Software addresses energy optimisation challenge

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jun 18, 2001

Hyprotech today announced the release of HX-Net 5.0, which will enable process engineers to assess the potential for increasing energy efficiency and identify alternative projects

Hyprotech today announced the release of HX-Net 5.0, its innovative energy optimization software.

HX-Net 5.0 will enable process engineers to assess the potential for increasing energy efficiency and identify alternative projects in order to realize significant operating cost savings.

Reinforcing Hyprotech's "Process Lifecycle Innovation" message, HX-Net 5.0 is capable of extracting all the necessary information from a HYSYS simulation model while reducing the time and effort previously required to perform such a study.

Novel automated procedures identify improvements to the energy recovery system and enable the rapid generation of retrofit/design options leading to optimal levels of energy efficiency.

Faced with the most serious energy shortage since the oil embargoes of the 1970s, United States governmental sources cited a fundamental imbalance between supply and demand.

As a result, higher energy costs and tighter environmental constraints are driving an increased interest in energy efficiency across the process industries.

Using HX-Net 5.0, process engineers can get fast evaluations of their current energy consumption and compare the results to optimal performance targets calculated by the software and based on solid thermodynamic principles.

Interactive interfaces, graphical tools and powerful optimization algorithms provide a rich and productive conceptual design experience.

Hyprotech offers full and updated documentation, technical support, training and services to accelerate the realization of bottom-line benefits.

Early applications of the automated heat exchanger network retrofit capabilities have resulted in significant savings in operating costs with simple payback times of under two years.

Reductions in fuel demands for process heaters have also resulted in reduced CO2, NOx and SOx emissions.

Heat Integration across process units has already been explored with promising preliminary results.

Ernesto Sandulli, Process Manager from SENER Engineering, Spain, stated: "In deploying the innovative retrofit capabilities of HX-Net5.0 (beta version), several process improvement opportunities were identified that resulted in significant energy savings for an atmospheric crude unit.

The alternatives ranged from a simple heat exchanger re-piping to the addition of heat transfer area and new heat exchangers.

Without exception, all reported options complied with the required payback of approximately one year." Continued Sandulli: "The starting point for this study was a converged HYSYS simulation of the crude pre-heat train.

Once the data was validated, HX-Net automatically extracted the required data from the simulation and quickly identified retrofit options.

The savings in energy were identified in the range of 5-20% with varying degrees of required capital investment.

Subsequently, these projects are now being considered for implementation." Dr.Mark Broussard, Senior VP of Technology at Hyprotech, added: "HX-Net 5.0 is Hyprotech's proposition to the process engineering community to address the need for better processes with increased energy efficiency, reduced operating costs and improved environmental performance.

We assembled a world-class team of chemical engineers and computer scientists to produce this novel tool, and we have achieved the implementation of state-of-the-art technologies in record time.

HX-Net 5.0 is an essential element of Hyprotech's Lifecycle Innovation Solutions.".