KMH 108
INTRODUCTION TO CHEMICAL
ENGINEERING
Prof. Dr. Esin Apaydın Varol
CHAPTER 2:
THE ROLE OF CHEMICAL
PROCESSING
Introduction to Chemical Engineering
Tools for Today and Tomorrow
Kenneth A. Solen, John [Link]
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THE ROLE OF CHEMICAL PROCESSING
What is a Chemical Process?
A chemical process is a combination of steps in which
starting materials are converted into desired products using
equipment and conditions that facilitate that conversion
For example, we may be interested in making product “C” from
chemicals “A” and “B” via the reaction
A+B→C
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➢ In a laboratory, you may have produced this reaction by pouring chemical A into a test
tube and chemical B into another test tube.
➢ You may have then heated each test tube over a laboratory burner or heater to
increase the temperatures of those two materials.
➢ The next step might have been to mix the two chemicals together so that they would
react to form chemical C.
➢ Finally, because other chemicals were present along with the C in the product
mixture, you probably needed to separate C from the mixture by boiling it off from the
mixture, by allowing it to settle to the bottom of a flask, or by some other means
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One of the things that chemical engineers do is to build upon laboratory-type
manual processes to create useful automated processes.
They may create new processes to make new products or to utilize better
strategies for making existing products through increased efficiency and the
use of environmentally friendly methods or they may improve existing
chemical processes in order to increase production rate and product quality.
In some cases, this means scaling up an existing process to produce larger
quantities of a product for the Marketplace.
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Figure shows an automated implementation of the laboratory process.
Chemical A and B are pumped from a tank through a pipeline containing a
heat exchanger (which transfers heat from a warmer stream to our colder
stream of A).
These reactant streams might then be brought together in a reactor with the
needed temperature, pressure, and catalysts. (i.e., so that enough A and B
would be converted to C).
A final step might be to send the product stream to a continuous distillation
(boiling) unit or to a settling tank or to another type of device that would
separate C away from the other chemicals in the stream.
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A chemical process can be operated either as a batch process or
a continuous process. A continuous process can be steady-state
or not.
In a batch process, an allotment of starting material is introduced
into the process, and a sequence of steps to treat that material is
started and finished within a certain period of time, often within
the same piece of equipment.
The process is then interrupted, the processed material is
removed, another allotment of the starting material is introduced,
and the sequence of steps is repeated. Example: materials are
loaded into a reactor, a reaction is carried out in the reactor, and
then the final materials are removed (allotment: pay; sequence:
birbiri ardından gelme ).
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A continuous process operates without interruption in the
flows and reactions of the process. The starting material enters
continuously, is usually subjected to various steps by moving
from one piece of equipment to another, and exits the process
continuously. Example: materials continually flow into and out of
a reactor, while the reaction proceeds as the material moves
through the reactor.
A steady-state process is one in which none of the process
characteristics (temperatures, flow rates, pressures, and so
forth) change with time.
A process that is not steady-state is termed unsteady-state or
transient.
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You will recognize that a batch process is clearly not a steady-
state process.
A continuous process may or may not be steady-state, again
depending upon whether any of the process characteristics vary
with time.
✓ This should not be confused with the fact that the process
variables may vary between different locations in the
process.
When a steady-state process is observed at a certain point in
time and then observed again a few minutes later, no change is
seen.
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For example, in the process illustrated in Figure as described previously,
the streams coming from both of the tanks pass through heat exchangers,
which heat those streams so that the outlet stream temperatures are
different from those of the inlet streams.
If the process is steady-state, the inlet and outlet temperatures remain
constant with time, in spite of the fact that those temperatures are not the
same in the various locations.
The same would be true of the pressures, chemical compositions, and other
characteristics of the inlet and outlet (and other) streams in the process.
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EXAMPLE 2.1
A plant containing a reactor is being started up (being put into
operation).
In the startup phase, with fluid flowing in all of the streams, the
temperatures of the reactor and some of the streams are seen to be
changing with time as they move toward the values at which they will
eventually be held.
The chemical composition of the material coming from the reactor is
also changing with time in response to the changing reactor
conditions.
The startup phase is over when the temperatures and compositions
reach their desired values and no longer change with time.
