Page 218 - Sustainability in the Process Industry Integration and Optimization

S o f t wa r e T o o l s 195

9.3 Heat Integration Tools

9.3.1 SPRINT
SPRINT is the software package used to design energy systems for
individual processes on a site (SPRINT, 2009). This software tool
provides energy targets and optimizes the choice of utilities for an
individual process. It also performs Heat Exchanger Network (HEN)
design automatically for the utilities that are selected. Both new
design and retrofit can be carried out automatically, though the
designer maintains control over network complexity. For example,
several retrofit modifications can be generated automatically and
then presented to the designer one at a time, so that the number of
modifications is minimized, and the final decision on each
modification is left to the designer. SPRINT can also be used for
HEN operational optimization tasks. The SPRINT and the STAR
programs (see Section 9.3.3) are linked by common data structures,
which facilitate their interaction (e.g., the same files can be used, and
no manual data transfer is required between the programs).
SPRINT is used in both academic and industrial settings for the
following applications: (1) optimizing the choice and load of utilities
for individual processes; (2) automatic design of new HENs;
(3) automatic retrofit design of HENs while using a minimum number
of modifications; (4) automatic design for multiple utilities (new
design and retrofit); (5) interactive network design; (6) simulation of
networks via simple models; (7) targeting minimum energy
consumption; (8) network optimization; and (9) assessing network
operability. User interaction with the network structure is through
the graphical editor shown in Figure 9.3.

9.3.2 HEAT-int
HEAT-int (2009) is a product of Process Integration Ltd. This program
is used to improve the energy performance of individual processes
on a site. It is the next-generation development of SPRINT software
(by a related team of developers) to a commercial standard, and it
offers more user-friendly interface features. The areas in which
HEAT-int is applied are similar to those listed previously for
SPRINT.

9.3.3 STAR
STAR is a software package for the design of site utility and
cogeneration systems (STAR, 2009); see Figure 9.4 for an example
user interface. This program analyzes all the interactions between
site processes and the steam system, steam turbines, gas turbines
(with auxiliary firing options), the boiler house, local fired heaters,
and cooling systems. The analysis is used to reduce energy cost and