CHEE 456D1-D2 Fall 2023/Winter 2024

Chemical Engineering
McGill University

Projects Description
Table of Contents
PROJECTS: 1, 2, and 3 ............................................................................................................. 1
PROJECT: 4 ............................................................................................................................ 9
PROJECT: 5 .......................................................................................................................... 12
PROJECT: 6 .......................................................................................................................... 14
PROJECT: 7 .......................................................................................................................... 16
PROJECTS: 8 and 9 ............................................................................................................... 18
PROJECTS: 10 and 11............................................................................................................ 20
PROJECT: 12......................................................................................................................... 24
PROJECT: 13......................................................................................................................... 27
PROJECT: 14......................................................................................................................... 29
PROJECT: 15......................................................................................................................... 32
PROJECTS: 1, 2, and 3
Crystallized sugar from sugar beet – 100,000 tons per year.

DESIGN LEADER(S)
Norman Peters
norman.peters@mcgill.ca

Education:
B. Chem. Eng. – McGill (1971)
Ph.D. – University of Aston (UK) (1974)
Work experience:
Software development company (SACDA)
Pulp and paper plant design (Domtar)
Detergents plant design (Domtar)
NaCl salt production (Domtar, Sonarem)
Pulp and paper consultants (Sandwell, KSH)
Air pollution control (SO2, CO2 removal from gases (Shell-Cansolv))

CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT

Apply numerous unit operations in the design of the plant (calcination, gas quenching,
Clarification and sedimentation, Filtration and thickening, Evaporation and condensation,
Crystallization, and centrifuging, Drying, Piping and Conveying)
MANDATE
Prepare a Process Design Package (PDP) for April 2024, including the cost of making the sugar
($/lb).
PROJECT DETAILS
A sugar solution is delivered to the battery limits of the plant, along with all utilities.
All else is selected and designed by the students.
All calculations to be performed in Imperial units.
A MANDATE LETTER (CONTRACT) FROM THE CLIENT WILL BE ISSUED TO THE SELECTED TEAM
MEMBERS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROJECT.
MAIN DELIVERABLES

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FALL 2023:
Process flow diagrams – Heat and material balances – Stream tables – Equipment list

WINTER 2024:
PIDs – Equipment data sheets – Control narratives – Layout drawings - Cost analyses – Hazid
analyses.
And whatever else the Client will require!

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 PETERS ORGANIC PRODUCTS INC.
Montreal, Quebec,

McGill Consultants Ltd.

McGill University,
3480 University Avenue,
Montreal, Quebec.

Montreal, August 31st, 2023

Reference: Project CHEE456 - New Sugar Production Plant

Dear McGill Consultants,

Peters Organic Products Inc. (thereafter called "POP" or "The Client") is happy to
announce that it has selected McGill Consultants Inc. ("The Consultants") to conduct an
engineering study for the design of a new sugar plant.

In Manitoba, there is an abundant supply of sugar beet. A team of wealthy investors has
approached POP to evaluate the feasibility of erecting a new manufacturing plant near Winnipeg to
process local beet to produce crystallised sucrose sugar. The investors have already performed their
market survey to assess the potential for selling the product and have found it unlimited. They have
now requested POP to prepare the Basic Engineering and a Budget Estimate for the future erection
of a plant. They have requested that all information be made available to them no later than mid-
April 2024.

Peters Organic Products Inc. is presently very busy completing numerous mega-projects
worldwide and has selected McGill Consultants Inc. to assist it in this very special undertaking.

The Consultants will prepare the study and preliminary design and costing of the new sugar
production plant. The future owners have not yet specified the exact capacity of the plant, as it will
depend on plant economics and raw material requirements. However, a production capacity of
100,000 tonnes a year of pure sucrose is contemplated.

POP is hereby requesting McGill Consultants Inc. to investigate initially the feasible routes.
More precisely, McGill Consultants Inc. will perform initially the following tasks:

a. Research the literature to establish the recommended method of production;

b. Prepare block diagrams for discussion with The Client;
c. Upon agreement on the process to be pursued, McGill Consultants will perform the Basic
Engineering for the chosen process.

NOTE however, that the whole solid sugar-beet handling and diffusion process to produce Raw
Thin Juice has been allocated to another engineering company and is therefore outside the
battery limits of McGill Consultants.

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 McGill Consultants will start their design assuming that a dilute sugar juice (Thin Juice)
is pumped from the diffusion process to one or more new storage tanks to be erected on the
owners’ property. The sugar juice will have the following properties:

Juice temperature 25.0°C

Juice composition
Sucrose 15.0%
Non-sucrose 2.2%
Water 82.8%

The process design will be split into 3 teams, with these areas of design for each team:
P1 : Sugar juice purification, including milk of lime production;
P2 : Sugar juice concentration, including steam sourcing;
P3 : Sugar crystallization and drying, including molasses production.

McGill Consultants will present to POP, by the end of December 2023, a summary report
describing the project and design conditions that they will have selected. This preliminary report
will include, among other things, a process description, flow diagrams, specifications of the battery
limits, design criteria, preliminary material and energy balances and an assessment of the literature
pertaining to the subject.

For the final report to The Client, which will be submitted to POP no later than mid-April
2024, The Consultants will produce the following:

- Detailed process descriptions,

- Detailed process flow diagrams,
- Detailed piping and instrumentation diagrams (PIDs),
- Detailed material and energy balance calculations in Imperial units,
- Equipment, motor, instrumentation and piping lists for the process,
- Equipment selection,
- Equipment design calculations for each item,
- Equipment layout drawings (plan and elevation views),
- Control philosophy,
- Hazards operation review,
- Utilities (steam, water, power), chemicals and manpower requirements,
- All related costs,
- Any other requirements of The Client, expressed throughout the project duration.

