Our heat recovery (Pinch) analysis approach is a systematic method to identify the technically and economically optimal heat recovery and utility concept for industrial processes, typically reducing thermal energy demand by 10–40%, often resulting in significant energy cost savings attractive payback times of 1–4 years.

The key question is not whether heat recovery is possible, but how much potential exists and which level of analysis is needed to identify the optimal integration. A structured approach is essential: implementing local heat recovery measures without understanding the overall system often leads to sub-optimal results and missed potential.

Offered heat recovery analysis and implementation services:

1. Rough Heat Recovery Screening
   Fast, structured overview to identify heat recovery potential and define the right next steps.
2. Full Heat Recovery (Pinch) Analysis
   Detailed, investment-optimised, site-wide heat recovery and utility concept.
3. Adaptation and multi-site rollout of heat recovery concepts
   Replication and scaling of proven concepts across multiple sites or production lines.
4. Implementation Support
   Independent expert support during engineering, procurement and implementation.

Based on our experience, we usually recommend the following procedure:

1. Screening → 2. Full Pinch → 3. Rollout → 4. Implementation

Starting with the Rough Heat Recovery Screening, these essential questions are answered: 

Does the process have relevant heat recovery potential? How large is it approximately? And is the system complexity high enough to justify a full pinch analysis—or is the situation already clear enough to directly design selected heat recovery solutions?

In some cases, where the heat recovery potential and the complexity of the plant is evident enough, also a direct start into a Full Heat Recovery Pinch Analysis can make sense and the overall analysis duration and the consulting cost can slightly be reduced. In most cases however, staring with Rough Heat Recovery Screening does not relevantly increase total cost and time but enables minimal upfront effort.

Important note:

The actual effort depends on site complexity, number of relevant process streams, data availability and batch vs. continuous operation. An initial Rough Heat Recovery Screening often helps to define the optimal level of analysis with minimal upfront effort. The consulting work performed within a Rough Heat Recovery Study is not lost when subsequently starting a Full Pinch Analysis. Most often, the findings and investigations of the Rough Heat Recovery Screening build an optimal foundation and starting point for a Full Heat Recovery Pinch Study and usually enables us to reduce the cost of the latter.

A rough heat recovery pinch analysis is a fast screening to identify major energy consumers, waste heat sources and the overall heat recovery potential of a plant.

Within a rough heat recovery screening, the main energy consumers are identified and the energy saving potential as well as the reduction potential of CO2 emissions are roughly estimated. Waste heat sources are listed and approaches for energy recovery are developed. As a result, recommendations for further actions will be worked out: e.g. if a detailed Full Heat Recovery Pinch Analysis would make sense or to directly go on with implementing the proposed heat recovery systems.

A full pinch analysis provides a technically sound and economically optimised heat recovery and utility concept for industrial plants.

You have already elaborated a Pinch analysis on an existing plant and would like to apply the results to similar plant(s)? Then our pragmatic Adaption and Multi Site Rollout solution fits perfectly.

• Study existing Pinch analysis and the recommended measures
• Data extraction of the relevant process flows of the new plant
• Adapt measures to the process flows of the new plant
• Checking the technical feasibility
• Recalculation of the energy and CO2 savings as well as of the economic key figures (stat. Payback, NPV, ROI)

Many industrial groups operate multiple sites with similar processes. After an initial screening or full pinch analysis, we support the structured rollout of proven measures across sites—ensuring consistent targets, comparable business cases and a prioritised implementation roadmap.

• Standardised approach and templates for site data collection
• Re-validation of heat recovery potential and utilities per site
• Portfolio view: savings, CAPEX, payback and project prioritisation

Anytherm supports customers from concept to implementation—as a solution-independent heat recovery expert and, where suitable, also as a heat recuperator product partner for selected applications.

Anytherm provides solution- and product-independent consulting. For specific applications—especially exhaust air and flue gas heat recovery—we can also contribute in-depth practical know-how based on our own technical solutions. For other applications (e.g. liquid/liquid heat recovery), we typically support technology selection and supplier evaluation. In all cases, our consulting remains strictly solution- and product-neutral and focuses on the technically and economically optimal solution.

For implementation in existing or new plants, customers often work with EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contractors. We support by ensuring that the findings of the heat recovery analysis are translated into a feasible, operable design and correctly implemented.

• Implementation Support
• Expert support during engineering and detailed design
• Joint workshops with engineering / EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contractors
• Ensuring correct translation of Pinch concepts into detailed design
• Support during supplier selection and evaluation
• Engineering of the heat recovery system for selected applications

"The target is to operate a process at required throughput and product quality with minimum energy, resource requirements and emissions."

In industry, often more than half of the energy is used for heating and cooling processes. It is therefore important to analyze these processes more closely and optimize them in terms of energy consumption, (CO2) emissions, as well as investment and operating costs. 

Classical energy optimization approaches focus on improving individual apparatuses or infrastructure facilities. Experience shows, however, that a greater overall increase in energy efficiency can usually be achieved by optimally linking energy flows in the overall system. To increase energy efficiency, heat recovery back into the process is essential.

The Pinch analysis systematically examines the entire system (process, production plant, and energy supply). Then, a technically feasible and economically optimized plant design is generated (considering investment and operating costs).

With the recommended measures, the energy requirements of industrial processes can usually be reduced by 10% to 40%. The payback period is tipically in the range of one to four years.

Pinch analysis is also a valuable tool when planning new systems/plants and processes ⇒ “First Time Right!"

Planning a new plant, a major retrofit or intereted about the benefits of an optimally integrated heat recovery system?

A systematic heat recovery pinch analysis helps to get the energy concept right from the start!

Anytherm: Advising in a Solution-Oriented, Competent and Neutral Manner