MTBE Production

Material Balance Project

You manage a chemical plant within a refinery complex that produces 60,000 tonne/y of methyl
tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE). MTBE is a gasoline additive used to increase octane number that is
produced from methanol and isobutylene. Methanol is purchased but the isobutylene is obtained
from a refinery stream. The stream contains 23% isobutylene, 20% 1-butene and 57% 2-butenes
and can be supplied at a maximum rate of 500 kmol/h. Only isobutylene reacts with methanol; 1-
butene, cis-2-butene and trans-2-butene are inert for this reaction.

MTBE is produced by a liquid-phase reaction over a catalyst. The reaction is between isobutene
and methanol as follows:

(CH3)2C=CH2 + CH3OH → (CH3)3C-O-CH3

In the temperature range of normal operations, there are no side reactions.

Process Description

A simplified process flow diagram for the MTBE plant is shown in Figure 1. The methanol and
mixed butenes feed are pumped and heated to reaction conditions. The reactor operates at 30 bar
to ensure that the reaction occurs in the liquid phase. The reaction is reversible but is operated at
low temperatures to obtain favorable equilibrium behavior for MTBE production. The reactor
effluent is distilled in Tower 901, with MTBE as the bottom product. Methanol is separated from
the butenes with a methanol scrubber. Essentially all of the butenes pass through the scrubber
while the methanol dissolves in the water phase. Methanol is separated from water by distillation
in Tower 903 so that pure methanol reactant can be recycled.

Additional Process Information

Stream 1 – Assume that methanol is pure.

Stream 2 – Molar flow rate of mixed butenes is 500 kmol/h. Stream contains 23 mole%
isobutylene and 77 mole% other butenes.
Stream 4 – Methanol-to-isobutylene molar ratio is 2.0.
R-901 – Fractional conversion is 0.960 with fresh catalyst but changes daily. See section on
catalyst deactivation.
Stream 7 – All of the MTBE appears in T-901 bottoms. Stream composition is 95% MTBE and
5.0 % methanol.
T-902 – Process water sent to scrubber is controlled so that 5.0 kmol of water are used for every
1.0 kmol of methanol.
Stream 9 – All of the butenes appear in this stream. Assume that the stream has had water vapor
removed so that mixed butenes are the only components.
Stream 11 – Stream contains pure methanol.
Stream 12 – Composition is 97 mole% water and 3.0 mole% methanol.
 R-901 T-901 T-902 T-903
MTBE MTBE Methanol Methanol
Reactor Column Scrubber Recycle
Column

11

8
9
process
water butene
waste stream
1 3

methanol 4

T-902
2

butenes

6
R-901

10
T-903

5 T-901 waste
water

12

MTBE

Figure 1: Process Flow Diagram for MTBE Production

 3

Catalyst Deactivation

The process uses an acidic ion-exchange-resin catalyst. A fresh catalyst will provide 0.960
fractional conversion of isobutylene. Unfortunately, the catalyst deactivates with fractional
conversion decreasing 0.002 per day. This might be written in equation form as

f = 0.962 – 0.002t

where t is the day-on-stream in the lifetime of the catalyst. Hence, with a new catalyst t = 1 and
f = 0.960.

Operating Costs

Information on operating costs will be provided in a subsequent memo.

Problem

You, the engineering team, are to plan the operation of the MTBE process in order to produce
60,000 tonne/y (60,000,000 kg/y). Your goal is to minimize operating costs and maximize profit.
You are constrained by the reactor feed rate (500 kmol/h), catalyst activity, and operating costs.
You may replace the catalyst one or more times to meet annual production goals.

You may not use CAD software, but are encouraged to use spreadsheet calculations. You may
write your own program if you prefer. Whether you use a spreadsheet or program, you must turn
in hand calculations for one case to demonstrate that the program or spreadsheet is written
correctly.

Group Formation

A student design group will consist of 3 or 4 group members. You are encouraged to choose a
partner for this project to form a pair. When you have formed a pair, please write your names on
the chart posted on Dr. Kugler’s door. Dr. Kugler will combine pairs to form groups of four.
Group assignments will be made on November 4.

Reports

Each group will be expected to prepare a written report recommending the best operating
procedures for the MTBE process. This report is due at 3:00 PM, Wednesday, December 8. The
report should follow the department’s design-report guidelines. Data should be in the form of
graphs and tables since this serves to both condense results and make them easily
understandable. The appendix should include your spreadsheet or computer program and a hand
calculation of a representative case. Hand calculations should be made using a pencil.
 4

Report Authors

Although work on a group report can never be divided equally, only those members making
substantial contributions to the final report should be listed as authors.

Additional Information

Feed and Product Prices

Mixed-butenes feed $ 0.160 per lb

Methanol feed $ 0.87 per US gallon
Process Water $ 1.00 per ton

MTBE $ 1.43 per US gallon

Butene waste stream $ 0.155 per lb
Methanol in MTBE $ 0.60 per US gallon

All feed and product prices are set by annual contracts with suppliers and customers. The plant
buys the mixed-butenes feed from the refinery for $0.160 per pound. It sells the dry butenes in
Stream 9 back to the refinery at a price of $0.155 per pound. The plant sells MTBE for blending
with gasoline at $1.43 per U.S. gallon. The MTBE includes a methanol impurity which can also
be added to gasoline in small quantities. The customer has agreed to pay $0.60 per U.S. gallon
for the methanol that is mixed with the MTBE.

