REFRIGERATED GAS PLANT HYSYS SIMULATION REPORT

1.0 Introduction
The purpose is to find the LTS (Low Temperature Separator) temperature at which the
hydrocarbon dewpoint target is met for the Gas plant

2.0 Design Basis

The incoming gas is first routed to an Inlet Separator. It is then cooled in two stages:
1) By heat exchange with product Sales Gas in a gas-gas exchanger (Gas-Gas Exch.)
2) and via a propane chiller (Chiller)
After cooling, it is routed to a LTS and sent to Sales line after heat exchange with the incoming gas
stream.

Required Sales Gas Hydrocarbon Dewpoint = -15 oC at 6000kPa

Incoming Feed Stream (To Refrig) parameters and composition are shown below in Table 1.0 and
Fig 1.0 respectively

Table 1.0: Incoming Stream Parameters

Parameter Value
Temperature (oC) 15
Pressure (kPa) 6200
Flow Rate (kgmole/hr) 1440

Fig 1.0: Incoming Feed Stream Composition

3.0 Simulation Window

The base case simulation run is shown below in Fig 2.0.

Fig 2.0: Simulation Window for Refrigerated Gas Plant

The specifications used for the base case are as follows:

Table 2.0 Specifications used in Base case simulation

Gas-Gas Exchanger
Min Temp Approach 5 oC
Chiller
Pressure Drop 35 kPa
Gas to LTS Stream
Temperature -20 oC

Exercises
Table 3.0: Parameters obtained from Simulation Exercise
Parameter Value

Flowrate of Gas to Chiller 1440kgmole/hr

Sales Gas Pressure 6125 kPa

Sales Gas Temperature 10 oC

Using Balance Operation

The Balance Operation (see Fig 3.0) was used in determining the current Hydrocarbon Dew point
for the Sales Gas Stream.

Fig 3.0: Using the Balance Operation

Mole Balance was selected to provide molar flow rate and composition for the Sales Gas stream.
In determining the HC Dewpoint at specified pressure of 6000kPa, the Vapour fraction was set to
1.0 as seen below in Fig 4.0.

Fig 4.0: HC Dewpoint for Sales Gas (Base Case)

HC Dewpoint = -19.75oC. This current dewpoint is lower than the specified dewpoint of -15 oC
which is required.
Assuming the pressure is fixed, other parameters that affect the dewpoint is the composition of
the gas. Gas with more heavy ends will have higher dewpoint temperature.
Using Adjust Operation
The Adjust Operation was used to manipulate the Gas to LTS Stream Temperature so as to arrive
at the Specified HC Dewpoint Temperature of -15oC. See iterations done in Fig. 5.0. The required
temperature for Gas to LTS stream is -15.22oC

Fig 5.0: Calculations using Adjust Operation

Linking Propane Loop to Refrigerated Gas Plant

The Propane loop template from Module 2 was linked to the Refrigerated Gas Plant simulation via
a Sub-Flowsheet as seen in Fig. 6.0. The Chiller duty from the Refrigerated Gas Plant was linked to
that of Chiller in the Propane loop

The new flow rate of propane = 162.4 kgmole/hr at 1,464,000 KJ/hr as opposed to 111kgmole/hr
at 1,000,000 KJ/hr in previous case.
 Fig 6.0: Linking Propane Refrigeration loop to Refrigerated Gas Plant

Modifying the Heat Exchanger

The UA for the Heat Exchanger was set to active and modified to 2e5 kJ/ oC.h. The summary for
the base case and modification results are given below

Previous Case New Case

Min Temp Approach (oC) 5 (Specified) 7.4 (Calculated)
LMTD 7.144 9.2
UA (kJ/ oC.h) 2.83e5 2e5

The lower the UA, the higher the temperature approach between the outlet gas to be cooled and
cold gas from the LTS. This shows the impact on the heat transfer between hot and cold gas. More
heat transfer occurs with higher overall conductance (UA).

Challenge Exercise

Converting the Chiller to a Heat Exchanger.

The Chiller E-101 in the Refrigerated Gas plant simulated was changed to a Heat exchanger, E-100.
(Ref: Refrigertaed Gas Plant Challenge.hsc). The Gas to Chiller Stream was routed to the Tube side
while the Propane Stream was routed to the Shell side of the Heat Exchanger. See Fig 7.0 for the
specifications used
 Fig. 7.0: Heat Exchanger Specifications

Summary of the Streams for the Heat Exchanger is shown in Fig. 8.0

Fig 8.0: Summary of Streams to and from the HEX