Integrated technique assessment based on the pinch analysis approach for the design of production networks

Integrated Process Design aims at a holistic approach to process design, retrofitting, and operations planning. Cost and energy targets (i.e. the minimum possible values for these objectives) can be calculated based on pinch technology, which defines the enthalpy at which the hot and cold process streams are separated by the minimum temperature difference in heat exchanger networks. This approach is well established in process engineering and has recently been expanded to mass pinch analysis. The combination of engineering, process integration and Operations Research allows the consideration of a variety of economic and environmental process attributes for an integrated technique assessment, as a case study in the sector of automotive serial coating shows. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.