Chemical Engineering Process Equipment Design Report 2

Designing Process Vessels and Piping System

Submitted by:
ELARMO, JUDY MARL B.
BS ChE – 5

Submitted to:
Dr. Hercules R. Cascon
ChE 61 A – Process Equipment Design

Date of Submission
August 1, 2019
REFLUX DRUMS
Liquid drums are usually placed horizontally and gas–liquid separators vertically, although reflux
drums with gas as an overhead product commonly are horizontal. The length to diameter ratio is in the
range of 2.5–5.0, the smaller diameters at higher pressures and for liquid–liquid settling. The volume of a
drum is related to the flow rate through it, but it depends also on the kinds of controls and on how harmful
would be the consequences of downstream equipment running dry. Conventionally, the volume often is
expressed in terms of the number of minutes of flow on a half-full basis.

FRACTIONATOR REFLUX DRUMS

Commonly their orientation is horizontal. When a small amount of a second liquid phase (for
example, water in an immiscible organic) is present, it is collected in and drawn off a pot at the bottom of
the drum. The diameter of the pot is sized on a linear velocity of 0.5 ft/ sec is a minimum of 16 in
diameter in drums of 4–8 ft diameter, and 24 in diameter in larger sizes. The minimum vapor space above
the high level is 20% of the drum diameter or 10 in (Sigales, 1975).

Vapor from the Condenser

REFLUX DRUM

Reflux Distillat
to the e
distilla
tion
colum A method of sizing reflux drums proposed by Watkins (1967) is based on several factors itemized
n
in Table 18.1. A factor F3 is applied to the net overhead product going downstream, then instrument
factors F1 and labor factors F2 which are added together and applied to the weighted overhead stream,
and finally a factor F4 is applied, which depends on the kind and location of level indicators. When L is
the reflux flow rate and D the overhead net product rate, both in gpm, the volume of the drum (gal) is
given by

V d =2 ( F 4 ) ( F1 + F 2) ( L+ ( F3 ) ( D ) )

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
Where
Vd = volume of the reflux drum (gal)
F1 = instrument factors (min)
F2 = labor factor (min)
F3 = net overhead product flow to external equipment
F4 = level control
L = reflux flow rate (gal/min)
D = overhead net product rate (gal/min)
*values of Fn+1 are found in Table 18.1 Factors for Sizing Reflux Accumulators (Couper, et al)

Table 1 Factors for Sizing Reflux Accumulators

Design Calculations for a Horizontal Drum

To size a horizontal drum, the following procedure is recommended:
Assumptions: Factors of sizing parameters are at average conditions where F 1 = 1, F2 = 1:5, F3 = 3
and F4 = 1.5 and L= 2223.6565 kg/h (9.4904 gal/min) and D = 443.73 kg/h (1.9536 gal/min)

Step 1. Calculate the volume of the reflux drum (V d ¿

V d =2 ( F 4 ) ( F1 + F 2) ( L+ ( F3 ) ( D ) )

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
 V d =2 ( 1.5 )( 1+1.5 ) ( 9.4904 + ( 3 ) (1.9536 ) ) = 115.14 gal/min = 0.2565 ft3/min

Step 2. Calculate the vapor liquid separation factor:

0.5
wl ρ
wv ( )
= v
ρl
Where
Wl = liquid flow rate (lb/s)
Wv = vapor flow rate (lb/s)
ρ v ∧ρl=¿ liquid and vapor densities (lb/ft3)

wl 0.160264 0.5

wv
= (53.5879 ) =0.05468

Step 3. Calculate the horizontal vapor velocity factor, KH

K H =1.25 K V
Where
K H = horizontal vapor velocity factor
K V = vertical vapor velocity factor
See plot Figure 18.5 b (Chemical Process Equipment, Sinnot Coulson)
Assume 85% flooding.
wl
From the plot, at =0.05468, K V =0.42
wv
So K H =1.25 ( 0.42 )=0.525

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
Step 4. Calculate the maximum vapor velocity (Uv) max
0.5
( U v )max=K H [ ( ρl− ρv ) / ρv ]
0.5
( U v )max=(0.525) [( 53.5879−0.160264 ) /0.160264 ]
( U v )max=9.5857 ft / sec

Step 5. Calculate the required flow area (Av) min

QV
( A v )min =
( U v )max
ft 3
where Q V isthe vapor flow rate 2668.39 ( s )
ft 3
2668.39
s
( A v )min = =278.37 ft 2
ft
9.5857
s

Step 6. The remainder of the sizing procedure is done by trial and error as follows:
When the vessel is half-full,

( A v ) min 278.37 ft 2
( A¿¿ total )min= ¿= =92.79 ft 2
[3 ] [3 ]

= 10.869 ft = 3.31 m
Since h/D = 0.75 for horizontal types, the liquid height (h) in the vessel is computed as:

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
 h
=0.75
( 3.31m )
Solve for h
h = 2.485 m = 8.15288 ft

Step 7. Calculate the vessel length.

π D2 π (10.869 ft )2
L=(V d ) ( )
4
= (0.2565 ft3/min) ( 4 )
L=23.802 ft =7.2548 m
23.802 ft
So L/D = =2.19, the designer doesn’t need to resize the tank.
10.869 ft
Hold – up time for horizontal reflux drum half full is 5 min.

Vessel Supports:
The method used to support a vessel will depend on the size, shape, and weight of the vessel; the design
temperature and pressure; the vessel location and arrangement; and the internal and external fittings and
attachments. Horizontal vessels are usually mounted on two saddle supports.

