AbstractThermodynamic, heat transfer and economic concepts influencing the synthesis of a heat‐exchanger network (HEN) coupled to a crude fractionation unit are examined. The impact of the variation of the minimum temperature approach (Δtmin) on energy and capital targets is studied using recent developments in pinch technology. The optimal pinch approach temperature has been determined using the ‘supertargeting’ concept where proper trade‐off between energy and capital targets is observed prior to design. A heuristic evolutionary approach has then been used for the generation of the opt