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Process Design Basics Course Guide

The document discusses the basics of process design for chemical engineering, defining process design as developing an understanding of relevant physical science to create a plan of action and specifications to achieve a predicted financial outcome based on a problem statement. It outlines the main steps in process design as developing block flow diagrams, performing mass and energy balances, and roughly sizing equipment for various unit operations including storage, preprocessing, reaction, separation, heat exchange, and transport. The document also provides an example process design specification and block flow diagram for producing 150000 ton/year of ammonia.

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107 views26 pages

Process Design Basics Course Guide

The document discusses the basics of process design for chemical engineering, defining process design as developing an understanding of relevant physical science to create a plan of action and specifications to achieve a predicted financial outcome based on a problem statement. It outlines the main steps in process design as developing block flow diagrams, performing mass and energy balances, and roughly sizing equipment for various unit operations including storage, preprocessing, reaction, separation, heat exchange, and transport. The document also provides an example process design specification and block flow diagram for producing 150000 ton/year of ammonia.

Uploaded by

SKR
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Basics in Process Design

Introduction
Contact

• Frej Bjondahl
• University teacher
• Room B 312
• [Link]@[Link]
What is process design?
 What do you think process design is?
Chemical Engineering Design,
Towler, Sinnott, 2013

What is process design?

 “Starting from a vaguely defined problem


statement such as a customer need or a set of
experimental results, chemical engineers can develop
an understanding of the important underlying
physical science relevant to the problem and use their
understanding to create a plan of action and a set
of detailed specifications, which, if implemented, will
lead to a predicted financial outcome.”
Chemical Engineering Design,
Towler, Sinnott, 2013
Chemical Engineering Design,
Towler, Sinnott, 2013

 Block flow diagrams


 Calculate flows from mass and
energy balances
 Rough sizing of equipment for
– storage
– preprocessing
– reaction
– separation,
– heat exchange
– transport
 Instrumentation
 Cost estimates
Work
 9 weeks of lectures
 One lecture per week
 Weekly reading
assignment
 Weekly exercise
assignments with
compulsory reports
(and corrections)
 Exam (open book)
Course material
 Course info
– Schedule
– Compendium
– Exercise assignments
– Additional reading
ebrary

[Link]
Axelia II 3rd floor – Process Design and Systems Engineering

my office library seminar room

drop boxes

notice board
Chemical Engineering Design,
Towler, Sinnott, 2013

 Block flow diagrams


 Calculate flows from mass and
energy balances
 Rough sizing of equipment for
– storage
– preprocessing
– reaction
– separation,
– heat exchange
– transport
 Instrumentation
 Cost estimates
Specification
 Production of 150000 ton/year ammonia
(NH3)
 8000 h/year operation

 Is this specification reasonable?


– [Link]
– [Link]
Chemical Engineering Design,
Towler, Sinnott, 2013

 Block flow diagrams


 Calculate flows from mass and
energy balances
 Rough sizing of equipment for
– storage
– preprocessing
– reaction
– separation,
– heat exchange
– transport
 Instrumentation
 Cost estimates
Process selection
 Haber-Bosch
– Hydrogen from steam reforming of natural
gas/petroleum gas/naptha
– Nitrogen from air distillation
– Ammonia synthesis in catalytic high
pressure/temperature reactor
– Separation by condensation of ammonia
from gases
– Recycle of unreacted gases
Chemical Engineering Design,
Towler, Sinnott, 2013

 Block flow diagrams


 Calculate flows from mass and
energy balances
 Rough sizing of equipment for
– storage
– preprocessing
– reaction
– separation
– heat exchange
– transport
 Instrumentation
 Cost estimates
Chemical Engineering Design,
Towler, Sinnott, 2013

Block flow diagram


Chemical Engineering Design,
Towler, Sinnott, 2013

 Block flow diagrams


 Calculate flows from mass and
energy balances
 Rough sizing of equipment for
– storage
– preprocessing
– reaction
– separation,
– heat exchange
– transport
 Instrumentation
 Cost estimates
Reactors
 Kinetics is used for calculating average
residence time 𝜏 in reactor (CSTR, plug
flow, catalyst filled...)
 Volume flow through reactor, 𝑉 , from
mass balances
 Reactor volume
𝑉 =𝑉∙𝜏
 Length/diameter depending on reactor type
Separation
 Screening, filtering, centrifuging
 Distillation
 Decanting
 Sizing according to type of separation
based on mass/volume flow, concetration,
particle size...
Storage
 Volume flows from mass balances
 Delivery by truck, train, pipeline, ship
demands intermediate storage
 Buffer storage for short periods of time
 Silos for solids, tanks for liquids and gases...
 Storage volume
𝑉 =𝑉∙𝜏
 Dimensions depend on storage type
Preprocessing
 Screening, grinding
 Melting, gasifying, freezing
 Mixing
Transport
 Belt conveyors, screws, pneumatic
conveyors etc for solids
 Pipes and pumps for liquids and slurries
 Ducts and fans for low pressure gases
 Pipes and compressors for high pressure
gases
 Sized according to type of transport and
mass flow
Heat exchange
 Plate heat exchangers, shell and tube heat
exhangers, regenerative heat exchangers
Instrumentation
 Temperature
 Pressure
 Flow
 Level
 Concentration
 ...
 For control, indication, quality, permit,
safety, production
[Link]

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