Appendix M: Methodology of Equipment Sizing

Mixer and Splitter

The PRO/II data output determined a mass flow rate of 42.28 lb/hr exiting the mixer with
a density of 19.07 lb/ft3. The volumetric flow rate was calculated to be 2216 ft3/hr. using a
conventional residence time of 5 minutes, the residence volume of the tank was found to be
184.74ft3. The actual volume of the tank is twice the residence volume. Next, a value 4 was used
for the height to diameter ratio. Therefore, the diameter of the mixing tank is 4.9 ft with a height
of 19.6 ft. Using Figure 12-41 in (PD&C) for a motionless mixer composed of carbon steel and
the price was determined. The cost of the splitter was factored into the piping cost since it is
nothing more than a glorified pipe and valve
Heat exchangers
The proposed cyclohexane production unit being analyzed includes 3 heat exchangers,
which we will assume are shell and tube heat exchangers. A schematic of these heat exchangers
can be found in the report above for reference purposes. To find the purchased cost of the needed
exchangers, we assume working materials of carbon-steel tubes and a carbon-steel shell. Next,
the exchangers surface areas must be calculated. With the surface areas and exchanger material
known we use figure 14-16 from (PD&C) to find the purchased cost of the heat exchangers. For
each exchanger, the U*A is given in the Pro II data available in the problem statement. The
required surface area of each exchanger can be calculated by dividing the given U*A by an
overall heat transfer coefficient design value found from table 14-5 in (PD&C). Table 14-5 gives
a range of overall heat transfer coefficient design values for different shell and tube heat
exchangers based on the fluid types being used within. We select a design value equal to the
39

median of the range given in table 14-5. The heat exchangers being used within our system are
light organics/light organics, steam/light organics, and steam/medium organics. For these fluid
systems, table 14-5 gives values of 663, 1042, and 853 BTU/hr*F*m^2 respectively. For
example, exchanger #1 has a U*A value of 88911 BTU/hr*F and a calculated design value of
663 BTU/hr*F*m^2. Division of U*A by U gives a surface area of 134 m^2. For an exchanger
with carbon-steel tubes, a carbon-steel shell and a surface area of 134 m^2, figure 14-16 gives a
purchased cost of approximately $18,000. Similar calculations were done for exchanger #2 and
exchanger #3. The results of these calculations are given in the table below.

Fluids
U*A
(BTU/hr*F*m^
2)
Design Value,
U
(BTU/hr*F)
Surface Area,
A
(m^2)
Cost

Heat Exchanger
1
Light
organics/light
organics
88911

Heat Exchanger
2
Steam/light
organics

Heat Exchanger
3
Steam /medium
organics

19550

61287

663.47

1042.6

853

134

18.8

71.8

$18,000

$2,200

$8,000

Table M1: Heat Exchanger Costs

Flash Tank
The flash tank was sized using the GPSA Engineering Data Book. It was assumed to be a
vertical liquid gas gravity settling separator. First the viscosity was found using the collision
integral as shown in the Appendix C (Welty et al). Then the following equation was used to
calculate the gas density:
40

P ( MW )
RTZ

(6)

where P is the pressure, MW is the molecular weight of the gas mixture, R is the gas constant, T
is the operating temperature, and Z is the compressibility factor. The mass flow rate was then
found by:
M

Q g MW

(7)

379 * 24 * 3600

where Q is the volumetric flow rate. The dimensions of the flash tank depend on the terminal
velocity of the fluid, and the terminal velocity depends on the amount of drag. So, the drag
coefficient was calculated by:
C ' (Re) 2

0.95 * 10 8 * g D 3p ( l g )

(8)

where Re is the Reynolds Number, Dp is the particle diameter, and mu is the viscosity. The Dp
was assumed to be 150 microns which is a typical droplet size. Furthermore, the terminal
velocity was found by:

Vt '

4 gD p ( l g )
3 g C '

(9)

The terminal velocity has the following correlation to the dimensions of the flash tank:
A

Vt
Qg

(10)

where A is the cross sectional area. Thus, the dimensions can be found of the flash tank using a
length to diameter ratio of 3. The price of the tank was found for pressurized tanks and is
documented in Appendix C.

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Reactor
The reactor sized for the new process is a tubular reactor with 30 tubes through which the
reactants pass. Cooling water runs on the outside and 40% of the cross sectional area was used
for the tubes. The rest was considered void. Figure 14-16 on page 681 of PD&C was used to
find the cost of the reactor from the calculated surface area. The cost was found assuming a
multiple-pipe heat exchanger with a stainless-steel tube and carbon-steel shell. Figure 14-16,
however, gave the cost for year 2002, so extrapolated values from the MS Index were used to
find the year 2009 cost of $9076.
Compressor
The Pro/II simulation report data provided by IRI suggest that the power requirement for
the compressor should be at least 53.31 kW at an adiabatic efficiency of 80%.

It is

recommended that a centrifugal compressor be used because of its high efficiency range, plus the
compression ratio and the material used be made of carbon steel. From Fig 12-28 in Plant
Design and Economics for Chemical Engineers by Peters and Timmerhaus the cost of a
centrifugal compressor can be estimated based on the power requirement. At 53.31 kW the
purchased cost of the compressor is estimated to be approximately $50,000 in 2002. Using the
MS index to adjust for inflation, the cost in 2009 is estimated to be $80,000.

Distillation Column, Condenser and Reboiler

The size of the column was calculated based on the estimated superficial air velocity for
flooding to occur in the column and assuming operation at 80% of this vapor speed. After the
linear velocity is estimated, the volumetric flow rates provided by the PRO II simulation could
42

be compared to this value to determine the necessary area. Perrys Chemical Engineers
Handbook suggests that about 15% of the total cross-sectional area should be devoted to the
downcomer envelope, so this area was added to the calculated value to determine the columns
cross-sectional area and its diameter. From this, the cost per tray could be applied over the
twenty-eight trays to estimate the cost of the column.
The reboiler was specified as a kettle, but sizing the kettle was not possible due to a lack
of the necessary information. It was assumed the cost could be approximated as that of a process
furnace heat-exchanger with horizontal tubes. Furthermore, cooling water at 60 degrees
Fahrenheit was assumed to be the cooling fluid in the condenser, which was sized as a multiplepipe heat exchanger for lack of further specifications.

Appendix N: Process Flow Diagram

43

RECYCLE

S4

S3

E2

R1

S7
PURGE

S2

BENZENE

S1

HYDROGEN
M1

S8
E1

F1

C1

SP1

S6
S5
TOP

FEED
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29

E3

T1

30
BOTTOM

Figure N1: PFD of the cyclohexane production process

44