Classify the startup phase and the period after the startup phase in
terms of being batch or continuous and steady-state or unsteady-
state.
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SOLUTION
During both phases, the process is continuous, because the flows
and operation continue without interruption or “starting over” .
During the startup phase, the process is at unsteady-state, because
some of the process parameters are changing with time.
After the startup phase, the process is at steady state, because
there are no changes with time.
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REPRESENTING CHEMICAL PROCESSES USING PROCESS
DIAGRAMS
(1) Block Diagrams
(2) Process Flow Diagrams
(3) Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams.
A block diagram provides a simple representation of a chemical
process in which a box or block is used to represent either a single
equipment item or a combination of equipment items that collectively
accomplish one of the principal steps in the process.
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Such diagrams are especially useful at the early stages of process
design before details have been determined.
They can also be used to provide a simplified overview of the
principal stages of a complex process.
Additional information such as stream flow rates and compositions
may be shown on the diagram itself, or in a separate table.
Block diagrams apply to chemical processes of all shapes and sizes.
For example, Figure 2.4 is a block diagram showing in a simplified
way the process by which digestion takes place in your body.
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A process flow diagram (PFD) provides more detail than a block
diagram and is a standard method for documenting engineering
designs. This type of diagram shows the arrangement and
interconnection of all the major pieces of equipment and all flow
streams, and the equipment is represented by symbols or icons that
"look like" the actual equipment.
Figure 2.5 shows some typical process equipment symbols, but
minor equipment, such as pumps and valves, may or may not be
included in the PFD.
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Typical symbols used in process flow diagrams and piping and
instrumentation diagrams
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Typical symbols used in process flow diagrams and piping and
instrumentation diagrams
For educational use in conjunction with Solen&Harb, Int.
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Figure 2.6, illustrates the wide variety of chemical processes
For educational use in conjunction with Solen&Harb, Int.
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For educational use in conjunction with Solen&Harb, Int.
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For educational use in conjunction with Solen&Harb, Int.
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For educational use in conjunction with Solen&Harb, Int.
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Steps for Constructing a Process Flow Diagram
Identify streams entering the process ("feed streams") and exiting
the process ("product streams").
Identify key process steps and major equipment items needed
for the process.
Determine the symbol to be used for each major piece of
equipment.
Draw the symbols on the flow diagram and connect them with
appropriate stream lines. The general flow of the diagram should be
from left to right.
Label major pieces of equipment, usually using abbreviations of a
few letters and numbers (e.g., P-2 for pump #2 and HX-15 for heat
exchanger #15). For this introductory course, full names can also be
used (as in Figure 2.6).
Label streams with a number and/or letter (e.g., 10, A, or 10A).
Include a stream table, if desired, that contains information about
each stream.
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Often, process flow diagram is accompanied by a stream table,
which provides quantitative information about each stream in
the diagram.
Each stream is identified with a number or letter.
The amount of information given in the stream table will vary
but usually includes:
• Stream composition. Most commonly, this is given as
either of
• [Link] flow rate of each individual chemical species
• [Link] percentage or fraction of each species in the stream
• Total stream flow
• Stream temperature
• Normal operating pressure of the stream
For educational use in conjunction with Solen&Harb, Int.
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A piping and instrumentation diagram (P&ID) provides even
greater detail for a process than do PFDs.
Further, P&IDs are prepared to be consistent with PFDs, usually
using the same numbers or letters as in the PFD to represent
streams and equipment.
However, P&IDs also include the engineering details of
equipment, instrumentation, piping, valves and fittings. Piping
size, material specification, process instrumentation, and control
lines are all shown on P&IDs.
Utility (steam and high-pressure air) lines are also included on the
diagram.
All streams and utility lines entering and leaving the diagram are
identified by source or destination.
Figure 2.9 is an example of a small portion of such a diagram.
For educational use in conjunction with Solen&Harb, Int.
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CONCLUSION
This chapter has provided a brief introduction to chemical
processes. Such processes are used to make the many
intermediate and final products described in Chapter 1.
Let’s think loudly
• How does a continuous process differ from a batch process?
• What distinguishes a process as being steady-state?
• How does a PFD differ from a block diagram?
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