhichcostsfarlessthantheHPsteamasshowninFig4.14(b).

 GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

Shifted Shifted
Temp.,C
Temp.,C
Min.Hotutility=18.75kW Min.Hotutility=18.75kW
180 180
HPsteam AbovePinch AbovePinch
165 165

145 145
140 140


LPsteam
0kW UtilityPinch
PinchPoint; a PinchPoint;0kW
85 85
BelowPinch BelowPinch
CU3
CU2 b
55 55
CU1

25 25
UtilityPinch
Coldutility
Min.Coldutility=75kW Min.Coldutility=75kW
H,kW H,kW

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

(a) (b)
Fig.4.14MultipleutilitytargetingusingGrandComposite

Similarly,inFig.4.14(a)thecoldutilityisprovidedatthelowesttemperatureleveltocoldab
segment of GCC. This can be substituted with three cold utilities (CU1,CU2 and CU3) at far
higher temperatures to satisfy the cooling requirements ( Fig.4.14(b)). By doing so, one can
decreasethecostofcoldutility.However,whenmultipleutilitiesareused,itcreatesmultiple
utility pinch and the design becomes somewhat complex. Though use of multiple utility
decreases the operating cost of utility it increases the fixed cost of heat exchange. Thus, the
designer should strike a balance between fixed and operating costs while suggesting multiple
utilities. The opportunity to use multiple utilities largely depends on the nature of the GCC
curve.

To give a feel how multiple utilities are employed Fig.4.15 is drawn. Fig.4.16 shows how
multipleutilitycanbetargetedthroughcompositecurveandhowutilitypinchesarecreatedin
multipleutilitytargeting.











 GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

Boiler

Boiler

Feed Steam

Water Turbine Power
Fuel
HPsteam
MPsteam
LPsteam

VeryLowPressuresteam



Boilerwaterheating




Fig.4.15ShowshowmultipleutilitiesareplacedinGCC
T
T
HPSteam
MPsteam
HPSteam


ProcessPinch ProcessPinch LPSteam
Tmin
Tmin
Tmin
Tmin Tmin UtilityPinch
VLPsteam
CU H CU H
(a) (b)

Fig.4.16Multipleutilitytargetingusingbalancedcompositecurveandcreationofutilitypinch
VariabletemperatureutilityTargeting

Variabletemperatureutilitiestransfersensibleheatandthereforeitstemperatureincreasesor
decreasesdependingonwhetheritreceivesheatorgivesheat.Commonexamplesarehotoil
circuits, exhaust gases from CHP systems, flue gases from boilers, boiler feed water being
preheatedandcoolingwater.buttheutilityitselfplotsasaslopinglineinsteadofahorizontal
oneThecorrectplacementprincipleare:hotutilitiesshouldbeusedabovethepinchofthe
GCCandcoldutilitiesbelow.Inthiscase,theutilityplotsareslopinglineinsteadofahorizontal
one(asinthecaseofconstanttemperatureutility).

Forsuchutilities,thereisachoiceofmaximumtemperature,andonehastoselectitbasedon
fixedandoperatingcosttradeoffs.Further,itshouldbecheckedwhethertheutilitystreamis
usedonceonly(e.g.fluegaswhichisrejectedtoatmosphereaftertransferofheat)orre
circulated(e.g.hotoilcircuitswherethehotoilaftertransferringheatisreturnedtoafurnace
GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

forreheatingorcoolingwatersystemswhereaftercoolingahotstreamitissenttocooling
towertorejectitsheat).

Fig.4.17(a)showsrecirculatedhotoilashotutilityandFig.4.17(b)showsgasturbineexhaust
asoncethroughhotutility.Itshouldbenotedthatinaoncethroughhotutilityalltheheatis
nottransferredtothesystemandapartofitisrejectedtoatmospherewhichisafunctionof
itsinlettemperature.