The Consultants will meet weekly with The Client.

All communications with POP will be through written briefs, memos and documents. Each
of The Consultants teams will submit by email a weekly progress report the day before each
weekly meeting with The Client. These communications will record the progress of the project
and will establish the correct design parameters, as well as provide back-up calculations for the
eventual detailed design for the construction phase, to be decided at The Client's discretion. The
Consultants will also submit an Agenda plan for the meeting that will take place the same week.

As a first task in their design project, each Consultant team will prepare a project schedule
to be reviewed with The Client early in October, and which will list all the tasks to be accomplished

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throughout the next academic semester. The schedule will also list the deadlines to be met to
achieve a successful completion of the project by the target date of mid-April 2024.

All teams will keep an accurate and detailed document of design criteria to be reviewed and
changed at any time at The Client's discretion.

Peters Organic Products Inc. wishes its Consultants good luck and success in their
design project and hopes the partnership will be of mutual benefit.

Best of luck to all.

Dr. Norman Peters, Eng.

President and C.E.O.,
PETERS ORGANIC PRODUCTS INC.

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 SOME HOUSE RULES TO OBSERVE

• Participation in consultation meetings accounts for 35% of the final mark. These
marks are given to every individual, not to the whole group. They are not given
automatically and need to be earned the HARD WAY through continuous active
involvement during meetings.

• Meetings will be modelled on Engineering Office type meetings.

• Each group will send the client a progress report the evening before every meeting.
This short report will highlight the work performed during the previous week and will
list major questions that should be addressed by the client during the next meeting or
researched by him.

• Each meeting will follow an Agenda that will be established by the groups before the
beginning of the meeting and approved by the leader. Major items of discussion
should appear on the Agenda, otherwise they will be reported to the next meeting.

• Literature survey is an important part of the learning process and should not be
brushed off because the Client gives you all the answers. Some answers will not be
available when you need them.

• The project leader DOES NOT have an answer to each and every question you may
ask. Unresolved questions will either be postponed or a suitable answer developed
jointly by the groups and the leader.

• Eating, drinking and short breaks during the meetings are tolerated but not
encouraged.

• Cell phones MUST be closed during meetings with the client or else user will face
expulsion from the meeting.

• ALL team members are expected to contribute to the project and to the meetings.

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Preparation and presentation of documents
Prepared by N. Peters
August 31st, 2023

Documents prepared for and presented to others, such as bosses, clients, contractors,
vendors and even colleagues, must be clear and easy to follow. They reflect your
professionalism and your respect of others as well as your personality.
The following rules must be followed whenever submitting a document:

1. The document must always have a title as well as the name of the author and the
reviewer.

2. All documents should be reviewed by at least one colleague.

3. A colleague must always review a document to spot errors (which will be corrected
by the document author) and to suggest presentation improvements.

4. Tables and figures within a text document must always be numbered and have an
appropriate title.

5. Fonts and spacing between paragraphs must be consistent and appropriate to the
text.

6. Figures (numbers) must be reported with an appropriate number of decimal points.

Showing 6 decimal places does not make a number more precise or easy to read.

7. Numbers in the thousands or millions must use the appropriate separation between
thousands and hundreds and between millions and hundreds of thousands (usually a
comma in North America when a point is used to separate the decimal values).

8. Numbers printed by the computer should be checked for accuracy and relevance.
Just because the computer calculated a value does not mean it is correct; often wrong
conversion factors make reported numbers meaningless (such as reporting pipe
diameters of 1 micron instead of 1 inch– which has happened).

9. The number of significant figures is also important and depends on the accuracy of
the other values used to calculate them. There is no point reporting numbers that are
in the millions down to the unit value; 3 to 5 significant values are usually more than
sufficient.
However, the precise value of the number must be used in the rest of the calculations
to avoid introducing more errors by constantly truncating or rounding off numbers.

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10. All numbers shown in a report (or in an Excel spreadsheet) must have a text
explanation to the left of the number and must show the measurement units in which
the value is reported.

11. It is customary, in spreadsheets, to show the inputted fixed value data in a different
format than the calculated values.
This can be done either by highlighting the value in yellow (or any other pale colour)
or in having separate columns for inputted data and calculated data.

12. Every tab in an Excel document or every Word document must have a title block that
will contain at least the following information.
• The title of the document (what it does).
• The name of the author.
• The name of the reviewer.
• The date of preparation or revision.
• The revision number, if submitted again after the initial submission.

13. When a file is re-issued (especially Excel spreadsheets), there should be a cover
sheet or a tab in the spreadsheet that lists the changes brought to the document and
where these changes have been made, so the leader does not have to re-study the
whole document and compare it to previous ones to find out the changes. This is
VERY time consuming and wasteful.

14. Excel sheets should be formatted so the reader can print them easily on a printer
without having to reformat every tab of every spreadsheet every time it is re-issued.

15. Documents submitted during the design project that do not follow these rules will be
rejected and returned unchecked to the author for rework.
If failure to comply persists, the student’s final design project grade will be severely
affected.