Other Costs

Plant operating expenses average $6400 per day. This amount should be charged whether or not
plant is producing product.

The catalyst in the reactor costs $800,000. You will start operations with a fresh catalyst so that
operations on day 1 will include an $800,000 charge. Fresh catalyst produces a fractional
conversion of 0.960 on the first day of operation.

You may replace catalyst at any interval of your choosing. Catalyst replacement costs $800,000
and causes production to be shut down for 7 days. Daily operating expenses continue during the
shutdown, but no feed is processed nor product produced.

Further Istructions

You should assume that a processing year consists of 330 days. This provides contingency days
in every year for planned and unplanned shutdowns. You should plan to operate the MTBE plant
for 330 consecutive days. Shutdowns for catalyst replacement count toward your 330 days.

You need to produce a minimum of 60,000 tonne/y of MTBE. Producing more is good, for it can
be sold. If production goal is not met, MTBE must be purchased from competitors to make up
 5

any deficiency. Assume than any MTBE purchased is pure and costs 20% more than your
contract selling price.

Profits or loses should be stated in terms of millions of dollars, for example $1.22 million/y.
 Energy Balances and Numerical Methods
Design Project

Production of Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether

Methyl Tertiary-Butyl Ether (MTBE) is a gasoline additive used to increase octane number
that is produced from methanol and isobutylene. The purpose of this project is to continue a
preliminary analysis to determine the feasibility of constructing a chemical plant to manufacture
60,000 tonne/y MTBE.

Methanol is purchased, and the isobutylene is obtained from a refinery stream. The stream
contains 23% isobutene, 20% 1-butene, and 57% 2-butene, which is modeled as trans-2-butene.
Only isobutene reacts with methanol; 1-butene and 2-butene are inert for this reaction.

A suggested process flow diagram (PFD) is shown in Figure 1. You should use this as a
starting point only. Your primary task is to recommend operating conditions for the reactor and
separators that maximize the equivalent annual operating cost, or EAOC (This term is defined
later). Process improvements that increase the EAOC are also required. Any change that you
can justify, and that does not violate the laws of nature, is allowed. Your assignment is to
develop a “best” case, where “best” is dependent upon economic considerations, i.e., EAOC. In
reporting your best case, clearly indicate the modified process and state not only the operating
conditions for the (modified) process but also the corresponding values for the single-pass
conversion of methanol, the overall conversion of methanol, and EAOC. Also, state any
recommendations you have for additional process improvements that you were not able to
incorporate into the process calculations.

Chemical Reaction

The chemical reaction to form MTBE is as follows:

CH 3OH + (CH 3 ) 2 C = CH 2 
→(CH 3 ) 3 C − O − CH 3 (1)

Process Description

The PFD for the (starting) process is given in Figure 1.

 P-901 A/B E-901 R-901 T-901 E-902 E-903 T-902 P-903 A/B T-903 E-904 E-905
Feed Pump Feed MTBE MTBE MTBE MTBE Methanol MTBE Methanol Methanol Methanol
Preheater Reactor Tower Tower Tower Absorber Tower Recovery Tower Tower
Reboiler Condenser Feed Tower Reboiler Condenser
Pump

waste
process butenes
water E-901

lps T-902
P-901 A/B

methanol

R-901 E-905
cw

butenes E-903
feed cw
T-903
P-903 A/B
T-901
waste
water

mps E-904

E-902 mps MTBE

Figure 1: Unit 900 - MTBE Production Facility

2
 3

Process Details

Feed Stream and Effluent Streams

Stream 1: Methanol – stored as a liquid at the desired pressure of the reaction.

Stream 2: Mixed butene stream – 23% isobutene, 20% 1-butene, 57% 2-butene.

Stream 8: MTBE product – must be 95 wt% pure.

Stream 11: Process water – see utility list for more information

Stream 12: Waste butenes – returned to refinery – contains 1-butene and 2-butene with
less than 1 wt% other impurities.

Stream 16: Waste water – must be treated – must contain 99 wt% water – See the utility
list for more information.

Equipment

Pump (P-901 A/B, includes spare pump)

The pump increases the pressure of the mixed feed to the reaction conditions. The liquid
density may be estimated using a linear average of the pure component densities,
weighted by their mass fractions in the mixture. The cost of electricity to run the pump is
a utility cost based on the required power for the pump. The required power is the work
multiplied by the mass flowrate of Stream 4.

Heat Exchanger (E-901)

This heat exchanger heats the feed to the reactor feed temperature. Each component must
remain in the liquid phase at the chosen pressure. The cost of the heat source is a utility
cost.

Reactor (R-901)

This is where the reaction occurs. The reactor is adiabatic, and the reaction is
exothermic. Therefore, the heat generated by the reaction raises the temperature of the
exit stream. The exit temperature is a function of the conversion. The reaction must be
run at a pressure and temperature to ensure that all components remain in the liquid phase
in the reactor.

Methanol must be present in the reactor feed at a minimum 200% excess to suppress
undesired side reactions that produce undesired products.
 4

The reactor operating conditions (feed and exit temperatures, pressure) are to be
optimized. An operating pressure must be chosen. An optimum temperature and
conversion must be determined.

Distillation Column (T-901)

This column runs at 19 atm. (The pressure is controlled by a valve, that is not shown on
the PFD, in the product stream from R-901.) Separation of methanol and MTBE occurs
in this column. Of the methanol in Stream 7, 98% enters Stream 9. Similarly, 99% of
MTBE in Stream 7 enters Stream 8.

