Intergrated Design and Simulation of Chemical Process

The objective of the course will be to introduce the important concepts related to process design and simulation, and, how to formulate and solve the various associated sub problems using a systematic approach.

The course will provide the participants with a good background to solve various types of process engineering (design & simulation) problems and the methods and tools that can be used to solve them.

The course will cover very briefly, issues such as detailed equipment design, costing & sizing and economic analysis. The methods and tools needed for simulation, design and analysis of continuous chemical processes producing bulk chemical (and petrochemical) products will only be covered in this course, although, some topics related to design of specialty or high value chemical products (pharmaceutical, agrochemical, aroma, etc.) will be briefly covered under separation process design and selection of solvents.

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, the delegates will be able to:

• Perform process simulation using a software package
• Utilize different techniques for complex process simulation
• Complete collaboratively a preliminary process design within a given time frame
• Understand different ways to model process flow sheets
• How to verify process design through process simulation
• Set stream temperatures and pressures; perform simple mass and energy balance
• Familiarize important design issues related to various types of distillation operations
• How to make quick design decisions for reactors plus analysis based on attainable region concept
• Obtain the base case design and the corresponding mass-energy balance for the process flow sheet
• Design of distillation columns plus exercises on design of distillation columns (ICAS-PDS plus PROII)
• Verify the economic feasibility of the designed process
• Generate one design alternative that is better than the base case design

## Course Outline

Day 1

INTRODUCTION TO PROCESS SIMULATION AND DESIGN

• Introduction to process simulation & design
• A general overview of the important issues related to process simulation and design and their connection to chemical products will be given
• Method for generation of process flow sheets (plus tutorial)
• Two methods on how to generate alternative process flow sheets will be discussed
• Process simulation – mass and energy balance
• Introduction to PRO-II and ICAS
• Introduction to design problem and work on design
• Form groups and start work on the design problem

Day 2

PROCESS SIMULATION: NUMERICAL & COMPUTATIONAL ISSUES

• Modeling of process flow sheets
• Different ways to model process flow sheets; choice of variables to specify; choice of models; degrees of freedom analysis
• Process flow sheet decomposition (plus tutorial)
• Methods for identifying recycle-loops and calculation order will be discussed
• Flow sheet simulation with a process simulator (plus tutorial with ICAS & PROII)
• How to verify process design through process simulation
• Set stream temperatures and pressures; perform simple mass and energy balance
• Objective would be to have a preliminary mass & energy balance completed on the simple flow sheet

Day 3

PROCESS (EQUIPMENT/OPERATION) DESIGN

• Process design – reactor design and analysis (plus tutorial with ICAS-MoT)
• How to make quick design decisions for reactors plus analysis based on attainable region concept
• Process design – separation process design (plus tutorial with ICAS-Utility)
• How to make quick design decisions for separation tasks
• Design of distillation columns plus exercises on design of distillation columns (ICAS-PDS plus PROII)
• Important design issues related to various types of distillation operations
• Convert the simple flow sheet to a more rigorous version, perform a new mass-energy balance and verify if the design matches specifications
• Objective is to obtain the base case design and the corresponding mass-energy balance for the process flow sheet

Day 4

SUPPLEMENTARY METHODS & TOOLS FOR PROCESS SIMULATION & DESIGN

• Sizing and costing calculations
• Use of software and formula to obtain quick estimates of process equipment and operating costs
• Process analysis for environmental impact assessment (plus tutorial with ICAS)
• Use of a method to quickly evaluate the environmental impact of a process flow sheet will be discussed
• Perform economic evaluation of the base case design and also compute its environmental impact (task 5)
• Objective is to verify the economic feasibility of the designed process

Day 5

GENERATION OF BETTER DESIGN ALTERNATIVES

• Method for selection of solvents (plus tutorial with ICAS-ProCamd)
• A computer-aided method to systematically analyze and select solvents will be discussed
• Process analysis with respect to heat & mass integration (plus tutorial with ICAS)
• Method for heat & mass integration will be discussed (only to provide an introduction to this topic and to highlight its importance)
• Generate one design alternative that is better than the base case design; make the final design conclusions; add design summary; finalize report
• Objective is to combine the results (reports
• Review of the design problem solution and course
• Objective is to review the design tasks and the course contents with the participants of the course

## Course Methodology

A variety of methodologies will be used during the course that includes:

• (30%) Based on Case Studies
• (30%) Techniques
• (30%) Role Play
• (10%) Concepts
• Pre-test and Post-test
• Variety of Learning Methods
• Lectures
• Case Studies and Self Questionaires
• Group Work
• Discussion
• Presentation