Covenant University

KM. 10 Idiroko Road, Canaan Land, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria

Department of Chemical Engineering

CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design I

Text: Coulson & Richardsons CHEMICAL ENGINEERING VOLUME 6,
FOURTH EDITION, Chemical Engineering Design, R. K. SINNOTT

Daniel B. Ayo, PhD

Part 2 a
Flow-Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Course Outline
Process Design Principles

Flow-sheeting
Chemical Engineering Design of Mass and Heat Transfer Equipment (Plate columns,
absorption towers, distillation columns, heat exchangers, evaporators etc).
Mechanical Design of Equipments - Pressure vessels, columns, storage tanks, heat
exchanger, etc.
Piping and instrumentation.
Costing and Project Evaluation

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Course Outline
WEEK

TOPIC
Process Design Principles
Flow-sheeting,
Chemical Engineering Design of Mass and
Heat Transfer Equipment (Plate columns,
absorption towers, distillation columns, heat
exchangers, evaporators etc).
Mechanical Design of Equipments Pressure vessels, columns, storage tanks,
heat exchanger, etc.
Piping and instrumentation.
Costing and Project Evaluation

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Introduction

key document in process design

diagrammatic model of the process

include piping, instrumentation, equipment design and plant layout

drawn up from material balances made over the complete process
and each individual unit
facilitated by computer-aided flow-sheeting programs

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Flow Sheet Presentation

Block Diagram :
rectangular blocks to represent individual processes or groups of operations,
together with quantities and other pertinent properties of key streams between the
blocks and into and from the process as a whole.
made at the beginning of a process design for orientation purposes or later as a
summary of the material balance of the process.

Process Flow Diagram (PFD)

Embodies the material and energy balances and the sizing of the major equipment
data include flow quantities, compositions, pressures, temperatures, and so on
Piping and Instrumentation diagrams (P & I diagrams) also called the
Engineering Flow-sheet or Mechanical Flow-sheet
Shows every mechanical aspect of the plant regarding the process equipment and
their interconnections except for supporting structures and foundations.
Included are sizes and specification classes of all pipe lines, all valves, and all
instruments
Scale drawings of the equipment sometimes used for tender documents or company brochures
Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Flow Sheet Presentation

Essential information for PFD
Stream composition, either:
othe flow-rate of each individual component, kg/h, which is preferred, or
othe stream composition as a weight fraction.
Total stream flow-rate, kg/h.
Stream temperature, degrees Celsius preferred.
Nominal operating pressure (the required operating pressure).
Optional information
Molar percentages composition.
Physical property data, mean values for the stream, such as: density,
kg/m3,viscosity, mN s/m2.
Stream name, a brief, one or two-word, description of the nature of the
stream, for example ACETONE COLUMN BOTTOMS.
Stream enthalpy, kJ/h.

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Flow Sheet Presentation

For simple processes with few equipment pieces tabulate data in
blocks alongside the process stream lines

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Flow Sheet Presentation

Less Simple system: each stream line is numbered and the data
tabulated at the bottom of the sheet

Flow Sheeting

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Flow Sheet Layout

Sequence of the main equipment items follows that of the proposed plant
layout.
equipment should be drawn approximately to scale
Ancillary items can be drawn out of proportion
Where many process units, several sheets may be needed
Continuation of the process streams from one sheet to another must be
clearly shown. One method : those lines which are continued over to another
indicated by a double concentric circle round the line number and the
continuation sheet number written below
Table of stream flows and other data above or below the equipment layout
Components listed down the left-hand side of the table
For long table repeat the list at the right-hand side
stream line numbers should follow consecutively from left to right of the
layout
process stream lines shown on the flow-sheet should be numbered and the
data for the stream given

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Precision of Data

high precision not needed - at most one decimal

flows should, however, balance to within the precision shown

Small stream or component flow less than the precision used can be
shown to a greater number of places (if necessary)

Imprecise small flows shown as TRACE not zero!.

Trace components, when specified as a process constraint can be shown
in parts per million, ppm.

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Basis of Calculations

Show basis used for the flow-sheet calculations. ( the operating hours per
year; the reaction and physical yields; and the datum temperature used for
energy balances)
List of the principal assumptions used in the calculations
For Batch processes the basis is usually one batch. If a batch process (e.g
batch make-up of minor reagents) is shown on the same flow-sheet for
continuous process, make a clear break when tabulating data between the
continuous and batch sections; the change from kg/h to kg/batch.

