Technological Institute of the Philippines

TRADE – OFF ANALYSIS

Diammonium Phosphate Philippine Incorporated (DAPPI) aims to

maximize profit and minimize expenses. Generally, this effort can be done in
many procedures – but the company found alternatives for equipment that will
produce greater quality. Also, it will boil down to plant optimization which is a
necessary process as it makes the difference in operating the facility at highest
profitability.

In the production of diammonium phosphate (DAP) using the low

recycle process, a cooler on the process to produce the final product is
necessary. This is an important step in the diammonium phosphate production
since elevated temperatures on the product will result in caking during storage
that can lead to a poor quality product. By nature, diammonium phosphate is a
hygroscopic material, meaning that they attract and absorb moisture from the
surrounding air. Moisture transfer between the product and air will cause the
humidity of the surrounding air to increase, leading to condensation and
product caking. Therefore, cooling the product to an ideal temperature for
storage or packaging is extremely important. This will lead to a higher quality
end product.

Traditionally, diammonium phosphate is cooled through a direct rotary

contact air cooler which is existent in the production process. Rotary coolers are
an essential part of a thermal process, cooling material as it exits a rotary kiln or
rotary dryer, to a manageable temperature to produce a greater quality of the
product. For many processes, the rotary cooler is the optimum solution – either
for direct cooling of the material with air or indirect cooling with water.

A rotary cooler is a robust and long-lasting industrial cooling solution.

The main advantage they have to offer is their heavy-duty drum construction.

1
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

The robustness of a rotary drum accepts a broad range of feedstock at a high

capacity, making it the workhorse of the bulk solids processing industry for
both drying and cooling procedures (FEECO International).

Rotary coolers use a counter-current air-flow design, along with

ambient or chilled water, to efficiently cool material. A rotary cooler can be
arranged for direct cooling, typically air swept. The alternative is that it can be
arranged for indirect cooling, where the material is isolated and cooled through
the cylinder wall with water.

Direct rotary cooling is used in the production of the diammonium

phosphate to cool the product to the desired temperature for packaging and for
storing. This can be traded off with indirect rotary cooling without
compromising the quality of the product.

Diammonium Phosphate Philippine Incorporated (DAPPI) will address

different design criteria to compare the two types of rotary cooling method that
will determine which type of rotary should be used.

DIRECT ROTARY COOLING

Direct Rotary Cooling is a type of cooling that works like a rotary dryer
without heat. Flights are designed inside the rotary for the purpose of lifting the
material up, and drop it through a stream of ambient or chilled air, as the
cooling medium. Typically, a direct rotary cooler is counter-current, meaning
the material flows in the opposite direction of the air stream.

2
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

This is a more efficient design from a thermodynamics and heat transfer

standpoint than countercurrent flow. This provides the most efficient heat
transfer and lowest product temperature.

INDIRECT ROTARY COOLING

The indirect rotary cooling method uses cold water to indirectly cool the
material. The cooling water flows over the rotary drum, and the water is
collected at the bottom.

With indirect cooling technology, chilled water is pumped through a

vertical bank of hollow stainless steel plates while the bulk solid passes
between the plates at a rate sufficient to achieve the required cooling. As the
water is collected after applying the water indirectly, it goes into the heat
exchanger which then cools the water and is recycled back to the rotary cooler.
The water circulates counter-current to the product flow for higher thermal
efficiency.

3
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

Trading off direct rotary cooler into an indirect rotary cooler need to be
evaluated to know the type of the cooler to be used and will be based on the
following criteria:

· Heat Transfer Efficiency

· Quality of the Product

· Total Costing

Under the total costing, it is needed to classify and evaluate which is the
most effective to use between the two cooling systems, therefore in the
following evaluation, Otto and Antonsson model on trade-off strategies in
engineering design is used to rank its level of importance to be able to compare
the cost impact on each two cooling systems.

· Total Equipment Cost

· Fluid Consumption Cost

· Electricity Consumption Cost

4
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

HEAT TRANSFER EFFICIENCY

The freshly made product is advisable to be cooled before storage in

bags or bulk because high storage temperature increases the caking tendency of
the diammonium phosphate. Upon cooling, heat transfer occurs. Heat transfer is
an important component to consider in the operation of rotary dryers, rotary
kilns, or rotary coolers. The heat transfer of the direct rotary cooling system is
different in case of indirect rotary cooling.

