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PINCH TECHNOLOGY is the state of the art technique for design of energy efficient processing plants. Expert has been an active Pinch Technologist right since its inception. He has carried out Pinch Studies of many processing plants in a variety of industries such as Petroleum Refining, Naphtha Crackers, Petrochemical processes (such as PTA, MEG, HDPE, LAB, VCM/PVC etc.), Paper and Pulp, Breweries, Alumina etc. He has designed several innovative projects which have achieved substantial cost benefits for clients.

The Expert has extensive knowledge and experience in designing energy efficient processing plants. His PhD thesis was on "Design of Resilient Processing Plants". He has carried out many major debottlenecking studies which have resulted in substantial increase in capacity at very low capital cost and without major equipment change. Three projects which illustrate his process design and engineering skills are summarized below: 1. Debottlenecking of Crude Units: The Expert has carried out debottlenecking studies for several petroleum refineries. The clients have achieved a capacity increase of 15-30% without additional furnace heating duty by improving crude preheat temperatures and optimum utilization of waste heat. 2. Pinch Study of Petrochemical Complex: The expert carried out the Pinch Study of all the plants

As part of Pinch Studies, the expert has evaluated and optimized operation of distillation columns for a number of applications. The clients have achieved significant benefits in energy consumption, product quality and yield improvements in both above ambient and cryogenic distillation columns.The benefits have accrued through simple modifications such as changes in feed tray location, feed preheat, trays or packings, reboiler, condenser etc., heat integration and changes in distillation sequence. The expert has experience in optimization of petroleum fractionators in Crude oil Refineries, FCCu, Cokers etc. The expert has vast experience in simulation and optimization of distillation columns and petroleum fractionators using popular simulation software such as Pro-2, Aspen Plus, HySim, Chemshare etc.

The expert has extensive experience in retrofitting processing plants aimed at energy conservation and productivity improvement. The processes which he has studied include petroleum refining (crude distillation, naphtha stablization, hydrotreaters, FCCU, Delayed Coking Unit, Vis-Breaker etc.), petrochemicals (Naphtha Cracker, Aromatics, HDPE, PP, PTA, MEG, VCM/PVC, Polyester, ACN, Butadiene, Polybutadiene rubber, LAB etc.), Paper and Pulp, Alumina, Brewery etc. The expert is very well conversant with Pinch Technology and has used it to develop novel projects which even the process licensors have missed out.

Pinch Technology has brought about remarkable changes in which Multi-effect evaporator systems are designed. Expert has extensive experience in heat integrating evaporator systems with the processes which results in substantial energy savings. Evaporator system is the heart of a number of processes such as paper and pulp, sugar, breweries, food processing, soda ash, etc. and is often the largest energy consumer. Staggering savings are possible by retrofitting the evaporator systems.

The expert has vast experience in simulation and optimization of process flowsheets using popular simulation software such as Pro-2, Aspen Plus, HySim, Chemshare etc. As part of Pinch Study, he optimizes the operating conditions in the process in such a way that the overall energy consumption and productivity are optimized.


Expert has extensive experience in developing basic process design of Crude Distillation Units. He has also studied the downstream petroleum processing units such as FCCU, Hydrotreaters, Delayed Coking Units etc in order to minimize their energy consumption and optimization of yields from fractionators. The crude preheat train retrofit designs developed by him have been appreciated by the clients in preference to the existing trains commissioned by leading contractors.

The expert has extensive experience in optimization of combined heat and power generating systems (Power Plants). He has carried out Pinch Studies for several large petrochemical facilities and helped them in achieving substantial energy savings by optmization of their heat and power networks.

Expert has carried out Pinch Study of Naphtha Crackers (Ethylene Plants) at three locations. Several innovative projects designed by him have been implemented yielding substantial benefits in terms of capacity enhancement and energy conservation.

Expert has experience in developing basic design package for petrochemical process equipment such as heat exchangers, distillation columns, compressors, turbines, condensate flash system etc. He has experience in process simulation as well as design of heat exchangers using HTRI and HTFS software packages. He has helped clients in redesigning their heat exchanger networks so that they do not lose energy efficiency due to fouling of heat exchangers.

Expert has designed a waste lubricating oil refinery which has set the standards for minimum energy consumption

Client: Indian Petrochemical Corporation Limited, Vadodara, India (1987);
Processes: Ethylene Cracker, Aromatics, Linear Alkyl Benzene, Polybutadiene Rubber, LDPE, VCM/PVC, PP, Acrylic Acid, and Cogeneration Power Plant;
Consultancy Offered: Process Engineering Study based on Pinch Technology;
Results : 5 projects designed with combined annual saving of USD 4 Million. Implemented satisfactorily. Client: Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Vadodara and Haldia India (1993)
Process: Petroleum Refining
Consultancy Offered: Process Engineering Study for installation of Prefractionator Column and revamping of crude preheat train in Atmospheric Crude oil Distillation Unit.
Results Achieved: Single handedly completed the process design of the revamp project using Pro-2 and HTRI process simulators. The projects were completed with very low capital investment and resulted in an increase of 20% in rated throughput without any additional heating furnace duty. Client: Reliance Industries Limited, Hazira, India Processes: Ethylene Cracker, Aromatics, PTA, MEG, HDPE, VCM/PVC, Polyester, Power Plant. Consultancy Offered: Pinch Study of the complex conducted in 1999-2002 and again in 2006-continuing Results: Client has achieved an annual saving of more than 4 million USD through the projects conceived by the expert. The highlights have been an increase of 5% in ethylene production by debottlenecking of refrigeration circuits and 35% decrease in steam consumption in aromatics plant. Client: Reliance Industries Limited, Jamnagar, India
Processes: Crude Distillation Units, Diesel and VGO hydrotreaters, FCCU, Delayed Coker Unit etc
Consultancy Offered: Pinch Study of the complex conducted in 2004-5.
Results: The expert proposed a retrofit design for crude preheat trains of the crude distillation units which will increase the crude preheat temperature by 40 deg C. The client has approved this design in preference to the design proposed by a leading contractor. The anticipated energy savings are USD 9 million annually and a capacity increase of 12% without any major equipment change.
Client: Panafrican Paper Mills Limited, Webuye, Kenya
Process: Pulp and Paper
Consultancy Offered: Revamp study of Pulp Mill to improve energy efficiency.
Results: Schemes to achieve an energy saving of 15% were proposed. Several projects have been implemented.