Heat Exchanger (E-902)

In this heat exchanger, the some of the contents of the stream leaving the bottom of T-
901 going to E-902 are vaporized and returned to the column. The amount returned to
the column is equal to the amount in Stream 8. The temperature of these streams is the
boiling point of MTBE at the column pressure. There is a cost for the amount of steam
needed to provide energy to vaporize the stream; this is a utility cost. The steam
temperature must always be higher than the temperature of the stream being vaporized.

Heat Exchanger (E-903)

In this heat exchanger, the contents of the top of T-901 are partially condensed from
saturated vapor to saturated liquid at the column pressure. 99% of the MTBE and water
condense and 99% of all other components remain in the vapor phase. The remaining 1%
of all other components condense with the MTBE. It may be assumed that this stream
condenses at the boiling point of methanol at the column pressure. There is a cost for the
amount of cooling water needed; this is a utility cost. The cooling water leaving E-903
must always be at a lower temperature than that of the stream being condensed.

Absorber (T-902)

The absorber runs at 5 atm and 90°C (outlet streams and Stream 11). In the absorber,
99% of the methanol in Stream 9 is absorbed into the water. All other components enter
Stream 12. The cost of Stream 9 is a raw material cost. Process water sent to scrubber is
controlled so that 5.0 kmol of water are used for every 1.0 kmol of methanol.

Distillation Column (T-903)

This column runs at 5 atm. (The pressure is controlled by a valve in the product stream
from T-903, which is not shown on the PFD.) Separation of methanol and water occurs
in this column. Of the methanol in Stream 14, 99% enters Stream 15. Similarly, 99% of
water in Stream 14 enters Stream 16.
 5

Heat Exchanger (E-902)

In this heat exchanger, the some of the contents of the stream leaving the bottom of T-
903 going to E-904 are vaporized and returned to the column. The amount returned to
the column is equal to the amount in Stream 16. The temperature of these streams is the
boiling point of water at the column pressure. There is a cost for the amount of steam
needed to provide energy to vaporize the stream; this is a utility cost. The steam
temperature must always be higher than the temperature of the stream being vaporized.

Heat Exchanger (E-905)

In this heat exchanger, the contents of the top of T-903 are completely condensed from
saturated vapor to saturated liquid at the column pressure. It may be assumed that this
stream condenses at the boiling point of methanol at the column pressure. The flowrate
of the stream from T-902 to E-905 is three times the flowrate of Stream 15. There is a
cost for the amount of cooling water needed; this is a utility cost. The cooling water
leaving E-905 must always be at a lower temperature than that of the stream being
condensed.

Economic Analysis

When evaluating alternative cases, the objective function to be used is the Equivalent Annual
Operating Cost (EAOC), defined as

EAOC = -(product value - feed cost – utility costs – waste treatment cost - capital cost annuity)

A negative value of EAOC means there is a profit. It is desirable to minimize EAOC; i.e., a
large negative value of EAOC is very desirable.

Utility costs are those for steam, cooling water, boiler-feed water, natural gas, and electricity.

The capital cost annuity is an annual cost (like a car payment) associated with the one-time,
fixed capital cost of plant construction and installation. A list of fixed capital costs on an
installed basis (“installed cost”) for all pieces of equipment will be provided by mid-March.

The capital cost annuity is defined as follows:

i (1 + i ) n
capital cost annuity = FCI (2)
(1 + i ) n − 1

where FCI is the installed cost of all equipment; i is the interest rate; and n is the plant life, in
[y]. For accounting purposes, take i = 0.15 and n = 10.
 6

Optimization

You will learn optimization methods in ChE 230. The objective function (EAOC) is defined
above. You should consider both topological and parametric optimization.

Topological optimization involves considering different process configurations (such

location of process equipment, adiabatic vs. isothermal reactor). Recall that you may alter the
process configuration in any way that improves the economic performance, as long as it does not
violate the laws of nature.

Parametric optimization involves determining the best operating parameters for the chosen
process topology. It is your responsibility to define appropriate decision variables. If there are
too many decision variables to do a reasonable parametric optimization, it is your responsibility
to determine, with appropriate justification, which ones most significantly affect the objective
function. Then you should focus on only those decision variables.
 7

Utility Costs

Low-Pressure Steam (618 kPa, saturated, cost or credit) $7.78/1000 kg

Medium-Pressure Steam (1135 kPa, saturated, cost or credit) $8.22/1000 kg

High-Pressure Steam (4237 kPa, saturated, cost or credit) $9.83/1000 kg

Natural Gas or Fuel Gas (446 kPa, 25°C)

cost $6.00/GJ
credit $5.00/GJ

Electricity $0.06/kWh

Boiler Feed Water (at 549 kPa, 90°C) $2.45/1000 kg

(There is a cost for boiler feed water only if the steam produced enters process streams.
If, on the other hand, the steam produced is subsequently condensed, it can be made into
steam again. In that case, there would be no net cost for boiler feed water.)

Cooling Water $0.354/GJ

available at 516 kPa and 30°C
return pressure ≥ 308 kPa
return temperature should be no more than 15°C above the inlet temperature

Refrigerated Water $4.43/GJ

available at 516 kPa and 5°C
return pressure ≥ 308 kPa
return temperature should be no higher than 15°C

Process Water $0.067/1000 kg

available at desired pressure and 30°C

Waste Water Treatment $56/1000 m3

based on total volume treated
 8

Data

Data for methanol and H2O are available in your textbook.1 The following data are provided
for the other components.

