Simulating a heat exchanger with a pinch point

Consider cooling of 1kmol/hr of propane from 100 °C to its saturated liquid condition at a pressure of 12 bar using 1 kmol/hr of air at 25 °C in a counter-
flow heat exchanger.

Create a flowsheet with just one block (Heat Exchangers, MHeatX, Counter2) in Aspen Plus as shown below.

Add propane to list of components in the data browser as shown below

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Click Yes, Next (N->) twice, followed by OK

Add the input parameters of stream 1 (propane) as shown below

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Add the input parameters of stream 3 (air) as shown below

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Add heat exchanger input as shown below. Choose stream 2 specification as Vapour fraction and a value of zero (saturated liquid condition).

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Add zone analysis data as shown below

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Run the simulation. And check the results of the heat exchanger block (exchanger).

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Note that the minimum temperature approach (Thot – Tcold) is less than that at the hot and the cold end. Draw the temperature profiles using the zone
analysis results.

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 30.0 35.0 40.0 45.0 50.0 55.0 60.0 65.0 70.0 75.0 80.0 85.0 90.0 95.0100.0

Block B1 (MHeatX) Results Zone Profiles

T-Hot
T-Cold
TEMPERATURE C

0.0 200.0 400.0 600.0 800.0 1000.0 1200.0 1400.0 1600.0 1800.0 2000.0 2200.0 2400.0 2600.0 2800.0 3000.0 3200.0 3400.0 3600.0 3800.0 4000.0 4200.0 4400.0 4600.0 4800.0 5000.0 5200.0 5400.0 5600.0
Cumulative Duty Watt

Change the stream 3 mole flow rate to 10 kmol/hr and rerun the simulation. The temperature profiles of the hot and cold fluid streams in the heat
exchanger cross each other as shown below.

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 30.035.040.045.050.055.060.065.070.075.080.085.090.095.0100.0

Block B1 (MHeatX) Results Zone Profiles

T-Hot
T-Cold
TEMPERATURE C

0.0 200.0 400.0 600.0 800.0 1000.01200.01400.01600.01800.02000.02200.02400.02600.02800.03000.03200.03400.03600.03800.04000.04200.04400.04600.04800.05000.05200.05400.05600.0

Cumulative Duty Watt

The temperature of the hot stream can never be less than that of the cold stream as it violates the Second law of thermodynamics. This would not have
been apparent from the temperature difference between the hot and cold streams at the two ends of the heat exchanger alone.

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It is advisable to use MHeatX in all systems undergoing phase change and large temperature/property change along the heat exchanger length. You may
wish to refer to the section on pinch points in Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 of reference [1] to understand pinch points in heat exchangers.

Homework: Determine the flow rate of air for the minimum temperature approach between the streams is (a) zero (b) 10 K using the design spec.

Reference

1. G. Venkatarathnam, Cryogenic Mixed Refrigerant Processes, Springer, NY, 2008

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