Bicol University College of Engineering

Department of Chemical Engineering

SY 2022-2023

ChE Design 1:
Unit Design Project
Engr. Sandino Michael Angelo G. Aguilar, ChE
Email: [Link]@[Link]
ChE 152 Unit Design Project: Final Design Output
Project Background:
100 kmol/hr of a mixture containing 10, 20, 30, and
40% propane, n-butane, n-pentane, and n-hexane,
respectively is pumped into a preheater before Feed conditions : Parameters Values
entering a distillation column. Pump discharge is set at Temperature (oC) 25
5 bars and the heat exchanger is designed to produce a Pressure (bar) 3
process fluid at its bubble point as feed to the column. Molar flow (kmol/hr) 100
The preheat mixture has to be separated such that the
composition of n-butane in the bottoms is 0.05 and Component mole fraction (propane) 0.1
that of n-pentane in the distillate is also 0.05.
As a design team, each group is required to prepare a Component mole fraction (n-butane) 0.2
terminal design report based on the ff:
Component mole fraction (n-pentane) 0.3
1. Unit HMB calculation (manual calc with validation
thru simulation)
Component mole fraction (n-hexane) 0.4
2. Equipment designs (Feed pump, preheater,
Distillation column)
Objectives
• To learn how to prepare Process Simulation and create a
Heat and Material Balance for a Unit Process or overall
plant.
• Able to apply theoretical knowledge of different Unit
operations to actual plant operations
• To teach students how to apply engineering judgement and
pick up data/information from various sources.
NOTE: This flowsheet guide considers no pressure drop
within the equipment. For your actual activity, you need to
provide analysis for dP within modeling.
Modelling Procedure – Setup Model
• Create New Model
• Select Compounds: propane, n-butane, n-pentane and n-hexane.
Modelling Procedure – Setup Model
• Select Raoult’s Law for property Package for ideal EOS.