Heat of Formation at 25°C, [kJ/kg] – all in gas phase

MTBE isobutene 1-butene 2-butene

-3216.1 -301.3 -9.62 -199.1

Heat of Vaporization [kJ/kmol] at normal boiling point, Tb [°C]

MTBE isobutene 1-butene 2-butene

∆H v 2.81×104 2.22×104 2.24×104 2.29×104
Tb 55.2 -6.9 -6.25 0.88

Liquid-Phase Heat Capacity – use the following equation

C p = A + BT + CT 2 + DT 3 + ET 4 , where T is in [K] and Cp is in [J/kmol K]

MTBE isobutene 1-butene 2-butene

A 140,120 179,340 140,200 112,760
B -9 -1467 -554.87 -104.7
C 0.563 10.323 2.6242 0.521
D -0.03 -0.003
E 3.395×10-5

Vapor-Phase Heat Capacity – use data from the CD accompanying the text1

Vapor Pressure Equation Constants – use the following equation

ln [P*] = A – (B/T) + ClnT + DTE, where P* is in [Pa] and T is in [K]

MTBE isobutene 1-butene 2-butene

A 55.875 95.222 67.78 77.551
B 5132 4867 4429 4848
C -4.96 -12.567 -7.2064 -8.7864
D 1.91×10-17 0.0178 8.4×10-6 1.172×10-5
E 6 1 2 2
 9

Additional Information

The equipment costs for the MTBE plant as follows. Each cost is for an individual piece of
equipment, including installation.

Equipment Installed Cost

in millions of $

Reactor, R-901 0.5

Tower, T-901 2.0
Absorber, T-902 0.3
Tower, T-903 0.5
Any heat exchanger 0.15

Fired heater installed cost in dollars:

11× 10 x
where
x = 2.5 + 0.8 log10 Q
where Q is the heat duty in kW

Additionally, the following raw material and product costs should be used:

Raw Material or Product $/kg

methanol 0.50
i-butene 0.45
MTBE 0.50

Other Information

You should assume that a year equals 8000 hours. This is about 330 days, which allows for
periodic shutdown and maintenance.

Deliverables

Each group must deliver a word-processed report. It should be clear, concise and adhere to
the prescribed format. The format is explained in the written report guidelines, provided in a
separate document. When presenting results for different cases, graphs are superior to tables.
The body of the report should be short, emphasizing only the results and briefly summarizing
computational strategies. The report appendix should contain details of calculations that are easy
to follow. Calculations that cannot be followed easily will lose credit.

The project is due April 25, 2005, at the beginning of class. There will be oral presentations
of project results on that day. Oral presentations will continue on April 27, 2005, if we are
 10

unable to complete all presentations on April 25, 2005. Oral presentation guidelines will be
provided in a separate document.

Anyone not participating in this project will automatically receive an F for ChE 202 and ChE
230, regardless of other grades earned in this class.

Grading

The report grade for each class will be based on the technical content pertinent to that class,
which includes the response to questions during the oral presentation (60%), the oral presentation
(20%), and the written report (20%). The grade for the written report portion will include the
quality of the writing, the quality of the presentation, and the adherence to the prescribed format.
The grade for the oral presentation will be a composite grade for the entire team. Therefore,
group preparation and feedback are recommended. The grade for the technical content is self
explanatory.

The documents on the following web site provide an indication of the expected attributes of a
design report.

http://www.che.cemr.wvu.edu/ugrad/outcomes/rubrics/index.php

Groups

You will work on this project in groups of 4. More details of group formation and peer
evaluation will be discussed in class.

Revisions

As with any open-ended problem; i.e., a problem with no single correct answer, the problem
statement above is deliberately vague. The possibility exists that, as you work on this problem,
your questions will require revisions and/or clarifications. You should be aware that these
revisions/clarifications may be forthcoming.

References

1. Himmelblau, D. M. and J. B. Riggs, Basic Principles and Calculations in Chemical

Engineering (7th ed.), Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 2004.
 Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Thermodynamics

Production of MTBE
We continue to investigate the feasibility of constructing a new, grass-roots, 60,000 tonne/y,
methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) facility. As part of the feasibility study, we would like you
to investigate some of the details of the proposed plant and of the thermodynamics of the
components involved in the process.

Methanol is purchased, and the iso-butylene is obtained from a refinery stream. The stream
contains 23% iso-butene, 20% 1-butene, and 57% 2-butene, which is modeled as trans-2-butene.
Only iso-butene reacts with methanol; 1-butene and 2-butene are inert for this reaction.

Chemical Reaction

The chemical reaction to form MTBE is as follows:

CH 3OH + (CH 3 ) 2 C = CH 2 ⎯
⎯→(CH 3 ) 3 C − O − CH 3 (1)

Process Description

The PFD for the process is given in Figure 1. Note that this is similar to the PFD as you were
given last spring. It should be used as a starting point for this assignment.
2
Process Details

Feed Stream and Effluent Streams

Stream 1: Methanol – stored as a liquid at the desired pressure of the reaction.

Stream 2: Assume pure methanol

Stream 3: Mixed butene stream – 23% iso-butene, 20% 1-butene, 57% trans 2-butene.