Hotoil
Return

Fuel H

(a) Useofhotoilashotutility
Flue
Fuel gas
Propulsion
Combustion
Generator Chamber PowerCoupling Flue
T
gas
Compressor Turbine
Turbine
Atmospheric Exhaust
airintake

H
Stack
(b) UseFluegasfromgasturbineashotutility StackLoss
Fig.4.17 Variabletemperatureutilitytargeting

Mixed utility targeting

Bothtypesofutilitiessuchasconstanttemperatureandvariabletemperatureutilitiescanbe
appliedagivenGCCfortargeting.Fig.4.18showsasuchexamplewhereconstanttemperature
hotutilitiesintermsofsteamatdifferentpressureisusedintheabovepinchregionanda
mixtureofbothtypesofutilities(Generationofstream,boilerwaterpreheating,vapor
superheatingandcoolingwithcoldwater)isemployedinthebelowpinchregionoftheGCC.
GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

Shifted QHmin
Temp.,C HPsteam

MPsteam


Above
Pinch

Pinch


Below
Pinch
LPstream

raising

Boiling
Super BFW Cooling
Heating Preheat Water

QCmin
H,kW


Fig4.18 MixedutilitytargetingusingGCC

HeatRecoveryfromthepocketsofGCC

IfthereisenoughpotentialintermsofTorloadinapocketofGCC,itcanbeutilizedtosave
utility.ThisisshowninFig.4.19(a)&(b).Fig.4.19(a)showsthebelowpinchregionofaGCC.It
showsthatthereisasubstantialscopetosaveandgenerateutilityusingthispocket.Fig.4.19(b)
shows that MP steam can be raised using a part of this pocket. To maintain a heat balance
insidethispocketLPsteamisprovidedfromtheoutsideatalowertemperature.

 GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

Shifted Shifted

T,C BelowPinch T,C Source
Profile BelowPinch

MPstreamraising

ReducedPocket
Pocket

LPsteam
Sink
Profile

Source
H,kW Profile H,kW
(a) (b)

Fig.4.19UtilizationofGrandCompositeCurvepocket




IntegrationofEquipmentwithBackgroundGCC

TodemonstratetheintegrationofMultipleEffectEvaporator(MEE)systemwithabackground
process given in Fig. 4.18, Fig.4.20 is drawn. Fig.4.20 shows that a part of HP steam can be
replacedbyLPsteamtoreducetheutilitycost.However,therecanbeotheralternativewhich
HPsteamforanamountofQHminbutalsointegratesanequipmentorasetofequipmentwith
theGCCsothattheseequipmentfunctionwithouttheneedofanyutility.Inotherwordsthese
rideontheGCCfreeofcost.SuchanexampleisdemonstratedinFig.4.20Itcanbeseenthat
the above pinch region of the GCC offers large driving force( T). This can be utilized to
integrateasixeffectMEEsystemintotheupperpartoftheGCCasdemonstratedinFig.4.20
Though in this arrangement QHmin amount of HP steam is supplied to the GCC which
completely satisfy the requirement of the upper part of GCC, in addition it also satisfies the
steamrequirementforasixeffectMEEsystem.ThustheMEEsystemrunsalmostfreeofcost
onthebackgroundGCC.










GrandCompositeCurve Module04 Lecture12

QHmin
Shifted
Temp.,C HPsteam

Eff.05 Eff.06
Eff.04

Eff.03

Eff.02
Above
Eff01
Pinch

Pinch

Below
Pinch

QCmin
H,kW

Fig.4.20 IntegrationofevaporatorwithbackgroundGCC

References

1. http://ectcvarennes.nrcan.gc.ca
2. Linnhoff March, Introduction to Pinch Technology Targeting House, Gadbrook Park,
Northwich,Cheshire,CW97UZ,England
3. ChemicalProcessDesignandIntegration,RobinSmith,JohnWiley&SonsLtd.
4. IanCKemp,PinchAnalysisandprocessintegration,auserguideonprocessintegration
foreffectiveuseofenergy,IChemE,ElsevierLimited,2007.