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PROJECT: 4
Conversion of Algae (Microalgae) to Biofuels and Other Value-Added Products

Design Leader, email address:

Philippe Salama, philippe.salama@mcgill.ca

My name is Philippe Salama and I have been a design leader for roughly the last 10 years.
Every year I try to give projects which are relevant to current world issues to which chemical
engineers can contribute not only solutions but also sound designs. I’m hoping this year will
be no different. Other than being a design leader I also work as a Process Engineer for KSH
Solutions which was recently merged with a large European Consul􀆟ng firm called AFRY. As
a Process Engineer at KSH Solutions I have worked on various projects related to the pulp
and paper industry, environment, water treatment and renewable energy. During my career
I have also worked on the development of technologies designed for minimizing our impact
and footprint on the environment. These technologies and processes included the
gasification of solid wastes accumulated in isolated communities (Terragon Technologies)
and the capture of CO2 from industrial flue gas (Cansolv part of Shell Global Solutions). That
being said I look forward to working with the next generation of Chemical Engineers and find
out about their views and ideas on issues related to making our world a more
environmentally friendly place.

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Context and Mandate:

The semi-controlled growth and harvesting of algae or microalgae for the purpose of
producing bio-based products has been shown as a promising avenue for replacing
hydrocarbon products which contribute to increasing greenhouse gas emissions. The
literature on the growth, harvesting and transformation of microalgae to bio-based products
is quite extensive and offers a variety of options. The production of biofuels and other bio-
based products for the replacement of conventional hydrocarbons has also generated a lot
of interest amongst researchers and technology experts looking for ways to produce green
fuels and products. Although research and process development has demonstrated the
potential for converting microalgae to biofuels, there still remains challenges to maximize
the production yields all while minimizing project costs. Based on this, additional work on
combining existing technologies and new research could reveal potentially beneficial
solutions that will help improve the production and process costs.

The McGill Chemical Engineering Consulting Team assigned to this project will be task with
the development of a process that will transform microalgae to biofuels and potentially other
bio-based products. The microalgae to be transformed will be grown and harvested by a
third party using a facility located in Arizona USA. The proposed design will need to be
located near this facility and consider as much as possible the latest research findings and
use innovative ideas for maximizing the production of biofuels and other bio-based products
which will help in improving the economic potential for the project. The design will also need
to consider all required utilities and the potential use of strategies for integrating energy and
re-use of resources where possible. Finally, the design will also need to take into account all
necessary safety and environmental considerations to ensure the safe operation of the plant
all while making sure minimal releases of any contaminants into the local environment. To
note, specific design criteria for the project will be provided to the students such as available
utilities at site and other important design parameters to be considered. The remainder of
the design basis will need to be determined with the help of the design leader during the first
few weeks into the project. The main deliverables to be produced by the Consulting group
for the respective fall and winter semesters include the following:

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Fall 2023 Main Deliverables:
• Description of mandate;
• Description of basis of design or design criteria;
• Comparison of the various investigated processes;
• Detailed description for the selected process design;
• Process flow diagram for the selected process design;
• Preliminary mass and energy balances for the selected process design;
• Project schedule for winter semester; and
• Preliminary report

Winter 2024 Main Deliverables:

• Completed basis of design (design criteria);
• Completed mass and energy balances;
• Completed process flow diagrams;
• Completed process and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs);
• Analysis of system economics (CAPEX, and operating costs);
• Analysis and proper handling of safety aspects;
• System construction planning and scheduling; and
• Final report

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PROJECT: 5
Project Definition Study for Kraft Pulp Bleach Plant

DESIGN LEADER(S)
(Name, email, phone number)
Mat.fokas@mcgill.ca
mfokas@ksh.ca

CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT

SKP, a confidential major North American pulp producer, requires a definition study that includes
technical and financial evaluation for a new bleach plant at one of their southern US pulp mills.
MANDATE
As part of their long-term growth strategy, SKP is considering building a new 1,600 AD mt/day
bleach plant at one of its southern US pulp mills. SKP requires a study to define the overall project
scope and preliminary capital cost estimate that achieves an annual profit of 7 % and a return of
the initial investment in 7 years
PROJECT DETAILS
The new bleach plant will be built in an existing pulp mill location in Alabama that must remain
confidential until the project evaluation is complete and approved. SKP will provide:
- Unbleached pulp feed conditions
- Bleached pulp discharge condition
- utility conditions available.
The selected McGill engineering team will need to define the bleaching process as well as
estimate the installation and operating cost to satisfy SKP investment criteria.
MAIN DELIVERABLES
Weekly team meetings require members to present their progress toward each term final
report. Meeting minutes will record not only the project progress, but also key criteria decisions
agreed to.
An outline of the minimum requirements for the final reports and presentations of each term is
as follows.
FALL 2023:
The preliminary report will include, but will not be limited to, the following:
1. Mandate and scope of work the team will provide for each term.
2. Definition of battery limits.
3. Specific project design criteria.
4. Technology evaluation, which will include a preliminary list of advantages and disadvantages
as well as recommendation of which to use.
5. Block diagram for the recommended process.
6. Preliminary mass and energy balance for the recommended process.
7. Plan and schedule on how the detail study will proceed in the second term.

WINTER 2024:

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The final report will include, but will not be limited to, the following:
1. Executive summary.
2. Updated mandate and scope.
3. Final updated definition of battery limits.
4. Final project design criteria for the team project.
5. Detailed process description.
6. Detailed mass and energy balance calculations.
7. Preliminary P & I D drawings that include all major equipment, piping, and controls.
8. Equipment, motor, instrumentation, and piping lists for the process.
9. Design calculations for major equipment.
10. General arrangement layout drawings.
11. Engineering, procurement, and construction schedule.
12. Utilities (steam, water, compressed air, effluent, power), chemicals and labour requirements.
13. Recommendations and justification as to the preferred process and equipment to adopt with
potential future items that require more study due to their potential benefit.
14. Project capital and operating costs including equipment and installation as well as operating costs.

