Fall 2023
Chemical Engineering
Laboratory
CHE 435
Week 1
Process Design Definition
Process design involves a wide range of design activities that include
the design of a simple single unit operation (e.g. reactor) or a design of
a whole chemical process plant.
Example: Natural gas condensation process
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Process Design Phases
1. Conceptual design: mostly done by chemical engineers
2. Detailed mechanical design: usually done by design experts
Conceptual design Detailed mechanical design
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Process Design Main Steps
Defining the required product
Detailed mechanical design
Evaluation of possible chemical concepts & Detailed
Detailed mechanical
mechanical equipment design, piping
piping
selection of suitable method & instrumentation,
instrumentation, civil & electrical structures
Conceptual design
Evaluation & selection of possible technologies
and reviewing environmental & safety effects Project cost estimation
Collection of design data e.g. material
properties, equilibrium and kinetic data, etc. Construction of the plant
Flow sheeting, material & energy balances,
equipment selection
selection &
& design,
design, simulation
simulation case
Case studies, energy analysis, optimization of
Discussion: Key terms in process design steps
parameters
Preliminary cost estimation
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Process Design Main Steps
Example (1/3)
Example: Natural gas condensation process
• Defining product
• Natural gas condensate is required for ease of its
transportation
• Chemical concepts
• Options for separating components from natural mixture
e.g. gas condensate
• Possible technologies
• Search for different technology alternatives e.g. reactor
& separator selections such as gas condensate
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Process Design Main Steps
Example (2/3)
Example: Natural gas condensation process
• Design data
• Material properties, equilibrium & reaction kinetics data
e.g. gas properties at T, P
• Equipment selection
• Equipment selection such as reactor selection e.g.
continuous and batch processes
• Energy analysis
• Search for energy efficient design configurations e.g.
process integration
• Preliminary cost estimation
• Evaluate design configurations for minimum capital &
operational costs
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Process Design Main Steps
Example (3/3)
Example: Natural gas condensation process
• Mechanical design
• Evaluate detailed mechanical design e.g. cooler with
detailed internals design
• Detailed piping & instrumentation e.g. process control
configurations
• Project cost estimation
• Detailed cost estimation e.g. total cost
• Construction of the plant
• Plant construction after consultation with various
stakeholders e.g. local government
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Process Design Tasks & Calculations
• Process design tasks:
• Design of a new process – Not existed, can be simple or complex
• Improvement of an existing process – Existed, can be simple or complex
• Process design calculations:
• Simple tasks – Hand calculations
• Complex tasks – Computer-based or process simulator calculations
Hand calculations Computer-based calculations 19
Summary
1. What is chemical process design?
Process design involves a wide range of design activities that include the design
of a simple single unit operation (e.g. reactor) or a design of a whole chemical
process plant.
2. Main steps of chemical process design?
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