In the direct cooling system, the air which is the cooling medium passes
through the rotary cooler counter-currently to the material, thus providing the
most efficient heat transfer and lowest product temperature. It provides less
time for cooling since heat transfer occurs primarily through convection.

However, the indirect cooling system is designed that there is no contact

between the fluid and the material, thus the cooling occurs through conduction.
Prior to this, it is less efficient than direct cooling and it also takes a lot of time
to cool the product.

5
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

QUALITY OF THE PRODUCT

To meet the satisfaction of the consumers is one of the priorities of the

Diammonium Phosphate Philippines Incorporated (DAPPI). In order to satisfy
the consumers, producing diammonium phosphate must be of top quality.

Using direct rotary coolers, fresh air as the cooling medium to cool the
product can affect the specification of the diammonium phosphate grade. Since
the product is a hygroscopic material, there is a tendency that the solid granules
will absorb moisture from the air. The introduction of air with moist cannot be
avoided but using a dehumidifier can reduce the moisture content of air
entering. Hence, the hygroscopic product will absorb little moisture from the air
that is still in the specification of the product.

Using the indirect cooler that uses cooling water has a higher advantage
in this criterion since the cooling process is done indirectly. The introduction of
moist air can be prevented since the heat transfer is designed to be non-contact
between the product, diammonium phosphate and the cooling medium, water.

6
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

TOTAL COSTING

Evaluation of the total costing which composes of total equipment cost,

fluid consumption and electricity consumption. These criteria is needed in order
to classify the two cooling methods of which is the most cost-effective to use in
the production process.

TOTAL EQUIPMENT COST

Direct rotary cooler for cooling of the product cost is US$ 30,000/unit
(US$ 1 = Php 51.01) (Php 1,530,300). The supplier of the equipment is Jiangsu
Liangyou International Mechanical Engineering Co., Ltd. which is based in
Jiangsu, China. Additionally, this uses a blower to deliver the coolant to the
heat transfer area, the blower cost estimates around US$ 700/unit (Php 35,707)
and a dehumidifier in order to reduce the moisture content in the air, the cost is
US$ 2,000 (Php 102,020). The total cost of the equipment is Php 1,668,027.

Indirect rotary cooler cost estimates around US$ 20,000/unit (Php

1,020,200). The supplier of the equipment is CITICHL Heavy Industries Co.,
Ltd. This uses cold water as the cooling medium. Consequently, this uses water
chiller to cool the water that will enter the indirect rotary cooler and a heat
exchanger to cool the exiting water from the rotary and recycled back to the
rotary. The water chiller cost is around US$ 2,000/unit (Php 102,020) while the
heat exchanger, primarily an air-cooled type, estimates around US$ 2,000/unit
(Php 102,020). Additional equipment is pump to deliver the incoming water to
the cooler. Pump costs estimates around US$ 850/unit (Php 43,358.50). The
total cost of the equipment used is Php 1,267,598.50.

7
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

FLUID CONSUMPTION COST

Ambient air is used as the cooling medium in a direct rotary cooler.

There is no cost for the fluid since it is readily available and it is free from the
atmosphere.

However, in the indirect cooling method, water is used as the cooling

medium. It consumes 20,437,169.50 kg annually. The rate cost per cubic meter
for industrial water is Php 49/m3 based on Maynilad Water information. The
rate cost per cubic meter using industrial water in the process is Php
1,001,421.31 annually.

ELECTRICITY CONSUMPTION COST

The overall electricity consumption rate in the Philippines according to

MERALCO is Php 8.17 per kWh. The power consumption of the direct rotary
cooler with an additional blower is 21.28 kW and the electricity consumption
annually is about Php 1,522,992.58.

While for the power consumption of the indirect cooler with water
chiller, heat exchanger and additional pump is 20.7 kW, therefore, the total
electricity consumption is Php 1,481,482.44. Summary of the costing of the two
methods is summarized in the table below.

