Equipment Optimization

Introduction/Objectives

This assignment has the main target of performing the major tool of process design the ‘Optimization’ on
a single unit from the final year completed project of the last semester titled “Project on the separation of
DME (Dimethyl ether)”. As, the final year project includes the design of the Distillation Tower on which
the optimization tool can be applicable easily and proven beneficial. When fuel costs were low,
distillation column trains used s strategy involving the substantial consumption of utilities such as steam
and cooling water in order to maximize separation (i.e., product purity) for a given tower. However, the
operation of any one tower involves certain limitations or constraints on the process, such as the
condenser duty, tower tray flooding, or reboiler duty. The equipment number T-101 was chosen for
applying the optimization tool in this assignment. The objective function for the optimization is the
Estimated Annual Operating Cost (EAOC), in the units of $/year, which must be as low as possible within
the feasible region of optimization. The need for energy conservation suggests a different objective,
namely minimizing the reflux ratio. From the viewpoint of optimization, there is an economic minimum
value below which the energy savings are less than the cost of product quality degradation.
Methods
Firstly, the optimization study was going to be apply on the column using the ChemCAD software.
Firstly, the ChemCAD design the equipment model and then we play with the number of independent
variables to get the most significant optimal value which is the best suited for the equipment operation.
The software was designed to get the actual output values of the original column used in the final year
thesis project. The independent variables include the input conditions and values while the output
conditions are obtained as a result. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on the column and to get the
optimal ratio, we use the R/R min ratio which is termed as actual reflux to minimum reflux, varied from
1.01 to 1.3. The resultant output values are the feed stage and the total number of stages inside the
column.
Record the results and then this data is fed into the original SCDS column, which gives the reboiler and
condenser duty, column tray diameter and height, column temperature and pressure, which is recorded in
it.
Then this data is added into the CAPCOST spreadsheet to get the actual price of the equipment for each
R/Rmin value recorded against each stage and the feed stage of the distillation column. The trial run was
done as test runs. At the end, the total module cost of the tower and the heat exchangers were recorded.
This data proven helpful in calculating the cost of manufacturing (COM) associated with utilities costs
etc.
This COM is termed as fixed cost which is then converted into annualized payment using of 18% ROR
(rate of return) and the lifespan of 10 year of the equipment vessel. The process was repeated for each
stage trial and then the optimal solution is obtained.

Results
The resultant tabulated data shows the varying values of independent variable i.e. number of stages, feed
stage, reboiler and condenser duties against different values of R/R min. The constant values used in the
calculation trails are:
Max. Pressure = 8.0 bar(g)
Tray Spacing = 0.61 meters
Column diameter = 0.91 meters
Reboiler medium pressure steam = 184oC
Condenser Cooling Water = 5oC
Table
Graph

The results depict that the temperature input and output values did not show any abrupt behavior in the
process optimization phenomena. The only affecting value is the reboiler’s inlet temperature, as R/R min
increases, the inlet temperature lowers slightly.
Discussion
The ratio R/Rmin was showing some increment of 0.025 in the initial trials against the same number of
stages and identical feed stage for varying ratio.
The graphical representation gives the significant visualization of the optimization process which make a
clear view in actual, as, on increasing the number of stages, the ratio goes to decline while as ratio goes to
rise, the EAOC begins to improve due to high utility costings together with increased reflux and heavy
duties against it.
From the figure, it is clear that the most cost effective and efficient range of reflux ratio for the column is
from 1.15 to 1.2 which is defined as the optimal solution region. It is termed as the highly suggested
feasible region to get the minimal annual cost.
The actual ratio applied in the project was 1.3 with a cost of $940,000/year. Now, at the optimum ratio of
1.175, the EAOC was evaluated to be $921,000/year with a saving of $20,000/year which is the optimum
value with minimum EAOC, achieved the objective target.
Conclusion
As, the optimal solution value gave a saving of $20,000 annually which is a considerable value and the
recommendations are to run the tower with the optimal condition parameters to get the best efficient and
cost-effective results. The main purpose of the industry is to maximize profit and minimize EAOC. Using
the ChemCAD software, sensitivity analysis, trial runs and the CAPCOST spreadsheet, the optimal ratio
was finalized to be 1.175 with a saving of $20,000 annually as compared to the original one in the thesis
project.