Stream 9: MTBE product – must be 95 wt% pure.

Stream 12: Process water – see utility list for more information

Stream 13: Waste butenes – returned to refinery – contains 1-butene and 2-butene with
less than 1 wt% other impurities.

Stream 17: Waste water – must be treated – must contain 99 wt% water – See the utility
list for more information.

Equipment

Pump (P-901 A/B, includes spare pump)

The pump increases the pressure of the mixed feed to the reactor feed pressure, which is
3000 kPa.

Heat Exchanger (E-901)

This heat exchanger heats the feed to the reactor feed temperature, which is 90°C.

Reactor (R-901)

This is where the reaction occurs. The reactor is adiabatic, and the reaction is
exothermic. Therefore, the heat generated by the reaction raises the temperature of the
exit stream. The exit temperature is a function of the conversion. However, for the
required Chemcad simulation, you must enter a conversion. You should use a conversion
of 90% of the limiting reactant.

Methanol must be present in the reactor feed at a minimum 200% excess to suppress side
reactions that produce undesired products.

Distillation Column (T-901)

This column runs at 19 atm. Separation of methanol and MTBE occurs in this column.
 Heat Exchanger (E-902)

In this heat exchanger, some of the contents of the stream leaving the bottom of T-901
going to E-902 are vaporized and returned to the column.

Heat Exchanger (E-903)

In this heat exchanger, the contents of the top of T-901 are partially condensed from
saturated vapor to saturated liquid at the column pressure.

Absorber (T-902)

The absorber runs at 5 atm and 90°C (outlet streams and Stream 11). In the absorber,
99% of the methanol in Stream 11 is absorbed into Stream 14. All other components
enter Stream 13. Process water sent to the absorber is controlled so that 5.0 kmol of
water are used for every 1.0 kmol of methanol entering the absorber.

Distillation Column (T-903)

This column runs at 5 atm. Separation of methanol and water occurs in this column.

Heat Exchanger (E-904)

In this heat exchanger, some of the contents of the stream leaving the bottom of T-903
going to E-904 are vaporized and returned to the column.

Heat Exchanger (E-905)

In this heat exchanger, the contents of the top of T-903 are completely condensed from
saturated vapor to saturated liquid at the column pressure.

Assignment
The assignment consists of four “mini-designs.”

1. Design of P-904A/B MTBE Tower Reflux Pumps (ChE 310)

The purpose of the Process Fluid Mechanics mini-project is to design the piping and
pumping system associated with the methanol tower reflux pumps, P-904A/B. The purpose
of these pumps is to send the reflux stream back to T-903 and to return the unused methanol
back to the methanol feed vessel, V-901. In order to complete this assignment, you have
been provided with preliminary plot and elevation diagrams for Unit 900 (Appendix 1).
Although complete piping isometric diagrams are not available (since the plant has not yet
been built), you are to make your best estimate of the amount of piping, number of bends,
and fittings that are required for each piping run. You should note that piping at ground level
(except around pumps) should be avoided and that piping is generally placed on the pipe rack
whenever possible.

For this part of the project, you should assume that Stream 16 contains 400 kmol/h of pure
methanol at 500 kPa and that the reflux ratio, defined as the ratio of the flowrate of stream
sent back to the tower and the flowrate of Stream 16, is 3.5.

In order to estimate the power requirements of the pumps, you must perform a mechanical
energy balance for each part of leg of the piping run. These two piping legs consist of the
piping needed to return reflux to the tower and the piping that returns recycled methanol back
to the feed vessel. Each piping leg contains a control valve that regulates the flow of liquid.
You should assume that both control valves are designed to have an 80 kPa pressure drop
across them at the design (normal) flow condition.

The optimum pipe diameters for the suction line and both discharge legs are to be
determined. The objective function for the optimization is the Equivalent Annual Operating
Cost (EAOC) of the piping system including the pump ($/y). The EAOC is defined as:

⎛A ⎞
EAOC = CAP ⎜ , i, n ⎟ + annual operating costs (2)
⎝P ⎠

where

i(1 + i)
n
⎛A ⎞
⎜ , i, n⎟ =
[ ]
(3)
⎝P ⎠ (1 + i) n − 1

where i = 0.15 (15% rate of return) and n = 10 (ten-year plant life).

During the course of normal operation, it may be necessary to change the amount of reflux
returning to T-903. For the optimal pump and piping system that you propose, determine the
maximum amount of reflux that can be returned to the column when the flow of recycled
methanol remains at the normal operating condition. For this part of the project, you may
assume that the pump curve is described by the “standard” pump curve equation given
below:
7.1265
P ⎡ Q ⎤
= 1.1 − 0.1 ⎢ ⎥ (4)
Pdesign ⎢⎣ Qdesign ⎥⎦
where Pdesign is the pressure rise across the pump at the design volumetric flowrate of Qdesign ,
and Q is the volumetric flowrate at any pressure rise, P, across the pump. In addition, the
NPSH-required curve should be assumed to follow the following form:
2
⎛ Q ⎞
NPSH R (m of liquid at 20 C) = 5 + 2 ⎜
o
⎟ (5)
⎜ Qdesign ⎟
⎝ ⎠
2. Heat Exchanger Design (ChE 311)
You should perform a detailed design of the reactor preheater, E-901. Assume that the inlet
temperature to E-301 is 27°C and the outlet temperature is 90°C. You should assume that
steam is available at the conditions specified in Appendix 2 of this problem statement. For
this heat-exchanger design, you should report the following information, as needed for the
design:
• Diameter of shell
• Number of tube and shell passes
• Number of tubes per pass
• Tube pitch and arrangement (triangular/square/..)
• Number of shell-side baffles and their arrangement (spacing, pitch, type)
• Diameter, thickness, and length of tubes
• Calculation of both shell- and tube-side film heat transfer coefficients
• Calculation of overall heat transfer coefficient (you may assume that there is no
fouling on either side of the exchanger)
• Heat transfer area of the exchanger
• Shell-side and tube-side pressure drops
• Materials of construction
• Approximate cost of the exchanger

