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Excel for Chemical Engineers: Mass Balances

1. The document discusses using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to perform mass balances and solve chemical engineering problems. Key features of spreadsheets like easy modification, performing complex balances, and generating graphical data are highlighted. 2. A stepwise process for spreadsheeting is outlined, including entering specifications, drawing flow diagrams, labeling streams, and working through balances sequentially. Tips are provided like indicating authors and dates. 3. Example problems are provided to demonstrate setting up mass balances in a spreadsheet, using the ideal gas law equation and CONVERT function to calculate pressure in different units, and using Solver to optimize the design of a storage bin.

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60 views14 pages

Excel for Chemical Engineers: Mass Balances

1. The document discusses using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets to perform mass balances and solve chemical engineering problems. Key features of spreadsheets like easy modification, performing complex balances, and generating graphical data are highlighted. 2. A stepwise process for spreadsheeting is outlined, including entering specifications, drawing flow diagrams, labeling streams, and working through balances sequentially. Tips are provided like indicating authors and dates. 3. Example problems are provided to demonstrate setting up mass balances in a spreadsheet, using the ideal gas law equation and CONVERT function to calculate pressure in different units, and using Solver to optimize the design of a storage bin.

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CE1011

Professional Skills for Chemical Engineers

Mass Balances and solving problems


using Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets
Dr Alfred Fernandez-Castane, CEAC
Aston University

March 2020
Why use a spreadsheet?
• Easy to modify
• Perform complex balances
• Interconnect many balances / variables
• Use iterative logic to solve problems
• Generate graphical data easier
Stepwise spreadsheeting
1. Enter process specifications into a central
area on the flowsheet
2. Draw the block flow diagram
3. Label the streams
4. Start with what you know
Don’t just type in values!
1. Use formulae
2. Use references

5. 6. 7. …Work through the balances


sequentially (i.e. calculate the Product Stream first)
Tips…
1. Indicate: author/s, creation date, updates,
company logo,
2. Place unit labels in adjacent cells
Key

3. Use “Keys”
Numbers from another page
Calculated using assumption from assumption sheet
Target cell in solver
Changing variable in solver
Calculated cell
Title cell with information
Information cell

4. Use “check” cells


Table 3.2
inlet outlet

1+2+8+11 10+13 Check


If there is large deviation this cell will say
14721.4 14721.4 OK "Warning"
Neat Tricks!
• ‘Ctrl ~’ switches from formula to result
– e.g. “100” vs. “=5*10*2”
• Formula Auditing Toolbar

Trace Precedents

• ‘Ctrl PgUp/PgDn’ changes sheets


Problem 1: mass balances
Calculate the mass balances using MS Excel for the evaporation of ethanol as
detailed below. Your mass balances table must be laid out in a way that values
are automatically recalculated when modifying the process specifications

Product
water
ethanol

Evaporator
Grain Extract Waste
water water
ethanol ethanol

Process specifications:
50 kg/min Grain Extract (3wt% EtOH)

Product contains 99% of feed EtOH

Product is 50wt% EtOH


Calculations and Formulas

Ideal gas law equation


Excel CONVERT function
The Excel CONVERT function converts a
number in one measurement system to another.
For example, you can use CONVERT to convert
feet into meters, pounds into kilograms,
Fahrenheit to Celsius, gallons into liters, and for
many other unit conversions.
Syntax
=CONVERT (number, from_unit, to_unit)

This link will show a table with various units that


are available to the CONVERT function
https://exceljet.net/excel-functions/excel-convert-function
Management of units
If you manage units without the CONVERT
function, is good practice to carry out
conversions in separate cells on the
spreadsheet
101383 Pa Conversion factor
14.70378 psi 6895 Pa/psi

It might be tempting to enter one-half a known


diameter in a formula that requires a radius.
Avoid the temptation and show the divide-by-
two calculation explicitly
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CREATE EASY TO INTERPRET SPREADSHEETS
Problem 2:
Solving simple problems
Using the ideal gas equation
Calculate the pressure in Pa of 1 mol of gas at 0 degrees C in a
volume of 22,4 L. Use the CONVERT function to calculate pressure in
Psi in a separate cell. Convert Pa to psi units using a conversion
factor in a separate cell. It is conditional that pressure values must be
automatically recalculated when changing volume, temperature or
moles values.
Problem 3
Solving complex problems

Use Solver to determine the optimum size of a bin with a cylindrical


upper section, a conical lower section, a defined volume and a
minimum bin angle to exceed the angle of repose of the granular
material. The optimum is defined as the minimum area of material
used in constructing the bin for a volume of 5m3.
Problem (cnt)
Problem (cnt)

Adapted from www.aiche.org/cep (August 2016)


Problem (cnt)
In order to solve the problem you will need to start by trial calculations
using for example the following values:

Diameter D 2m
Radius Rd 1m
Cylindrical Height hcyl 1.5 m
Comical Height hcon 1m

The bin volume will not meet the specifications, thus this is not the
optimal solution. Next, you will need to specify the Solver Parameters,
setting the value of the bin surface area to a minimum by changing the
diameter, and the heights of the cylindrical and conical sections. Finally,
you need to input the constraints.

Adapted from www.aiche.org/cep (August 2016)

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