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Equipment Identification

equipment shown on the flow-sheet must be identified with a code number

- an initial letter to identify the type of equipment, followed by digits e.g. R1
(First Reactor), H2(second Heat Exchanger), C1(First column) etc

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Computer aided drafting

Standard symbols representing the process equipment, instruments

and control systems held in files and called up as required in
Computer aided drafting

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Manual Flow-sheet calculation

External constraints:
(i) Product specifications possibly set by customer requirements.
(ii) Major safety considerations, such as flammability limits.
(iii) Effluent specifications set by government agencies.
Internal constraints::
(i) The process stoichiometry, reactor conversions and yields.
(ii) Chemical equilibria.
(iii) Physical equilibria, involved in liquid-liquid and gas/vapour-liquid separations.
(iv) Azeotropes and other fixed compositions.
(v) Energy-balance constraints. Where the energy and material balance interact,
as for example in flash distillation.
(vi) Any general limitations on equipment design.

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Basis for flow-sheet calculations

90 to 95 per cent of the total hours in a year (8760)

Typically a value of 8000 hours per year
Scaling Factor

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Use of design constraints to determine stream flows and compositions

Reactors
1. Reactor yield and conversion specified (from literature or pilot plant data). Material
balance gives stream flows and compositions
2. Chemical equilibrium. This holds true for fast reaction
Equilibrium stage
stream compositions calculated from the phase equilibrium data for the components
(a separation or mixing unit)
o-stage gas-liquid and liquid-liquid separators, such as quench towers, partial
condensers and decanters
oparticularly useful if one component is essentially non-condensable and can be
used as a tie substance
Fixed stream compositions
If sufficient design variables are fixed by external constraints, or by the designer, then
the other stream flows round a unit will be uniquely determined
4. Combined heat and material balances
often possible to make a material balance round a unit independently of the heat
balance
sometimes simultaneous heat and mass balances must be made simultaneously for
instance, in flash distillation or partial condensation
Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Flow Sheet Calculations

Problem

In the production of hydrogen by the steam reforming of hydrocarbons, the

classic water-gas reaction is used to convert CO in the gases leaving the reforming
furnace to hydrogen, in a shift converter

In this example the exit gas stream composition from a converter will be determined for a
given inlet gas composition and steam ratio; by assuming that in the outlet stream the
gases reach chemical equilibrium. In practice the reaction is carried out over a catalyst, and
the assumption that the outlet composition approaches the equilibrium composition is
valid. Equilibrium constants for the reaction are readily available in the literature.
A typical gases composition obtained by steam reforming methane is:
CO2 8.5, CO 11.0, H2 76.5 mol per cent dry gas
If this is fed to a shift converter at 5000K, with a steam ratio of 3 mol H2O to 1 mol CO,
estimate the outlet composition and temperature.

Solution: Text - Example 4.1

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Flow Sheet Calculations

Study Examples 4.2, 4.3, 4.4

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Computer-aided flow-sheeting
Modular approach versus equation oriented approach

Two basic types:

Full simulation programs, which require powerful computing facilities.
Simple material balance programs requiring only a relatively small core size.
Two methods:
Modular approach
equation oriented approach

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Computer-aided flow-sheeting

Sequential Modular Approach

Equation Oriented Approach

Simulate one unit model at a time

Decompose flow sheet
Iterate in tear streams
Less flexible but more robust
Initialization is important
Storage requirement not high

Solve all unit models together

Order Equations
Update all unknown variables
simultaneously
More flexible but less robust
Initialization is very important
Storage requirement can be very
high

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Computer-aided flow-sheeting

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Information flow diagrams

basic process flow diagram, which shows the sequence of unit operations and
stream connections transformed into an information flow diagram
Each block represents a calculation module in the simulation program;
Units in which no change of composition, or temperature or pressure, occurs are
omitted from the information flow diagram.
Other operations not shown on the process flow diagram as actual pieces of
equipment, but which cause changes in the stream compositions, such as mixing tees,
shown.
The lines and arrows connecting the blocks show the flow of information from one
subprogram to the next.
The calculation topology defined by the information diagram is transformed into a
numerical form suitable for input into the computer, usually as a matrix
(Aside: How did MATLAB derive its name?)

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Information flow diagrams

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Annex - Solution to Problem - Example 4.1

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Solution to Problem

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Solution to Problem

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Solution to Problem

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Solution to Problem

Flow Sheeting

Covenant University Department of Chemical Engineering . CHE 414: Principles of Plant Design - Daniel Ayo, PhD.

Solution to Problem

Flow Sheeting