A detailed sketch of the exchanger should be included along with a set of comprehensive
calculations in an appendix to the mini-project.

3. Thermodynamics (ChE 320)

You will consider the properties of Stream 8, leaving Reactor R-901, in terms of the
composition of Stream 7, entering R-901. For the purpose of this mini-design, consider that
Stream 7 (inlet) is a liquid at 30 atm and 90°C, and has the following composition and molar
flow rates:

Component Molar Flow Rate [kmol/h]

Methanol 497
Iso-butene 160
1-Butene 61
Tert 2-butene 262

For safety purposes, we are concerned that the reactor effluent stream might become a vapor,
and we wish to avoid two-phase flow. To assist in this analysis, we need to know the
properties of liquid and vapor phases if Stream 8 (outlet) were to be flashed adiabatically to
1 atm.

Your solution should address the following:

• The composition and temperature of Stream 8 after adiabatic reaction (assume the
pressure stays at 30 atm; recall that the conversion is 90%).
 • The temperature, composition, and molar flow rates of the vapor phase (call it Stream
101) and the liquid phase (call it Stream 102) obtained by flashing Stream 8 to 1 atm.
Compute these manually, assuming the vapor phase to be an Ideal Gas and the liquid
phase to be an Ideal Mixture. Compare these results to those obtained from the ideal
model in Chemcad (K-value VAP and enthalpy LATENT HEAT).
• Similar to the above, but using Peng-Robinson and the software provided by Sandler [1].
Compare these results to those obtained from the Peng-Robinson model in Chemcad.
• Similar to the above, but using the predictive SRK model in Chemcad.
• A comparison and discussion of the three results from Chemcad, and a recommendation
of which to use.
• Why these calculations are of interest.

4. Safety Analysis Report

When designing a chemical process, it is important to know the properties of the chemicals
being consumed and produced in the process. The reactivity and toxicity of the reactants and
products will not only affect the design but will also affect the procedures that might be
implemented during an unscheduled event such as an emergency shutdown. The purpose of
the safety analysis report is to make management aware of risks to personnel due to the
flammability and toxicity of all chemicals consumed or produced in the process. As a
minimum, the MSDS (material and safety data sheets) for all these chemicals should be
provided in an appendix, and a brief discussion of the major concerns for each chemical
should be given as a separate section of the report. In addition, briefly discuss possible safety
hazards for each piece of equipment in your process. Finally, a feature of your process
design that addresses one of these concerns should be explained.

5. Chemcad
A Chemcad simulation for the feed section of the process (through Stream 8) shown in
Figure 1 should be provided. Use the results from all mini designs, including the
recommended thermodynamics package.

Other Information

You should assume that a year equals 8000 hours. This is about 330 days, which allows for
periodic shutdown and maintenance.

Deliverables
Written Reports

Each group must deliver a report written using a word processor. Three identical copies should
be submitted, one for each instructor. The written project reports are due by 11:00 a.m.
Thursday, December 1, 2005. Late projects will receive a minimum of a one letter grade
deduction.
The report should be clear and concise. For the correct formatting information, refer to the
document entitled Written Design Reports. The report must contain a labeled process flow
diagram (PFD) and a stream table, each in the appropriate format. The PFDs from Chemcad are
generally unsuitable unless you modify them significantly. Figure 1 should be used as a template
for your PFD. When presenting results for different cases, graphs are superior to tables. For the
optimal case, the report appendix should contain details of calculations that are easy to follow.
There should be separate appendices for each “mini-project.” These may be hand written if done
neatly. Alternatively, Excel spreadsheets may be included, but these must be well documented
so that the reader can interpret the results. Calculations that cannot be easily followed and that
are not explained will lose credit.

Since this project involves “mini-designs,” it is suggested that the report be organized as follows.
There should be a general abstract and introduction. Then, there should be a results section
followed by a discussion section for each “mini-design.” General conclusion and
recommendation sections should follow. At a minimum, there should be one appendix for each
of the “mini-designs.”

In order to evaluate each group member’s writing skills, the results and discussion sections for
each mini-design should be written by a different group member. The authorship of each of
these mini-reports should be clearly specified in the report. For groups with four members, the
member not authoring a mini-report should author the safety analysis report, which is described
below. The remainder of the report, namely the general abstract, general introduction, general
results (including Chemcad simulation), general conclusions, and general recommendations
sections should be a group effort.

Although the individual written portions of the reports must be authored by a single group
member, it is the intent of the instructors that group members should help each other in writing
different sections. To this end, we recommend that you seek input, such as proofreading and
critiques, from other members of your group. The reports will be evaluated as follows:

• section technical content – 50%

• oral presentation – 20%
• written report – 20%
• technical quality of general sections (safety, simulation, etc.) – 10%

A historical account of what each group did is neither required nor wanted. Results and
explanations should be what are needed to justify your choices, not a litany of everything that
was tried. Each mini-report should be limited to 4-5 double space pages plus figures and tables.

