OpenPinch Guide

OpenPinch is a Python toolkit for Pinch Analysis, Total Site heat integration, graph interpretation, Heat Pump and refrigeration screening, exergy post-processing, cogeneration targeting, and heat exchanger network synthesis. It is built for engineers and researchers who need reproducible thermal targeting workflows in scripts, notebooks, and applications.

OpenPinch exposes one analysis engine through three public front doors:

  • OpenPinch.PinchProblem for one case at a time

  • OpenPinch.PinchWorkspace for named multi-case studies and bundle persistence

  • OpenPinch.main.pinch_analysis_service() for typed request/response integration

The published CLI is intentionally narrow: openpinch notebook copies the packaged notebook series, while solving, validation, graph export, Excel export, and advanced targeting all happen in Python.

Start Here

I want to solve a case

Start with Getting Started, then use First Solve with Python for the main Python workflow or Notebooks and Sample Cases for packaged examples.

I need to understand the method

Start with What Is OpenPinch?, then read Pinch Analysis, Direct vs Indirect Integration, and Graphs and Interpretation.

I am integrating or extending OpenPinch

Start with PinchProblem, Schemas and Config, and Service Layer; use Generated Appendix only after you know which layer you need.

What OpenPinch Covers

  • direct process Pinch Analysis and indirect Total Site targeting

  • hierarchical zone modeling from unit operation to site scale

  • Composite Curve, Grand Composite Curve, Total Site profile, and SUGCC graphs

  • JSON, Excel, CSV-bundle, schema-first, and packaged sample-case inputs

  • structured variable-heat-capacity streams with one physical parent identity and ordered piecewise thermal segments

  • Heat Pump and refrigeration screening, including simulated-cycle backends

  • direct gas/vapour MVR process-component studies

  • exergy and cogeneration post-processing on solved thermal targets

  • heat exchanger network synthesis through the problem.design accessor

The documentation is organized as a manual first and an API reference second: overview pages help you choose a workflow, fundamentals explain the method, guides provide runnable tasks, examples map packaged assets to decisions, and API pages document the exact public contracts.

Documentation