Neeraj Kuarsingh ENCH3HE SI Session 1&2 Notes
05/03/2025
Time: 12:20 to 14:00
There are two ways to approach Pinch Questions, the graphical way (composite curves) and the numerical
way which is the table method.
➢ Δ𝑇𝑚𝑖𝑛 is known as the minimum allowable temperature difference (approach) to be used in a plant
or specific heat exchanger. In chemical Industry this value does not exceed 50°C and is usually in the
range of: 10°𝐶 ≤ Δ𝑇𝑚𝑖𝑛 ≤ 20°𝐶
➢ Δ𝑇𝑚𝑖𝑛 is also an indicator of how close composite curves could be (vertically) relative to each other
at any time. i.e.: if Δ𝑇𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 20°C, the curves can never have a distance smaller than 20°C between
each other at any given time/enthalpy
Important Distinctions:
Δ𝐻 = 𝑞
𝐶𝑝 = 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦
𝐶𝑃 = 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝐹𝑙𝑜𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑒 ∶ [𝑚̇𝐶𝑝 ]
𝑄𝑐𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝑄𝑐,0 − 𝑄𝐻,𝑓 (1)
𝑄𝐻𝑚𝑖𝑛 = 𝑄𝑐,𝑓 − 𝑄𝐻,0 (2)
Method 1: graphical Method
When generating a composite curve, we note the following two properties:
1) CP is inversely proportional to slope and
2) CP are additive
This infers that for a composite curve:
Δ𝐻
∑ 𝐶𝑃 = (3)
Δ𝑇
Graphical method: Using Composite Curves
Algorithm
1. Obtain a table of values, most important is your H value.
2. Add the two highest enthalpy values in your table and that will be the range of enthalpy on your X-axis
(helps to round up to a whole number for convenience)
3. Draw horizontal lines at the temperatures that are in your problem table.
4. Draw normal Hot and cold curves. *Noting that all hot streams start at a non-zero enthalpy value and
must end at a zero value and cold streams start at the value you calculated in number 2
Δ𝐻
5. Using 𝛴𝐶𝑃 = Δ𝑇
, find new enthalpy points at the relevant temperatures and construct the composite
curves on the same axis. NOTE: for the hot composite curve start calculating from the bottom to the top,
for the cold composite it is recommended to start from the top to the bottom.
6. Identify pinch point (elbow-like points that are close to each other but do not touch)
7. Pick a either a hot and cold stream to shift to the right or left by Δ𝑇𝑚𝑖𝑛 units (note to shift at the pinch
temperature!).
8. Identify the shift value (initial pinch enthalpy value- shifted pinch enthalpy value)
9. Create a new table adding the value found in number 9 to your original enthalpy values.
10. Calculate 𝑄𝐻𝑚𝑖𝑛 and 𝑄𝑐𝑚𝑖𝑛
Problem Table Algorithm
1
1) Determine shifted temperatures using the formula 𝑇𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑓𝑡 = 𝑇 − Δ𝑇𝑚𝑖𝑛
2
2) Construct the problem table (preferably landscape) with the following headings, ensuring the stream
lines columns is larger than the rest of the columns:
Intervals Δ𝑇°C ∑𝐶𝑃𝑐 Δ𝐻 (𝑘𝑊) Heat Corrected Stream
− ∑𝐶𝑃𝐻 Cascade heat lines
cascade
3) Obtain Δ𝑇 values by subtracting adjacent intervals (ie: top interval – bottom interval) from each
other
4) Draw your hot and cold stream lines (ensure they are correct as this is the most important step)
5) Read across each interval and obtain the ∑𝐶𝑃𝑐 − ∑𝐶𝑃𝐻 values by calculation
6) Obtain Δ𝐻 by multiplying Δ𝑇°C by the ∑𝐶𝑃𝑐 − ∑𝐶𝑃𝐻 column.
7) Obtain your heat cascade values by subtracting adjacent Δ𝐻 values. Note the First value is always 0-
Δ𝐻1.
8) Find the smallest number in the Heat cascade column and take the absolute value of it, that will be
the starting value in your corrected heat cascade column.
9) Take the corrected heat cascade values and subtract it from the adjacent Δ𝐻 values to fill the
column.
10) Determine 𝑄ℎ and 𝑄𝑐 min values by inspection.
1
11) Hot and cold Pinch Points are determined by adding and subtracting 2 Δ𝑇𝑚𝑖𝑛 to the temperature
interval at which the corrected heat cascade =0