Oral Reports

Each group will give an oral report in which the results of this project will be presented in a
concise manner. The oral report should be between 15-20 minutes, and each group member
must speak. Each group member should speak only once. A 5-10 minute question-and-answer
session will follow, and all members must participate. Refer to the document entitled Oral
Reports for instructions. The oral presentations will be Thursday December 1, 2005, from 11:00
a.m. to 2:00 pm. Attendance is required of all students during their classmates’ presentations
(this means in the room, not in the hall or the computer room). Failure to attend any of the
above-required sessions will result in a decrease of one-letter grade (per occurrence) from
your project grade in ChE 310, ChE 311, and ChE 320.

Groups

You will work on this project in groups of 3 or 4. More details of group formation and peer
evaluation will be discussed in class.

Revisions

As with any open-ended problem; i.e., a problem with no single correct answer, the problem
statement above is deliberately vague. The possibility exists that, as you work on this problem,
your questions will require revisions and/or clarifications. You should be aware that these
revisions/clarifications may be forthcoming.

References

1. Sandler, S.I., Chemical and Engineering Thermodynamics (3rd ed.), Wiley, New York, 1999.
 Appendix 1
Plot plan and Elevation Diagram for ChE 310 mini-project
 Appendix 2
Economic Data

Equipment Costs (Purchased)

Note: The numbers following the attribute are the minimum and maximum values for that
attribute. For a piece of equipment with a lower attribute value, use the minimum attribute value
to compute the cost. For a piece of equipment with a larger attribute value, extrapolation is
possible, but inaccurate. To err on the side of caution, you should use the price for multiple,
identical smaller pieces of equipment.

Pumps log10 (purchased cost ) = 3.4 + 0.05 log10 W + 0.15[log10 W ]2

W = power (kW, 1, 300)
assume 80% efficiency

Heat Exchangers log10 (purchased cost ) = 4.6 − 0.8 log10 A + 0.3[log10 A]2
A = heat exchange area (m2, 20, 1000)

Compressors log10 (purchased cost ) = 2.3 + 1.4 log10 W − 0.1[log10 W ]2

W = power (kW, 450, no limit)
assume 70% efficiency

Compressor Drive log10 (purchased cost ) = 2.5 + 1.4 log10 W − 0.18[log10 W ]2

W = power (kW, 75, 2600)

Turbine log10 (purchased cost ) = 2.5 + 1.45 log10 W − 0.17[log10 W ]2

W = power (kW, 100, 4000)
assume 65% efficiency

Fired Heater log10 (purchased cost ) = 3.0 + 0.66 log10 Q + 0.02[log10 Q ]2

Q = duty (kW, 3000, 100,000)
assume 80% thermal efficiency
assume can be designed to use any organic compound as a fuel

Vertical Vessel log10 (purchased cost ) = 3.5 + 0.45 log10 V + 0.11[log10 V ]2

V = volume of vessel (m3, 0.3, 520)

Horizontal Vessel log10 (purchased cost ) = 3.5 + 0.38 log10 V + 0.09[log10 V ]2

V = volume of vessel (m3, 0.1, 628)
Additional Cost Information

Piping straight pipe $/m = 5.0 (nominal pipe diameter, in)(1+(sch #)/20)0.25
sch = schedule number for pipe
use the same sch number for fittings and valves

fittings (except valves) $/fitting = 50.0 (nominal pipe diameter, in)(1+(sch #)/20)0.25

Valves for gate (isolation) valves $100 (nominal pipe diameter, in)0.8 (1+(sch #)/20)0.25
for control valve use $1000 (nominal pipe diameter, in)0.8(1+(sch #)/20)0.25

Utility Costs

Low-Pressure Steam (618 kPa saturated) $7.78/1000 kg

Medium-Pressure Steam (1135 kPa saturated) $8.22/1000 kg

High-Pressure Steam (4237 kPa saturated) $9.83/1000 kg

Natural Gas (446 kPa, 25°C) $6.00/GJ

Fuel Gas Credit $5.00/GJ

Electricity $0.06/kWh

Boiler Feed Water (at 549 kPa, 90°C) $2.45/1000 kg

Cooling Water $0.354/GJ

available at 516 kPa and 30°C
return pressure ≥ 308 kPa
return temperature is no more than 15°C above the inlet temperature

Refrigerated Water $4.43/GJ

available at 516 kPa and 10°C
return pressure ≥ 308 kPa
return temperature is no higher than 20°C

Deionized Water $1.00/1000 kg

available at 5 bar and 30°C

Waste Treatment of Off-Gas incinerated - take fuel credit

Refrigeration $7.89/GJ

Wastewater Treatment $56/1000 m3

Equipment Cost Factors

Total Installed Cost = Purchased Cost (4 + material factor (MF) + pressure factor (PF))

Pressure < 10 atm, PF = 0.0 does not apply to turbines, compressors, vessels,
(absolute) 10 - 20 atm, PF = 0.6 packing, trays, or catalyst, since their cost
20 - 40 atm, PF = 3.0 equations include pressure effects
40 - 50 atm, PR = 5.0
50 - 100 atm, PF = 10

Carbon Steel MF = 0.0

Stainless Steel MF = 4.0
 Separations and Reaction Engineering
Design Project

Production of MTBE
We continue to investigate the feasibility of constructing a new, grass-roots, 60,000 tonne/y,
methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) facility. As the final part of the feasibility study, we would
like you to study the details of the reactor and separation section of proposed plant and then
optimize the complete process.