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PROJECT: 6
Production of Magnesium Metal using a Metallothermic Technology

DESIGN LEADER
Dr. Roger Urquhart
rogerurquhart1@gmail.com

Education:
• B.Eng. Met McGill University, Montreal
• M.Eng. Met McGill University, Montreal
• PhD University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
Career:
• QIT (now RTIT): Development Engineer: Production of iron & titanium slag
• Timinco: Plant Metallurgist/Chief Metallurgist: Production FeMn, FeCr, FeSi, Mg
• Lavalin/SNC-Lavalin: Process Engineer/VP: Design & construction of industrial projects
• Hatch: VP/Director: Design & construction of industrial projects. Electrotechnologies

CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT

Presently the production of magnesium is principally in China using the Pidgeon process that is
a silicothermic technology, where ferrosilicon reduces magnesium as a vapour from calcined
dolomite. Fused salt electrolysis of magnesium chloride to magnesium is also a mature
technology. In the 1980s an innovative metallothermic technology was developed & could be a
viable alternative for the existing processes.
MANDATE
Prepare a feasibility study to assess the viability of the production of 50 000 t/a magnesium in
the Province of Quebec. The plant would use an aluminum ferrosilicon to reduce serpentine.
PROJECT DETAILS
Process plant design for the production of 99.8 % grade magnesium from calcined asbestos tailings
as a raw material. The process technology is to be based on the R&D efforts undertaken at the SNA
facility in Sherbrooke, Quebec.
1. 1.1 Raw material preparation based on magnetic separation of asbestos tails to remove
magnetite impurity followed by calcination.
1.2 Submerged-arc furnace production of the AlSiFe reducer alloy

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 1.3 Electric Furnace reduction of calcined demagnetized asbestos tails
1.4 DC casting of molten magnesium into ingots.
1.5 Finished product shipping.

2. Plant capacity of 50 000 t/a 99.8 % magnesium DC ingots.

3. Process units and auxiliary units must be sized.

4. Environmental engineering evaluation

5. HAZOP.

6. Plant site location to be determined.

7. Financial analysis based on selling price for magnesium & the facility capital & operating
costs .

MAIN DELIVERABLES

FALL 2022
Technical Assessment to justify the process technology used. Silicothermic technologies &
electrolysis technologies are to be considered.
WINTER 2023
A preliminary design package to arrive at a project rate of return based on a budget capital cost
estimate and an estimate of the plant operating costs at the selected site location.

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PROJECT: 7
Calcination of ores with plasma torches

DESIGN LEADER(S)
Jean-René Gagnon, Eng. – Lead Process Engineer – jgagnon@pyrogenesis.com

Jean-René holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from McGill University, obtained in
2005. He joined PyroGenesis Canada after graduating. He was involved in the early stages of
design, operation and optimization of two plasma waste treatment systems (PAWDS and PRRS)
developed by PyroGenesis. Mr. Gagnon has been the project manager for several projects,
including the design and fabrication of a 1MW plasma torch system. He now leads the process
engineering team at PyroGenesis.

CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT

Thermal plasma torches could play a lead role in the electrification of industry. As global policies
aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, large emitters, such as the mining and metallurgical
industries, are looking for new solutions. These potential clients currently use fossil fuel burners
in their processes that require high temperature (+600°C) heat, emitting substantial amounts of
CO2. These burners could be replaced with high power (+5 MW) plasma torches, which use
electricity instead of combustion to produce heat. When powered by renewable energy grids,
the plasma torch technology produces virtually no CO2 emission when compared to conventional
burners. In this project, the calcination and roasting of ores will be targeted.

MANDATE
The project team will first investigate the existing and potential calcination/roasting processes
used to produce metals, with particular attention to the EV and battery markets. The team will
then define the equipment and space required to build a plasma torch powered calcination
process. They will investigate feed pretreatment and gas cleaning requirements. Stack emissions

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must comply with local regulations. A summary of the equipment configuration and preliminary
costs will be presented in order to choose the most appropriate solution. The team will then
prepare a detailed design for the chosen system and present the results to the client.

PROJECT DETAILS
The team will have to design the equipment required to operate a plasma torch powered
calcination system. The design must include instrumentation and controls, auxiliary equipment
(such as utilities, cooling, and ventilation), and the main kiln reactor. The project team must also
consider safety as an important factor in their design, and must demonstrate that their solution
can be used safely.

MAIN DELIVERABLES

FALL 2023:
Preliminary process design with block diagram
Literature search summary
Mass and energy balance, process simulation
PFD
Design 1 report

WINTER 2024:
Design criteria
P&ID and control philosophy
Equipment layout
Equipment design sheets
Safety assessment (HAZOP)
Complete capital and operating cost evaluation
Project schedule and meeting minutes
Design 2 report

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PROJECTS: 8 and 9
Project 8: VOC Abatement

DESIGN LEADER(S)
Donald Beverly, Eng.
Donald.Beverly@energir.com

CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT

Airplanes are cleaned, degreased, and painted for branding and inspections. These processes
generate harmful VOCs which must be removed for worker health and safety and to meet local
environmental air emissions standards.

