Subject Assignment Topic

Plant Design Workshop No.1 Conceptual design and PFDs

DESCRIPTION

Certain chemical process is represented by the generic equation A+B®C, being C the
interest product of the reaction. However, the reaction conversion is under 100%, so the
yield to C. The reaction is carried out at gas phase at 350ºC and 5 atm in a packed bed of a
metal oxide catalyst. Several byproducts are also present after some serial and parallel
reactions. The complete list of compounds are shown as follows. with their main physic
characteristics:

Compound Boiling Water Physical state at Molar fractions at

point (ºC)* solubility room conditions reactor outlet
A 120 High Liquid 20%
B 200 Low Liquid 10%
C 130 Low Liquid 25%
D 30 High Gas 10%
E 240 High Solid 5%
F 210 Low Liquid 15%
G 80 Low Liquid 15%
*Atmospheric pressure

In order to increase the production of C, the compounds D, F and G can be reprocessed by

the following ways:
• Catalytic hydrogenation of D with a overall conversion of 80%
• F and G can react with A in a equimolar proportion for yielding C and D (conversion of
70%)
The by-product E can be stored for further commercialization as raw material for other
process or client.

TARGET

The main target is to obtain a stream with 90% (or more) of C. The tasks for being carried
out by the design team are as follows:
a) To elaborate a blocks diagram with the process stages for obtain the desired stream,
including how the by-products will be handled.
b) To suggest the unit operations needed for carrying the process and distribute them in a
process flowsheet diagram (PFD). If it is possible, provide information about the
operating conditions.
c) Provide a detailed explanation that justifies the selection of the unit operations and their
location in the suggested process design.
The information must be delivered by e-mail, and the work will be made by teams of two
students. Of course, the workshop must be presented in a well written English.

Deadline: May 14th, 2019, 5:00 pm

Program Semester Lecturer

Chemical Engineering VIII José A. Colina Márquez