A Systematic Approach for the Optimal Operation and Maintenance of Heat Exchanger Networks

摘要

An automatic approach to study the behaviour of an existing heat exchanger network design when the operating conditions vary is presented. The purpose of this methodology is to facilitate the involvement of the engineer in the daily operation and maintenance of the network and its optimal performance prediction. The approach also assists in proposing improvements in the design that could lead to retrofit implementations. The final aim of the proposed methodology is to provide a tool capable of monitoring the performance of the individual heat exchanger units. Specification of the fouling factor is the first step in this direction. An example showing the application of this approach to a crude distillation column preheat train is presented.