Introduction:

Thermal performance is a critical factor in achieving energy efficiency, process reliability, and production optimization across process industries. It integrates heat transfer, thermal equipment performance, energy recovery, process integration, heat exchanger networks, fired equipment optimization, and economic evaluation to maximize operational performance while minimizing energy consumption. This training program explores advanced methodologies for evaluating thermal equipment, optimizing heat integration, improving energy efficiency, and assessing process performance. It provides an institutional perspective on how integrated thermal performance engineering enhances plant reliability, operational efficiency, sustainability, and long-term asset value.

Program Objectives:

By the end of this program, participants will be able to:

Analyze thermal performance and heat transfer principles across process industries.
Evaluate the operating performance of heat exchangers, fired equipment, and heat recovery systems.
Assess thermal integration, heat exchanger network optimization, and energy recovery opportunities.
Examine troubleshooting, debottlenecking, and process optimization methodologies.
Explore technical and economic approaches that improve plant performance, energy efficiency, and operational reliability.

Target Audience:

Process Engineers.
Thermal and Heat Transfer Engineers.
Plant Operations and Production Engineers.
Energy and Reliability Engineers.

Program Outline:

Unit 1:

Thermal Performance Fundamentals and Heat Duty Analysis:

Process operating data validation and reconciliation methodologies.
Thermal property evaluation and process stream enthalpy principles.
Sensible, latent, condensing, and vaporizing heat duty calculations.
Process side and utility side heat balance reconciliation techniques.
Thermal duty comparison between actual, design, and required operating conditions.
Thermal margin assessment and heat duty gap evaluation.
Thermal performance indicators and operational benchmarking.

Unit 2:

Thermal Equipment Performance Evaluation:

Shell-and-tube heat exchanger performance methodologies.
Cooling water exchanger thermal and hydraulic assessment.
Air cooler, condenser, and reboiler operating principles.
Overall heat transfer coefficient and fouling resistance evaluation.
Heat transfer area utilization and capacity assessment.
Pressure drop, flow distribution, and utility performance analysis.
Thermal operating limitations and performance improvement opportunities.

Unit 3:

Fired Equipment, Boilers, and Waste Heat Recovery:

Fired heater thermal performance and combustion efficiency principles.
Boiler and waste heat boiler performance evaluation methodologies.
Steam generation, economizer, superheater, and heat recovery assessment.
Combustion-air, flue-gas, stack-loss, and thermal efficiency evaluation.
Waste heat recovery systems and fuel-saving opportunities.
Performance optimization of fired thermal equipment.
Practical industrial case studies for fired heaters, boilers, and waste heat recovery systems.

Unit 4:

Thermal Troubleshooting, Heat Integration, and Process Optimization:

Thermal troubleshooting methodologies and root cause analysis.
Fouling diagnosis and heat transfer degradation mechanisms.
Hydraulic restrictions and thermal bottleneck identification.
Debottlenecking strategies and throughput improvement approaches.
Pinch Analysis principles and energy targeting methodologies.
Composite Curves, Grand Composite Curve, and utility optimization techniques.
Heat Exchanger Network optimization concepts and retrofit considerations.

Unit 5:

Heat Exchanger Network Optimization and Techno-Economic Evaluation:

Heat Exchanger Network (HEN) design and retrofit methodologies.
Stream matching, utility allocation, and network optimization techniques.
Existing network assessment and energy performance benchmarking.
Capacity expansion, operational flexibility, and retrofit evaluation.
Technical-economic evaluation using CAPEX, OPEX, NPV, IRR, and payback analysis.
Energy savings, utility optimization, and refinery process applications.
Integrated engineering calculations for heat exchanger networks and energy optimization.

Advanced Thermal Systems Performance with Heat Integration and Energy Optimization