Conceptual Design Experience

Flue gas treatment system

Workout on several options for the flue gas treatment of Spent wash fired Boiler and
to bring particulate emissions down to a level acceptable by environmental
guidelines.
Options were,
1.
2.
3.
4.

ESP (specially designed considering wet nature of gases)

Bag Filter
Cyclones
Wet Scrubbers

Bag filter not considered due to the wet nature (high moisture) of the flue gases .
Bag filters also not suitable for very high dust loading.
Cyclones not considered due to the strict guidelines of the particulate concentration
that should be out to the environment. Cyclone efficiency generally lie between 96
to 98%.
Wet scrubber not considered due to heavy sludge formation (flue gas + water
sludge) disposing would be another problem.
Design basis development:
Prepared the design basis by estimating the exact amount of flue gas generation
with right amount of concentration of particulates that serves as the Feed rate

Heat Recovery measures

Work out on the options between installing heat exchanger and installing the flash
vessel.
Finally flash vessel was selected after economic evaluation.
Estimated the feed rate and based on feed rate size the vessel to generate exactly
the desired steam pressure.

Capacity expansion of Ethoxylate plant by 3.5 times:

The operating client desired to increase the production capacity by 67% and had previously
contracted Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) to execute a complete process
design for the expansion. PROCESS was contracted to provide process design and engineering
support to the detail design work to facilitate construction and successful start up of the
expansion. Project tasks included:

Revision and updating of the existing computer process simulation, mass and energy
balance, and process flow diagrams (PFDs)

Suggestions for the maintenance and updates to P&IDs

Development of detailed equipment specifications

Generation of instrument data sheets

Final process design and specification of facility pumps based on piping layout drawings

Sizing and design of process relief valves

Preparation of equipment bid packages

Unit operation redesign as appropriate per operating client design basis changes

Process off-gas system computer hydraulic simulation and design modifications as

required

The first task was necessary to account for process modifications made by the operating client
after completion of work done by PROCESS during the process design phase of the project.
Working with the operating client, the simulation was updated and a new mass and energy
balance generated. The development of detailed equipment specifications was performed based
on the new mass and energy balance, previously developed specifications, and interaction with
both the engineering client and the operating client. Working with both clients, modifications
were made to key unit operations within the simulation in order to optimize performance and
ensure environmental compliance. Potential bidders were then approached with these
specifications in order to obtain competitive bids. Instrument data sheets for new control valves,
regulators, and solenoid valves were populated with process data and provided to the client to
allow detailed sizing and development of bid packages. Hydraulic checks were performed for
new facility pumps based on updated mass and energy balance, piping layout drawings provided
by the client, and, in some cases, field verification of proposed layouts. All new process relief
valves and conservation vents initially sized and designed during the process design were
updated and revised as necessary via the new mass and energy balance, the calculations done for

existing relief valves, and field verification. A simulation was developed incorporating proposed
piping changes with venting requirements of installed and proposed relief devices. During the
project, the engineering client was advised of modifications and necessary changes to P&IDs to
reflect actual design. These suggestions were based on detailed study of the P&IDs throughout
the project and in some cases, field verification.
HEAT RECOVERY PROJECT FOR A Glycols Ether Plant

Conceptual Design - The existing batch Alkoxylation process utilized medium pressure
(MP) steam to preheat the fatty alcohol reactants from 40 C to 170 C, and low pressure
(LP) steam from the MP steam for reactor jacket heating. The proposed process
modifications consisted of recovering heat from the MP condensate as LP flash steam and
condensate, and utilizing both for feedstock preheating: Stage (1) with LP condensate,
and Stage (2) with LP flash steam. This provided adequate feed preheating. Piping
details were not included, e.g., heat exchanger bypasses. These would be necessary to
accommodate imbalances in the generation and utilization rates of the LP flash steam due
to the specific processing schedule for the various product batches.

Calculation Procedure - A simplified heat exchanger network was developed and

evaluated with a licensed computer simulation model to compare the Base Case (no heat
recovery) to the Heat Recovery Case. The model used dodecanol and tetradecanol as
model compounds for the long chain fatty acids.

