CHAPTER FIVE

SIMULATION

The simulation work is carried out using Aspen HYSYS v11 With 7 components and two

fluid packages.

5.1 Simulation Software (ASPEN HYSYS)

Aspen HYSYS is a market-leading process modelling tool for conceptual design,

optimization, business planning, asset management, and performance monitoring for oil and

gas production, gas processing, petroleum refining, and air separation industries. Aspen

HYSYS is a core element of Aspen Tech's aspen ONE® Engineering applications. It has vast

importance for chemical engineers to simulate a process (Mondal et al., 2015). Aspen

HYSYS has established itself as a very intuitive and easy to use process simulator in oil and

gas refining industry. It has efficient workflow for process design, equipment sizing, and

preliminary cost estimation. The program also provides a very flexible and easy to use

distillation column modelling environment. Additionally the interactive nature of HYSYS

enables users to build and use their models quickly and effectively. Aspen HYSYS offers a

comprehensive thermodynamics foundation for accurate calculation of physical properties,

transport properties, and phase behaviour for the oil and gas and refining industries.

Comprehensive library of unit operation models including distillation, reactors, heat transfer

operation, rotating equipments, controllers and logical operations in both the steady state and

dynamic environments (Ambar et al., 2012). Process simulation is used for the design,

development, analysis, and optimization of technical processes and is mainly applied to

chemical plants and chemical processes, but also to power stations, and similar technical

facilities. Process simulation is a model-based representation of chemical, physical,

biological, and other technical processes and unit operations in software Basic prerequisites

are a thorough knowledge of chemical and physical properties (Mondar et al., 2015).
HYSYS is chosen as all the components used are liquid and present in HYSYS.

5.2 Selection of Fluid Package

Peng-Robinson and NRTL were used for the modelling. Majority of the process is modelled

using the Peng-Robinson fluid package. For the purification system in particular, the liquid

phase separation between methanol and water is modelled using the Non-random two-liquid

(NRTL) fluid package.

5.3 Process Conditions

Table 5.1: Process conditions

Name Temperature (℃) Pressure (bar)

Auto-Thermal Reformer Inlet – 560 35

Outlet - 1000
(GBR-100)
40 35
Separator (V-100)
Inlet - 260 70
Methanol Reactor
Outlet – 1077
(CRV-100)
40 70
Separator (V-101)
42 20
Separator (V- 102)
1.013
Distillation Column

(T-100)