SKTK4153 Plant Design Sn02

Assignment 1 Learning Flowsheet Creation & Site Selection

Dateline: 25 November 2021

Answer all questions

Question 1

Chemicals A and X react to form a valuable chemical P:

X+A→P

Chemical P commands a high price because the conversion of the above reaction is low; i.e. 10% (in
mol %). The optimal performance of the reactor is shown below.

A (45 mol %)
Reactor X (45 mol %)
A (50 mol %)
X (50 mol %) 150oC P (10 mol %)

1 atm

Chemical X is available commercially. Chemical A is available only in a mixture with chemicals B

and C. Chemicals A, B and C do no react with each other. The chemistry with chemical X is

X + B → no reaction

X+C→Q

Moreover, Q forms readily under optimal conditions for forming P (Conversion of Q = 80% (in
mol%)):

Reactor C (10 mol %)

C (50 mol %) X (10 mol %)
X (50 mol %) 150oC
Q (80 mol %)
1 atm

Finally, P does not react with any of the chemicals in this process.
(a) Design a process until the separation unit selections and recycle (using process creation and
synthesis steps) to produce 100 kmol/hr of P from two raw materials: (1) pure X and (2) a mixture of
A (30%), B (5 mol%), and C (65 mol%).

i. Draw the flowchart and label the function of each unit.

ii. Give justifications for your design decisions.
iii. Indicate qualitatively and quantitatively the chemicals in each stream in the flowchart
(perform mass balance calculation)
iv. Indicate the destination of any stream that leaves the process (for example, “recycle”, “to
landfill”, “to market”, “to wastewater treatment”).

Some guideline:

• Minimize the number of units in your process.

• Minimize waste of material and energy in the process.
• Maximize the yield of Product P and any other marketable by-product
• Your process should be safe and environmentally benign

Some physical parameters at 1 atm

Melting Boiling pt Soluble in Soluble in Market Comments

pt (oC) (oC) benzene1? water? value
($/kg)

A 60 235 yes No 10 Nontoxic

B 32 232 No Yes 30 Nontoxic

C 28 135 No No 160 Nontoxic

P 86 120 Yes No 400 Mild irritant

Q 230 800 Yes Yes 20 Toxic

X 120 320 Yes no 150 Flammable

Note: 1Human toxicity of benzene is acute; irritates mucous membranes; death may follow respiratory
failure.

Question 2

Your company plan to expand their business by producing 100 metric tonne per annum
(100MTA) of ammonia. Select 3 sites in Malaysia, compare, analyse, and justify which site
location is the best to build your ammonia plant. (maximum 3 pages)