• Create User System of Units based on project requirements

 Modelling Procedure – Feed Stream
• Create a feed material based on the given conditions
• Then Click F5 or “Solve Flowsheet”
• Note: In creating component mole composition, don’t forget to click “Accept”
 Modelling Procedure – Pump
• To model the pump, select the Pump
unit operation under the “Pressure
Changers” tab.
• Connect the feed stream at the pump
inlet and create an outlet and energy
stream within the equipment.
• Click the pump and select Calculation
Type to “Outlet Pressure”. Then, input 5
bars.
• For efficiency, this needs to be adjusted
based on calculation from capacity and
head. Refer to the lecture.
• Then Click F5 or “Solve Flowsheet”
Modelling Procedure – Preheater
• To model the preheater, select the
heater unit operation under the
“Exchangers” tab.
• Connect the pump outlet stream at the
HEx inlet and create an outlet and
energy stream within the equipment.
• Click the heater and select Calculation
Type to “Outlet Vapor Mole Fraction”.
Then, input 0.
Note: V/F = 0 (sat liquid/bubble point)
V/F = 1 (sat vapor/dew point)
• For efficiency, default at 100%
• Then Click F5 or “Solve Flowsheet”
Modelling Procedure – Shortcut Column
Note: For Preliminary sizing of DC conditions, we use FUG Method. This is modeled
under the “Shortcut column”
• Select Shortcut Column (SC) unit operation under the “Columns” tab to model
the preheater.
• Connect the preheater outlet stream at the SC inlet and create outlet streams for
distillate and bottoms. Then, create energy streams for reboiler, and condenser
duties.
• Click SC and select the key components.
Light Key – n-butane
Heavy Key – n-pentane
• Specify 0.05 for both conditions for LK fractions in bottoms and HK fractions in
distillate as per unit requirements.
• Reflux ratio is user-defined. Check results for Rmin and adjust.
• Condenser Type: Total Condenser
• Assumed no pressure drop along the tower; Pcond = Preb = 5 bar
Modelling Procedure – Shortcut Column
Modelling Procedure – Shortcut Column
Stream Results
Distillate
Modelling Procedure – Shortcut Column
Stream Results
Bottoms
Modelling Procedure – HMB Results
• Select the Master Property Table icon or
select within the “Insert” tab.
• Select Material Stream or Energy Stream
Results
• Double-click the icon and select “Process
Flowsheet” or “Default Properties only” to
generate quick HMB based on streams.
• You may select “Custom” under the “Order
objects by” tab to adjust the presentation of
stream numbers.
Modelling Procedure – Preliminary Flowsheet
Design
Modelling Procedure – SC to DC Model
• To design the actual simulation around
columns, the SC must be changed to the DC
model.
Note:
1. All results from SC (FUG Method
Calculation) will be used as the initial
iteration for DC (Rigorous Calculation).
2. DC calculation is sensitive, it is
recommended to “off” the calculation by
clicking F6 or the Flowsheet Calculator
Active button to avoid problems during
data inputs.
• Select the “Distillation Column DC” unit
operation under the “Columns” tab.
 Modelling Procedure – SC to DC Model
• Click DC operation and start providing data
inputs.
• Under general inputs, supply info as follows:
1. use 9 stages (8.89 as calculated from SC)
2. Condenser/Top pressure = 5
3. Column Pressure Drop = 0 (assumption, it
may vary based on designers info)
4. For longer simulations, it is recommended to
provide a higher number of iterations. Use
10000
5. Convergence Tolerance to 0.01
 Modelling Procedure – SC to DC Model
• Click DC operation and start providing data inputs.
• Under Specifications inputs, supply info as follows:
CONDENSER
1. Condenser Type = Total
2. Condenser pressure drop = 0
3. Specification: Reflux Ratio = 1.4
Note: R is adjusted to meet the concentration
requirement at overhead (5% pentane)
REBOILER
1. Specification: Compound Fraction in Product
Stream -> n-butane = 0.05 (molar)
 Modelling Procedure – SC to DC Model
• Click DC operation and start providing data inputs.
• Under Connections inputs, supply info as follows:
Stream Connections
1. Feeds: Any port location is okay.
2. Products: Available streams are Distillate and
Bottoms only since Total Condenser. Overhead
vapor is considered if partial condenser type
since outlet is two-phase.
3. Duties: condenser and reboiler
4. No side draws.
STREAM-STAGE ASSOCIATIONS
1. Feed: Stage 4 (3.26 from SC results)
2. Distillate: Condenser
3. Bottoms: Reboiler
Modelling Procedure – DC Model
Modelling Procedure – DC Model
Stream Results
Distillate
Modelling Procedure – DC Model
Stream Results
Bottoms
Modelling Procedure – Final Flowsheet Design
Modelling Procedure – Heat Exchanger Model
• For preheater rating/sizing, we need to
determine the inlet and outlet conditions for
the Tube and Shell side of the preheater
• For this model, we will use the available
process fluid from 01-T-001 bottoms as the
heating medium for the feed stream.
1. Select Heat Exchanger unit ops under
“Exchangers” tab.
2. Connect pump outlet stream as inlet 1 and
connect 01-T-001 bottoms stream as inlet
2 to the Heat Exchanger. Create outlet
streams for the modelling.
Note: You may “clone” streams during
calculation for verification of values.
Modelling Procedure – Heat Exchanger Model
3. Input data to the Heat Exchanger as
follows:
• Calculation Type: Specify Outlet Molar
Fraction (Stream where feed stream is
connected)
• Flow Direction: Counter-current
• Pressure drop: 0 (for demo only)
• Heat Exchanger: 1 m2 (assumed value, to
be updated after sizing)
• Heat Loss: 0
• Outlet Molar fraction: 0 (sat. liquid)
Modelling Procedure – Heat Exchanger Model
Heat Exchanger Results
Note: The results must be the same as the preliminary model for the
preheater.
Bicol University College of Engineering
Department of Chemical Engineering
SY 2022-2023

ChE Design 1:
Unit Design Project
Engr. Sandino Michael Angelo G. Aguilar, ChE
Email: [Link]@[Link]