Conclusion

In conclusion, our optimisation relied on the manipulation of the heat exchangers far more than it did with regards to the optimisation of heat usage in separation and reaction. This was a conscious choice, because we felt that, in the truest sense, optimisation of heat exchangers did not include changing design specifications for the other areas of the plant. While we examined the use of air coolers as well as different refrigerants, we did not find any concrete evidence that these other alternatives would be any more beneficial to our setup than the use of minute cooling water and heat "rewiring." Fortunately, our optimisation proved more than satisfactory in savings as well as simplicity. We achieved our goal of improving the efficiency of our basic design without recreating too many external conditions to provide our savings.