MANDATE
Design a process to capture VOCs from cleaning and painting products and convert them such
that emissions for the paint shop air exchange meet environmental standards. The design must
also strike a balance between energy efficiency, low CO2e emissions and economics.

PROJECT DETAILS
The air exchange capacity for the paint shop is provisionally 17 500 CFM. The project is in
Montreal with current maximum allowed VOC emissions of 5 kg/h.

MAIN DELIVERABLES

FALL 2022
Preliminary PFD, mass & energy balances; equipment selection; regulatory review for worker
health & safety, and for air emissions including CO 2e and VOCs.

WINTER 2023
Final PFD, PID, mass & energy balances; description of process operation; HazOp study with
recommendations; environmental & economic analysis

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Project 9: Odour Abatement – Rendering Plant

DESIGN LEADER(S)
Donald Beverly, Eng.
Donald.Beverly@energir.com

CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT

Large, continuous volumes of poultry and pork waste from meat production are rendered to
make pet and fish food, oils, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. This is deemed an essential
service for the smooth running of our food supply. Rendering plants, once on the outskirts of
cities, are being encroached upon by urban sprawl which leads to odour complaints. This is
politically sensitive as relocation is prohibitively expensive, but operations must be maintained.

MANDATE
Design a process to capture and neutralize odours from the air exchange, process operations
and reception area of a large rendering plant treating poultry and pork wastes.

PROJECT DETAILS
The air exchange capacity for the facility is provisionally 200 000 CFM. The project is in
Montreal and near to encroaching residential developments. Due to energy use concerns, a
biologically based technology is specified.

MAIN DELIVERABLES

FALL 2022
Preliminary PFD, mass & energy balances; equipment selection; regulatory review for worker
health & safety, and for air and water emissions from biofiltration process including CO 2e.

WINTER 2023
Final PFD, PID, mass & energy balances; description of process operation; HazOp study with
recommendations; environmental & economic analysis

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PROJECTS: 10 and 11
Project 10: Low carbon hydrogen production: methane pyrolysis coupled with ammonia
production.

Design Leader(s) name, email address and phone number:

Olumoye (Moye) Ajao, Ph.D, P.Eng.
olumoye.ajao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Dr. Olumoye (Moye) Ajao co-chairs the hydrogen codes and standards working group. He is a senior
engineer within the Natural Gas and Hydrogen Division at Natural Resources Canada and coordinates
national and international initiatives on standardization methodologies for the hydrogen value chain. He
has over 15 years of experience in the energy field including oil and gas, nuclear and clean fuels production
on different continents. He holds a master’s degree in process energy and environmental systems
engineering from the Berlin University of Technology (Germany), and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from
Polytechnique Montréal. He is also a licensed Professional Engineer in the Province of Ontario, Canada. In
addition, he leads a task force of the International Partnership for Hydrogen and Fuel Cells in the Economy
focussing on maritime regulations, codes and standards gaps, and risk analysis. The engineering, research
and development background of his early career helped him understand and contribute to the
development of standards for biobased products. Over the past decade, he had led and contributed to
the development and modelling of hydrogen production processes, novel biorefinery technologies,
techno-economic and environmental assessment, feasibility studies of biorefining technologies, process
simulation and optimization as well as technology prospecting and intellectual property management.

Context: Hydrogen is a multi-purpose low-carbon fuel that can be produced from diverse natural
resources Canada, with different potential roles in climate change mitigation. Emerging pathways
for the valorisation of hydrogen that are being proposed include:
• Direct use as a fuel in transportation and power production
• Raw material for a wide ranging of existing and emerging industrial processes
• Blending into existing natural gas pipelines
• Export as a fuel

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Currently, most of the global hydrogen production originates from fossil fuels (natural gas and
coal), through steam methane reforming and partial oxidation. This project focusses on pathways
for shifting towards both renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production and subsequent
conversion into ammonia, a vector for transportation.

Mandate: The project team will design a process for the production of hydrogen from natural
gas via pyrolysis. This process will be based on current state of the art for methane pyrolysis while
considering different methods of supplying thermal energy. The primary goal is to analyze the
complexity of the process and associated safety risks, identify feasible process scales, perform a
benchmarking analysis with a the autothermal reforming process with integrated carbon capture
utilization and storage, as well as conventional electrolysis. Non-emitting pathways for the use
of recovered carbon in the pyrolysis process must be identified, in addition to selecting the most
promising configuration from the standpoint of investment costs, operating costs and
profitability. The team will prepare a detailed design for the system and present the results to
the clients. The carbon intensity (CI) of the process must as well as the levelized costs of hydrogen
and ammonia should be estimated.

Project details (if you have specific information already, please let us know): The project team
will identify the entire process alternatives in view of site integration at a Natural Gas production
site in Western Canada.

Fall 2022 Main Deliverables:

• Review of hydrogen production processes
• Preliminary process design with block flow diagram
• Mass and energy balance by process simulation (Part 1)
• Preliminary techno-economic evaluation
• Identification of most suitable configuration
• Process flow diagram
• Piping and instrumentation diagram, including the control strategy I

Winter 2023 Main Deliverables:

• Equipment layout
• Equipment design sheets
• Safety and reliability Safety assessment (HAZOP/FTA/ETA and BowTie XP)
• Identify sources of hydrogen leakage
• Complete capital and operating cost evaluation
• Generate data on carbon intensity, life cycle analysis and life cycle costing
• Evaluate social impacts, regulatory and policy considerations
• Project schedule and meeting minutes

Required Software and Tools:

• Aspen Plus
• Microsoft excel
• Microsoft Visio
• Standard CAD software for 3D design
• Safety evaluation tools/ templates

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Project 11: Hydrogen production by anion exchange membrane water electrolysis in Atlantic
Canada - from renewable electricity to liquid hydrogen or carriers.

