e-EARNER

Economic Analysis of (fouling) Reduction and eNErgy Recovery

 In a complex heat exchanger network, at any point of time

• Can’t decide which exchanger(s) to clean to obtain maximum energy savings?
• Can’t determine the optimal time window to clean the candidate exchanger(s)?

EARNER is a continuous monitoring solution to track fouling in heat exchanger network to effectively:

• Prioritize the cleaning of exchanger(s)
• Determine the optimal schedule of heat exchanger(s) cleaning
• Determine ROI based justification for selecting exchanger(s) for cleaning
• Reduce energy consumption in crude distillation furnace

A common presumption is that cleaning a more fouled exchanger will lead to more energy and cost savings; however, this is not always true. As seen from the below graph, the energy savings potential of a lesser fouled exchanger can be more as compared to a more fouled exchanger. ​

​Thus, at any given point of time, EARNER identifies which exchanger(s) to clean and when, based on an overall economic/benefit analysis.