Pinch analysis-based approach to conceptual design of internally heat-integrated distillation columns

This paper demonstrates the usability of pinch analysis as a tool for conceptual design of internally heat integrated distillations columns (HIDiCs). Incorporated appropriately into the overall design procedure, pinch analysis enables a fast approach to an optimum thermal performance, while bringing new insights and improving the understanding of the nature of HIDiC designs. As illustrated by using a state of the art propylene splitter as the base case, this approach emerged into an essential tool for the identification of economically interesting configurations for HIDiC applications.