Design Leader(s) name, email address and phone number:

Olumoye (Moye ) Ajao, Ph.D, P.Eng.
olumoye.ajao@nrcan-rncan.gc.ca

Context: Hydrogen is a multi-purpose low-carbon fuel that can be produced from diverse natural
resources Canada, with different potential roles in climate change mitigation. Emerging pathways
for the valorisation of hydrogen that are being proposed include:
• Direct use as a fuel in transportation and power production
• Raw material for a wide ranging of existing and emerging industrial processes
• Blending into existing natural gas pipelines
• Export as a fuel
Currently, most of the global hydrogen production originates from fossil fuels (natural gas and
coal), through steam methane reforming and partial oxidation. This project focusses on pathways
for shifting towards both renewable and low-carbon hydrogen production and subsequent
conversion into ammonia, a vector for transportation.

Mandate: The project team identify possible sites (on-shore and off-shore) for the production of
electrolytic hydrogen for export in Eastern Canada. Electricity to drive the process will be
provided from wind farms (to complement grid electricity where available). The produced
hydrogen will be liquefied or converted to a hydrogen carrier for export, which will be the core
of the design project. The primary goal is to identify the alternative process designs, evaluate the
performance of the process relative to Alkali and PEM electrolysis, perform a benchmarking
analysis, and select the most promising configuration from the standpoint of investment costs,
operating costs and profitability. The team will prepare a detailed design for the system and
present the results to the clients. Comparison will be made between grid power and dedicated
wind farms. The levelized costs of hydrogen and ammonia should also be estimated.

Project details (if you have specific information already, please let us know): The project team
will identify the entire process alternatives in view of export ready sites in Atlantic Canada.

Fall 2022 Main Deliverables:

• Review of hydrogen production processes
• Identification and ranking of potential sites based on publicly available information and announcements
• Base case comparison of alkali, AEM and PEM electrolysis
• Preliminary process design with block flow diagram
• Mass and energy balance by process simulation (Part 1)
• Preliminary techno-economic evaluation
• Identification of most suitable configuration
• Process flow diagram
• Piping and instrumentation diagram, including the control strategy I

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Winter 2023 Main Deliverables:
• Equipment layout
• Equipment design sheets
• Safety and reliability Safety assessment (HAZOP/FTA/ETA and BowTie XP)
• Complete capital and operating cost evaluation
• Generate data for carbon intensity, life cycle analysis and life cycle costing
• Evaluate social impacts, regulatory and policy considerations
• Project schedule and meeting minutes

Required Software and Tools:

• Aspen Plus
• Microsoft excel
• Microsoft Visio
• Standard CAD software for 3D design
• Safety evaluation tools/ templates

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PROJECT: 12
Production of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) Polymers

DESIGN LEADER(S)
Ahmad ZOHRE VAND, a.zohrevand@gmail.com

Dr. Ahmad Zohre vand, is a seasoned chemical engineer and polymer materials scientist
with a proven track record in product, process, and application development across
diverse industries such as building and construction materials, packaging, automotive,
medical devices, and clean energies. With a PhD in Chemical Engineering (Polymer
Science and Technology) from the Ecole Polytechnic of Montreal and a background in
Polymer Engineering, Ahmad also holds a Professional Engineer designation. He is
currently playing a role as Process Engineering Specialist in IPEX group of companies in
Montreal and has contributed significantly to organizations like Intertape Polymer Group
(IPG), Hutchinson, and the Institute of Packaging Technology and Food Engineering
(ITEGA) in his previous positions. Ahmad holds certifications in Project Management
Foundations and Lean Six Sigma. Apart from his professional pursuits, he is actively
involved in community activities, including coaching youth basketball and serving as a
Design Leader at McGill University's Department of Chemical Engineering. Ahmad is a
member of esteemed professional organizations such as the Society of Plastics
Engineers (SPE) and Society of Rheology (SOR). In his spare time, he enjoys organizing
cultural events, swimming, playing soccer, and indulging in his passion for travel and
music.

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CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT
Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are a family of biodegradable polymers produced from renewable
resources such as plant-based sugars or vegetable oils by certain microorganisms, primarily
bacteria. PHAs are gaining attention as eco-friendly alternatives to traditional petroleum-based
plastics because they are biodegradable and can reduce the environmental impact of plastic
waste. This makes them a sustainable choice for various applications where plastic waste is a
concern.
PHAs come in various forms with different properties, allowing them to be used in a wide
range of applications, from packaging materials and agricultural films to medical devices and
biodegradable plastics. Since PHAs are biocompatible, they can be used in medical applications,
including biodegradable sutures, tissue engineering scaffolds, and drug delivery systems.
One limitation of PHAs is that the production rate by microorganisms is relatively slow
compared to traditional plastic production methods, which can be a challenge for large-scale
manufacturing. There is a need for advanced technologies to make production process of PHAs
more efficient and expand their applications in various industries.
Following a strategic corporate plan to improve sustainability, the client company (AZV
Materials Inc.), a polymer resin producer, is exploring opportunities to expand its operations into
bio-based polymers by producing PHAs as a promising class of biodegradable polymers.

