The optimal design of integrated evaporation systems

The heat integration of evaporators with overall processes leads to optimal designs very different from optimal stand-alone designs. The grand composite curve has been previously suggested for assessing alternative evaporator integration schemes. This paper demonstrates that if the effect of the evaporator integration on the overall capital-energy trade-off is ignored then misleading conclusions can be obtained. A procedure is suggested which takes account of this capital-energy trade-off. Design complications such as boiling point rise and latent heat changes which have often been ignored in the past in the grand composite approach are also considered.