New Equipment - The new equipment for the proposed process modifications included
(2) preheaters (plate and frame heat exchangers), flash vessel, condensate receiver, hot
water receiver, condensate pump, and hot water pumps. These were sized and specified
for maximum expected flowrates, and appropriate materials of construction.

Compared to the Base Case, the maximum projected steam consumption for the Heat Recovery
Case decreased by 24% (2,000 kg/hr). This translated into a calculated projected maximum
savings of steam costs. Three PFDs depicting the proposed process modifications were
generated.
Guar Derivatives plant PROCESS HEATING SYSTEM DESIGN

The client owns and operates a resin manufacturing facility. The client contracted Process
Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) to prepare a process design package for a heating
system for existing raw material storage tanks and process batching tanks. The client needed to
raise the temperature of the raw materials to a desired setpoint prior to transferring the material
to the batching tanks. Once in the batching tanks, the material needed to be held above a
minimum temperature for a set period of time to maintain product quality. The scope of the
project involved reviewing the capabilities of existing equipment (two hot water boilers, one
plate and frame heat exchanger, and a set of external heating coils) with regard to meeting the
modified thermodynamic requirements (higher temperature setpoints) and the development of

process design level (duty) specifications for new equipment and insulation as needed to achieve
the desired process conditions.
More specifically, PROCESS completed the following tasks:

Developed a process design basis document that summarized all relevant process data
including existing equipment capacities, physical and chemical properties of the
materials, and maximum heat up times.

Generated heat and material balance (HMB) data for each heating system using
PROCESS' licensed commercial computer process simulation software, CHEMCAD.
Preliminary data was evaluated under various operating scenarios by adjusting heat
exchanger surface area, hot water supply temperatures, and pumping rates to define
options for modification to existing equipment versus the purchase of new equipment. It
was determined that the existing heat exchanger and one existing hot water boiler could
meet the process requirements for one of the applications with only minor modifications.
One new heat exchanger and a new hot water boiler were required for the second
application. Based on preliminary HMB data, PROCESS recommended for the second
application that the client consider heating the material on the transfer to the batch tanks
instead of maintaining the material in the storage tanks at the desired feed temperature
with a continuous recycle loop. This reduced the size of the new heat exchanger and
boiler while maintaining process integrity.

Determined ambient heat losses for each of the storage tanks to quantify the additional
heat duty requirements when sizing the heat exchangers and boiler.

Determined ambient heat losses in the batching tanks to define the heating and insulation
requirements to maintain the system at a minimum temperature for a set period of time.
Based on the calculations, it was determined that the process conditions could be
achieved by insulating the batching tanks and recycle piping with 2 inches of fiberglass
insulation. No additional heat source was required.

Modified existing piping and instrumentation drawings (P&IDs) to indicate all piping and
instrument changes to the process. The P&IDs provided sufficient detail for a skilled
contractor to install the system.

Prepared process duty specifications for a new single pass plate and frame heat exchanger
and a new condensing hot water boiler.

TERMINAL STORAGE TANKS HEAT LOSS EVALUATION

The client had purchased a terminal facility and wanted to retrofit it for storing raw materials and
products for its sodium hydrosulfide manufacturing and transport operations. Part of this retrofit
involved the determination of heating requirements for storage of 50% NaOH and 45% sodium
hydrosulfide (NaHS). To this end, Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) was

contracted by the client to execute heat transfer calculations designed to determine the heating
requirements for three (3) storage tanks (two NaOH tanks and one NaHS tank). The client used
the results of these calculations to specify and purchase a packaged boiler unit for production of
the required heating steam.
Initially, PROCESS developed the design basis based on conversations with the client. This
information included detailed tank specifications (sizes, materials, wall thicknesses, expected
liquid volumes), heating system performance requirements, and baseline ambient conditions
(ambient temperature, wind speed). PROCESS then utilized the design basis information, along
with physical and thermodynamic properties of the NaOH and NaHS, as input to a proprietary
in-house computer heat transfer model to determine tank heat losses and therefore, the required
packaged boiler size.
The results of the evaluation were summarized in a letter report transmitted to the client.
Heat recovery from high temperature exhaust gases of DG sets:

Prepare design guideline packages for a power industry technology company for
different flue gas mercury (Hg) removal processes that identified the necessary
equipment, technical specifications, data sheets, and equipment sizing information
need to accurately explain each process.