MANDATE
Accordingly, and considering their corporate sustainability plan, the client company is exploring
opportunities to Produce Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) Polymers. Senior management team of
AZV Materials Inc. led by CTO and SVP of Operations has initiated a corporate-scale project to
study feasibility of producing of PHAs. Main interest of the client is a bio-based product line or
from recycled sources. Therefore, to speed up the process and to acquire a broader range of
expertise, Corporate Engineering and R&D of the client company have reached to our
Engineering/consulting firm to help them in this early stage of the project.

PROJECT DETAILS
- Producing initially 5,000 ton per annum of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) Polymers
- Main interest is into processes based on recycled feedstocks or bio-based products
- Production facility site within North America

MAIN DELIVERABLES
Referring to our contract with the client, timeline of our mandate covers two 4-month periods
starting now (September 2023) and ending in April 2024. In the first period, we are expected to
present the following deliverables:

FALL 2023:
1) An overview on technologies available considering source of raw materials (feedstocks),
method of preparation, purification, or modification, and environmental/safety factors
with a list of advantages and disadvantages

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 2) Primary diagram of each process technology with key parameters and techno-
economical information required for decision making.
3) Process Flow Diagrams (PFD) of the final selected process design/technology
4) Material and Energy Balance Calculation
5) Plan and schedule of the second phase (period) of the project
6) Preliminary report and presentation

We are very hopeful to continue the work with the client in the second period in 2024 to
present an extended report on:

WINTER 2024:
1) Modified and completed Process Design and Calculation
2) Process and instrumentation diagram (P&ID)
3) Equipment sizing and costing to have a comprehensive economic study
4) Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP)
5) Environmental impact Assessment
6) Suggestion for Plant Layout, Construction Planning and execution schedule
7) Final Report

Performance of each team member will be evaluated based on our internal policies stablished
by MCEF which is available upon your request.

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PROJECT: 13
Sustainable Recycling of Metallized Packaging Film Used for Heat-Trapping in Agriculture

DESIGN LEADER(S)
Shervin Karami, e: Shervin.karami@imaflex.com

CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT

Metallized packaging films are widely employed in the agriculture industry for their exceptional
heat-trapping and humidity barrier properties. These films help optimize growing conditions by
harnessing solar energy and maintaining an ideal microclimate for crops. However, the disposal
of these films poses environmental challenges due to their non-biodegradable nature of these
films.

MANDATE

to study the environmental impact and economic viability of a plant for recycling metallized heat-
trap films collected from farmers. This project shall focus on the application of the existing
technologies for the preparation and reprocessing of the metallized films. The core of the plant
is the extrusion process to plasticize and pelletize the waste turning it into high-quality
polyethylene granules. The product will be used in a blown film production line for manufacturing
Agri-films (including heat-trap metallized films) contributing to sustainable agricultural practices.

PROJECT DETAILS

In this study, the preparation process flow and diagram will be designed to address the
requirement for the feed being used by the extrusion process to reproduce high-quality resin.
The operation includes the steps mentioned below:
1. Shredder used to cut the collected waste (metallized films from farms) into smaller pieces. This
increases the surface area for cleaning and ensures uniform processing. The type of rotor, the geometry
of the knives, and the feeding (control) mechanism of the shredder are crucial parameters to be
considered in the design.

2. Washing and drying involve removing contaminants and residues from the metallized films through a
multi-stage process including:
2.1. Float-Sink Separation: a density-based separation in water that is used to separate heavier
contaminants from the films.
2.2. Friction washer: Films are agitated in water such that the fluffs rub against each other at high
speeds where any paper/cardboard is broken down into fibres and removed.
2.3. Hot water washing: Plastic films are washed in hot water with the help of detergents to break down
other contaminants.

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 2.4. Rinsing and drying: Upon washing, the films are thoroughly rinsed to remove any remaining
cleaning agents. Afterwards, it will be dried to reduce moisture content using centrifugal dryers or
other drying methods.

Ultimately, the cleaned and dried plastic films will be pelletized into granules for used in
downstream (blown film production line) for manufacturing recycled Agri-film ready to be
metallized as heat-trap films. The extrusion process includes:

3. Compactor is used for cutting, heating, drying, pre-compacting, and tangential feeding of the fluffs into
the extruder.
4. Extrusion plasticizes the fluffs turning them into melt and conveying them to the pelletizer die at a
constant flowrate. The dispersive and distributive mixing efficiency of the extruder screw has a
significant impact on the quality of the recycled granules. The quality of the resin determines the
physical/mechanical properties of the final products, as well as the stability of the downstream
operation. Regardless of the screw design, the quality shall be sustained by feeding additives
throughout the extrusion process.
5. Pelletizer cuts the extruded molten stands at the die turning them into granules using multi-arm blades.
The pellets shall be washed off through a water jet from the pelletizer, cooled down and dried (using a
centrifuge) before transferring for packaging by a semi-dilute vacuum conveying system.

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PROJECT: 14
Process water design for metal transformation plant

DESIGN LEADER(S)
Kenza Diouri, Kenza.diouri@hatch.com
Isabelle Lajeunesse, Isabelle.lajeunesse@hatch.com

Isabelle Lajeunesse:
• Graduated from Chemical engineering at Polytechnique.
• Lead piping on small and major projects since 2006 (example: responsible of the piping and the
process for a red mud filtration plant at an aluminium smelter facility).
• Discipline lead (piping) for the Tracy office for now 4 years.

Kenza Diouri:
• Graduated from Chemical Engineering at McGill in 2022.
• Worked on multiple projects in the Tracy since 2022.
• Multiple projects (piping and process related) on site.

CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT

The client is a Canadian heavy metal processing plant. In order to operate and process the
minerals, process water is used, and it is critical to processes. They have been experiencing
issues with their process water supply. Some users are not receiving the accurate amount of
water. The process water is also used to cool down recirculated water. The company is
considering building a new facility to increase their production rates. They would like to see if
starting from scratch is a better idea the finding other solutions. Prior to getting approval for this
new facility, the client has hired an engineering group to provide a pre-feasibility and feasibility
study for an alternative solution to distribute process water to this new facility. At the end of the
process, the water needs to be treated in order to fit regional regulations. A preliminary study on
the wastewater treatment needs to be prepared.

MANDATE
Provide a preliminary design and cost estimate for the supply of process water to this new
facility. The design also includes a preliminary design for water treatment.

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PROJECT DETAILS
The facility needs a total flow of 36,000 usgpm of process water to run smoothly. It is pumped
directly from the St Laurent River in Quebec. Currently, the process is as represented in figure 1.
The only requirement is to keep the water cold enough in order to cool down the recirculated
water.

Recirculated water requirements:

- Inlet temperature from heat exchanger: 45°C.
- Outlet temperature from heat exchanger: 35°C.
- Flowrate: 60,000 usgpm.

The engineering group will be responsible for the design of a plant that will provide process
water to its users and will keep the recirculating water at the proper operating temperature.

Figure 1 - Water at the metal facility

MAIN DELIVERABLES
The engineering team will present a progress report at the beginning of each weekly meeting.
They will also be responsible for writing meeting minutes. The minutes will be sent to the client
after each meeting by e-mail.

FALL 2023:
A preliminary report describing the process and design conditions will include the following:
A literature search of technologies.
Block diagram of the process.
Process flow diagram of the process.
A preliminary cost estimate (capital and operating costs).
Selection of technologies.
Design criteria.
Battery limits.

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WINTER 2024:
The final report will include (at least) the following:
An executive summary.
A detailed process description.
A detailed process flow diagram (PFD).
Piping and instrumentation diagrams around major units.
Detailed heat and mass balance calculations.
Equipment, motor, instrumentation, and piping lists for the process.
Equipment design sizing for each major item.
Plant layout.
Project costs (direct, indirect, and operating costs).
Engineering, procurement, and construction schedule.
Utilities (steam, water, power), chemicals and manpower requirements.

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PROJECT: 15
Post-combustion Carbon Capture

DESIGN LEADER(S)
Cristian Iuhas, PEng, PMP. – Vice President Innovation – IVYS Adsorption inc.
Babak Shirani, PEng. PhD – R&D Application Specialist – IVYS Adsorption inc.
Prabhu K Rao, PhD, President & CEO – IVYS Adsorption inc.

CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT

Climate change is already affecting everybody on the Earth. Green House Gases generated by
burning fossil fuels emit large masses of Carbon dioxide where have a big impact on global
warming. One of the main contributors for GHD is the skyscraper which accounts for 30% of the
economy-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

New-York state already issued a roadmap to make all building carbo-neutral by 2050. Certainly,
the most feasible approach is to utilize electrical heating and optimize the thermal insulation;
nevertheless, since it is not applicable in the near future, we need to adapt and find a transitory
solution for the next 20-30 years.

Local Law 97 is one of the most ambitious plans for reducing emissions in the nation. Local Law
97 was included in the Climate Mobilization Act, passed by the City Council in April 2019 as a
part of the Mayor’s New York City Green New Deal.

Under this groundbreaking law, most buildings over 25,000 square feet will be mandated to meet
new energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions limits by 2024, with stricter limits coming
into effect in 2030. The goal is to reduce the emissions from the city’s largest buildings to 40
percent by 2030 and 80 percent by 2050. The law also enforce the Local Law 97 Advisory Board
and Climate Working Groups to advise the city to achieve these aggressive sustainability goals.

New-York state has hundreds of buildings over 25,000 square feet which are heated using a
central system based on glycol and burning natural gas. In order to avoid paying carbon tax and
therefore to avoid skyrocketing of the rental fees, an immediate solution for the carbon capture
is crucial.

MANDATE
The project will use real field data and will deliver the technology ready to build for a Post
combustion flue gas on a skyscraper building.

PROJECT DETAILS
The flue gas with an average flow of 22.5 tonne/day will be fed into the CO 2 capture process to
cool down, purify, and dehydrated. The purified product contains >90% carbon dioxide and the
flow is 2.6 tonne/day. The CO2 enriched flow will undergo a liquefying process. Liquefied CO 2

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could be used by Green houses to enhance the production of vegetables, synthetic fuel
production, and applied in cement and steel industry.

MAIN DELIVERABLES

FALL 2023:
BFD - Block flow diagram
PFD sketch
Process Simulation (PSA mass balance will be provided by IVYS)
Mass and energy balance
PFD – Process Flow diagram
P&ID – Process & Instruments diagram (preliminary)
Sizing the equipment
Control Narrative (only generic)
Cause & Effect Diagram/Matrix – Only for one equipment, just to learn the principle.

WINTER 2024:
Manufacturing package for the designed unit
• Pipe spec for the installation – To learn about (we’ll give a class)
• Data sheet for Equipment – one Hex, one valve, one transmitter (just learn the idea)
• Cost Estimation for the Equipment, based on real examples given by IVYS
• CAPEX, OPEX
• Hazop Study, for one node
• Techno-economical analyses at the high level
• CO2 liquefaction technology and study
• CO2 emission study based on electricity consumption

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