Heat Exchanger Network Optimization of Naptha Hydrotreating Unit of a Nigerian Refinery Using Pinch Analysis.

Abstract

Energy integration of the naphta hydro treating unit (NHU) of a Nigeria refinery company was carried out using pinch technology. It was revealed that the traditional requirements of utilities for heating and cooling of streams are 21,080,000Kcal/h and 19,340,000Kcal/h respectively. When pinch technology was adopted for the same process, the heating and cooling utilities requirements are 13,950,000Kcal/h and 12,210,000Kcal/h respectively. Optimum minimum temperature difference of 130C was obtained for the determination of utility requirements. The temperature at pinch point was found to be 2050C .For the minimum approach temperature e the utilities targets were found to be 11,940,000Kcal/h and 10,200,000Kcal/h for hot and cold utilities respectively. For maximum energy recovery, the total numbers of heat exchangers is 23 pinch analysis is seen to be an efficient technique for energy integration that saves more energy than utilities cost than the optimum temperature.