Process integration

Process integration is a term in chemical engineering which has two possible meanings.

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1. A holistic approach to process design which considers the interactions between different unit operations from the outset, rather than optimising them separately. This can also be called integrated process design or process synthesis. Smith (2005) describes the approach well. An important first step is often product design (Cussler and Moggridge 2003) which develops the specification for the product to fulfil its required purpose.

2. Pinch analysis, a technique for designing a process to minimise energy consumption and maximise heat recovery, also known as heat integration, energy integration or pinch technology. The technique calculates thermodynamically attainable energy targets for a given process and identifies how to achieve them. A key insight is the pinch temperature, which is the most constrained point in the process. The most detailed explanation of the techniques is by Kemp (2006).

References

Cussler, E.L. and Moggridge, G.D. (2001). Chemical Product Design. Cambridge University Press (Cambridge Series in Chemical Engineering). ISBN: 0521791839

Kemp, I.C. (2006). Pinch Analysis and Process Integration: A User Guide on Process Integration for the Efficient Use of Energy, 2nd edition. Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN: 0750682604

Smith, R. (2005). Chemical Process Design and Integration. John Wiley and Sons. ISBN: 0471486809