TABLE OF CONTENTS Any theory, however ingenious and rigorous, is of little use unless it can be effectively applied in practice on real industrial equipment. Throughout the development of pinch analysis, research and application have gone hand-in-hand and this has ensured that the techniques are practical and usable. This final major section of the Guide illustrates the application of the integration techniques in "real-life" case studies. All of the case studies described are based on engineering designs performed in industry. For space and confidentiality reasons, many details are omitted. However, it is hoped that the material will help the reader to appreciate the use of integration techniques in context. Five studies have been selected to illustrate the breadth of applicability of the techniques, from small-scale batch processes to large complex plants and even a non-process application. Three of these appeared in the first edition of the User Guide (Linnhoff et al. 1982), although development in the techniques has given new insights on them; the other two are more recent. Hopefully, out of the studies presented, the reader will recognise one or more as familiar territory.
Our first case study has been widely publicised in the past, and deservedly so, because it has a place in history as the first pinch study performed on a major operating plant. The techniques were pioneered in industry by ICI plc, and this study took place at one of its associated companies.
The fractionation of crude oil into its major components such...