Table 0.1 Summary of the total costing of the two cooling system method

DIRECT ROTARY INDIRECT ROTARY

DECISION CRITERIA
COOLING COOLING

TOTAL EQUIPMENT COST Php 1,668,027 Php 1,267,598.50

FLUID CONSUMPTION
0 Php 1,001,421.31
COST

8
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

ELECTRICITY
Php 1,522,992.58 Php 1,481,482.44
CONSUMPTION COST

Designers made use of three decision criteria to evaluate the costing of

the two cooling system methods of which is the most cost-effective to use. By
using the Otto and Antonsson model on trade-off strategies in engineering
design, each criterion was given a value of 1-3, depending on its importance.
The computation of ranking for the ability to satisfy the criteria is as follows:

Higher Value − Lower Value

Difference =
Higher Value

Subordinate Rank = Governing Rank − (Difference x 10)

The governing rank was a subjective part of the design wherein setting
of rank of “5” is predicted to the more desired criteria. The assessment of this
value is based in the observation and comparison in the Table 1:1. After the
computation of the subordinate rank is done, the overall can be computed.

Cost Ranking

For the first criterion, total cost of the equipment, the indirect rotary
cooling has a governing rank of 5 since the cost of the equipment is less
expensive compared to the indirect rotary cooling. This will determine the
subordinate rank of direct rotary cooling.

9
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

1,668,027 − 1,267,598.50
Difference = = 0.2401
1,668,027

Subordinate Rank = 5 − (0.2401 x 10) = 2.599

The second criterion, fluid consumption, the direct rotary cooling will
have a governing rank of 5 because air is used as the cooling medium and can
be obtain readily and it has no cost. This will determine the subordinate rank of
the indirect rotary cooling.

1,001,421.31 − 0
Difference = =1
1,001,421.31

Subordinate Rank = 5 − (1 x 10) = −5

And last, for the third criterion, the electricity consumption, indirect
cooling will have a governing rank of 5 since the electricity consumption is
cheaper than the direct cooling. This will determine the subordinate rank of the
indirect rotary cooling.

1,522,992.58 − 1,481,482.44
Difference = = 0.02726
1,522,992.58

Subordinate Rank = 5 − (0.02726 x 10) = 4.7274

The computed values are summarized in the table below.

10
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

Table 0.2 Summary of the computed values for Cost Ranking

DECISION HIGHER LOWER DIFFERENC SUBORDINAT

CRITERIA VALUE VALUE E E RANK

TOTAL
1,267,598.5
EQUIPMENT 1,668,027 0.2401 2.599
0
COST

FLUID
1,001,421.3
CONSUMPTIO 0 1 -5
1
N COST

ELECTRICITY
3,127,574.0 1,522,992.5
CONSUMPTIO 0.02726 4.7274
4 8
N COST

Based on the computed values, the level of importance can be determine

and each criterion was given a value of 1-3, 3 is the highest level and the
ranking of level of importance is dependent on the computed value of the
difference. The higher the overall rank, the more it is economical to use.

Table 0.3: Level of Importance Ranking (3 being the highest)

GOVERNING RANKING AND

SUBORDINATE RANKING
DECISION IMPORTANCE (Ability to satisfy the criteria)
CRITERA OF CRITERION
DIRECT INDIRECT
COOLING COOLING

TOTAL
1 2.599 5
EQUIPMENT COST

FLUID
CONSUMPTION 3 5 -5
COST

ELECTRICITY
CONSUMPTION 2 4.7274 5
COST

TOTAL 12.3264 5

11
 Technological Institute of the Philippines

TRADE-OFF ANALYSIS CONCLUSION

The evaluation was done using design criteria such as heat transfer
efficiency, quality of the product, total costing, and using the Otto and
Antonsson model on trade-off strategies.

The result shows that the Direct Cooling Method is favorable to use for
cooling the diammonium phosphate instead of using the Indirect Cooling
Method. This is due to the heat transfer mode of Direct Cooling Method which
is done through convection that it takes less time for cooling. It also uses air as
the cooling medium which makes it less expensive and is advisable to use.

Based on the Otto and Antonsson model, Direct Cooling Method got a
total of 12.3264 while the Indirect Cooling Method got 5 and the higher the
overall rank, the more economical to use. From the data provided, Direct
Cooling Method has a higher overall rank which makes it economical to use as
the method for cooling.

12