Review
of Heat Exchanger Network Retrofitting Methodologies and Their Applications
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Abstract
Heat exchanger network (HEN) retrofitting
improves heat recovery and thus reduces energy required in existing
plants. This can be achieved by either increasing the heat transfer
area and/or using heat transfer enhancements to increase heat transfer
coefficients. There is an increasing interest in HEN retrofitting
as can be seen from 20 journal papers since 2009 (about 5 years) compared
to 15 in the 10-year period 1999β2008. In total, there are
about 60 journal papers on HEN retrofitting since the year 1985; however,
in the past 20 years, there has been no review paper summarizing HEN
retrofitting methodologies and their applications. This provides the
motivation for this review paper. HEN retrofitting methods can be
classified into three broad categories, namely, mathematical programming
based methods, pinch analysis based methods, and hybrid methods according
to their underlying approach. Further, some HEN retrofitting methods
include pressure drop considerations, and HEN retrofitting can be
using heat transfer enhancements. This paper reviews all these methods
and their applications in each of these categories. Finally, it discusses
alternate solutions of five application problems solved by several
methods/researchers and/or for different objectives. Review of HEN
retrofitting methods and their applications presented in this paper
will be useful to both researchers and practitioners