The saddles must be designed to withstand the

load imposed by the weight of the vessel and
contents. They are constructed of bricks or
concrete, or are fabricated from steel plate. The
contact angle should not be less than 120ᵒ and will
not normally be greater than 1508ᵒ.

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
 The dimensions of typical ‘‘standard’’ saddle designs are given in this table.
Heuristics for designing Vessels (Drums)

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
Materials of Construction of the Reflux Drum

Factors must be considered when choosing the materials of construction for the equipment, but
usually the overriding consideration for a chemical process plant is the ability to resist corrosion. But
for the reflux drum, since the organic solvents used are not highly corrosive, so the ability to resist
corrosion is not the top factor to consider in this case. Practically, what should be considered is the
most economical material that can satisfy both process and mechanical requirements. Among the
many known materials of construction, the carbon steel has been chosen to make up the drum. The
carbon steel was selected due to its suitability with most organic solvents, except for chlorinated
solvents but the solvents used in the process are organic solvents. These carbon steels are the most
commonly used material of construction because of its affordability, its availability in a wide range of
standard forms and sizes, and it can be easily worked and welded, plus it has a good tensile strength
and ductility.

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
Specification Sheet

Equipment No. E- 103

Sheet No. 1
Equipment Type Reflux Drum
Design Data
Temperature 40ᵒC
Materials Handled Ethanol and Water
Types of Operation Batch
Operating Time 12 h
Material Property
Density (kg/m3) Flow Rate (kg/day)
Ethanol 785 Inlet of Drum Outlet of
Drum
Water 997 2668.39 Distillate =
444.73 kg/day
Reflux =
2223.6 kg/day
Drum Design
Orientation Horizontal Cylinder
-

Diameter 3.31 m

Length 7.2548 m

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
 Power Requirement -
Material of construction Carbon Steel

Piping and Instrumentation Diagram around the Distillation Column

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
Liquid Pumps
Liquid pumps are used to transport large amounts of fluids from one place to another. In this
plant design, around the distillation column, only one (1) pump is employed on the bottoms part of the
column, which is a single staged centrifugal pump.
The performance of a centrifugal pump is characterized by plotting the head developed against
the flow rate. The pump efficiency can be shown on the same curve. A typical plot is shown in Figure
5.14. The head developed by the pump falls as the flow rate is increased. The efficiency rises to a
maximum and then falls. For a given type and design of pump, the performance will depend on the
impeller diameter, the pump speed, and the number of stages. Pump manufacturers publish families of
operating curves for the range of pumps they sell. These can be used to select the best pump for a given
duty. A typical set of curves is shown in Figure 5.15.

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
A process liquid is pumped from the bottom of a distillation column to the reboiler using a centrifugal
pump.
Assumptions:
1. The pipeline is 80mm internal diameter.
2. Commercial Steel Pipe, Schedule 40, 100 m long
3. Miscellaneous losses equivalent for 600 pipe diameters. (Sinnot, 2015)
4. The efficiency of the pump is at 80% (Rules of Thumb: Summary, n.d.)
Distillation column operates at 1.5 bar at 80ᵒC and the reboiler at 1 atm.
Physical properties: density = 994 kg/m3 ; viscosity = 6.600 mPa.s
Static Head
Difference in elevation, ∆z = (3 – 1.5) m = 1.5 m
∆P = (1.5 – 1.013)105 = 4.9x104 N/m2
( 4.9 x 10 4 )
As head of the liquid = =5.030 m
( 994 ) ( 9.8 )
So total static head = 1.5 + 5.030 = 6.530 m

Dynamic Head
- take fluid head velocity as 1 m/s (assume)
(π )
Cross sectional area of the pipe = (80 x 10−3)2 =5.03 x 10−3 m2
4
Volumetric flow rate = (1 m/s)( 5.03 x 10−3 m 2 ¿ (3600s/h) = 18.095 m3/h

( 80 x 10−3 ) (994)(1) 4
Reynolds number, NRE = −3
=3.1 x 10 m
(5.60 x 10 )

Absolute roughness of commercial steel pipe (Table 5.2) = 0.046 mm = f

0.046 mm
Relative roughness = =5.8 x 10−4
80 mm

Using Figure 5.11, friction factor is at 0.065.

Total length of the pipeline includes miscellaneous losses = 100 m + (600 x 80 x 10−3 ¿ = 148 m
148 12
Pressure drop, ∆ Pf =( 8 ) ( 0.065 )
(( 80 x 10 −3
)) ( 2)
( 994 ) =47,812 N / m 2

47,812 N / m2
= =4.91m liquid
( 994 ) ( 9.8 )

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
 Total head = 6.530 + 4.91 = 11.4 m

A centrifugal pump is defined as a machine in which a rotor in a casing acts on a liquid to give it a
high velocity head that is in turn converted to pressure head by the time the liquid leaves the pump. They
are available in sizes of about (1-100000 gal/min) and for discharge pressures from a few m head of 5000
kPa or so.

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
The power required to pump the contents is computed through the equation below. Additionally, to find
the shaft pump power, the pump efficiency must also be utilized:

where 𝑚𝑚̇ is the mass flow rate per hour required to be pumped to each equipment, 𝑔 is the gravitational
constant which equal to 9.81 m/s2, and ℎ is the pressure head in meters (m). The numerical value in the
denominator represents the conversion factor for watts to kilowatts and hours to second. The values for
the mass flow rate below are substituted along with the other values to the presented equations.

Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5
Design Report No. 2 Designing Process Vessels and Piping Systems Elarmo, Judy Marl B. BS ChE -5