For the two main raw materials for the plant, methanol is purchased, and the iso-butylene can
be obtained from two different refinery streams. One of the refinery streams is located in
Louisiana and the other located in Indiana. The Louisiana stream contains 18% iso-butene, 32%
1-butene, and 50% 2-butene, which is modeled as trans-2-butene. The Indiana stream contains
60% iso-butene, 20% 1-butene, and 20% 2-butene. Only iso-butene reacts with methanol; 1-
butene and 2-butene are inert for this reaction. One of the goals of this study will be to determine
the best location for the new, grass-roots facility given the available raw material sources.

Chemical Reaction

The reaction is facilitated by a sulfonated ion-exchange resin catalyst. The reactions and
reaction kinetics are as follows:

CH 3OH + (CH 3 ) 2 C = CH 2 ⎯⎯→(CH 3 ) 3 C − O − CH 3 (1)

←

2
C MTBE
C IB2 ⋅ C MeOH
2
−
− r = Ψ⋅kf K2 (2)
(C 2
MeOH + K '⋅C MTBE
2
)3

where

⎛ 84,300 ⎞
k f = 1.3 × 10 −6 exp⎜ − ⎟ (3)
⎝ RT ⎠

⎛ 65000 ⎞
K = 4.742 × 10 − 9 exp⎜ ⎟ (4)
⎝ RT ⎠

K '= 0.778 (5)

The units of reaction rate, ri, are mol/kg catalyst h, forward rate constant, kf, are mol3/(m6 site hr),
and the activation energy is in J/mol. The kinetics were determined at temperatures ranging from
45 to 90 ◦C. The concentrations of methanol and isobutene and temperature are known to modify
the solubility of the catalyst. As a result, these characteristics of the reaction medium influence
 2

the reactivity of the catalyst. The ratio of isobutene to methanol concentrations studied
experimentally ranged from 0.5 to 2.

The sulfonated ion-exchange resin catalyst initially has a site density of 3x1024 sites per kg of
catalyst and becomes deactivated at higher temperatures. The deactivation kinetics are
represented by the following reaction kinetics:

dΨ
= −k D ⋅ Ψ (6)
dt

⎛ 70,000 ⎞
k D = 200 exp⎜ − ⎟, (7)
⎝ RT ⎠
where Ψ is the catalytic site density in units of sites/kg catalyst and the deactivation rate
constant, kD, has units of sec-1.

Specific Assignments

ChE 312

You are to determine the number of distillation columns required, their locations, their
sequence, and enough information for each column to determine their costs. The distillation
column that purifies the MTBE should be designed in detail. A detailed design of a tray tower
includes number of trays, tray spacing, diameter, reflux ratio, active area, weir height, top and
bottom pressure specifications, and design of auxiliary equipment (heat exchangers, pump, reflux
drum, if present). A detailed design of a packed tower includes height, packing size and type,
and the same other specifications as in a tray tower. For all columns in this project, you may
assume that HETP = 0.6 m. For the distillation column, the better economical choice between a
packed and tray tower should be determined. For either a packed or a tray distillation column,
the optimum reflux ratio should be determined.

Note that a tower consists of a vessel with internals (trays or packing). The constraints on a
vessel are typically a height-to-diameter ratio less than 20. However, it is possible to extend this
ratio to 30 as long as the tower is less than about 3 ft (1 m) in diameter. For larger-diameter
towers, stresses caused by wind limit the actual height. Extra supports are needed for a height-
to-diameter ratio above 20, even for smaller diameter columns. Therefore, there is a capital cost
“penalty” of an additional 25% (only on the vessel) up to a ratio of 25, and a “penalty” of an
additional 100% up to a ratio of 30.

You must choose the operating pressures for each column subject to constraints of operating
temperature and available utilities. If vacuum columns are needed, pressure drop becomes a
significant concern. As an alternative to tray towers, packed towers with a low-pressure-drop
structured packing may be used. The packing factor as defined in Wankat1, p. 424, is that for
Koch Flexipac #2. Assume the HETP for the structured packing to be 0.6 m (see the definition
of HETP in Wankat1, p. 418, and the relationship between HETP and HOG in Equation 19.36 in
Wankat1.), and that the pressure drop is 0.2 kPa/m (0.245 inch water/ft).
 3

ChE 325

Several reactor types may be considered for use in this design. They are an adiabatic, packed
bed reactor (a series of these with interstage cooling, if needed), an “isothermal,” packed bed
reactor, and a packed bed reactor with heat exchange. An “isothermal” reactor is defined here as
one with a specified outlet temperature, not necessarily the inlet temperature, and some form of
heat exchange is needed to add or remove the heat of reaction to maintain constant temperature.
Chemcad will model the entire reactor as “isothermal” at that temperature. It must be understood
that this situation is not physically realistic. In a reactor with heat exchange, the temperature
along the length of the packed-bed reactor is not constant. The temperature can be controlled by
varying the temperature and flowrate of the heat-transfer fluid, heat-transfer area, and the
catalyst/inert ratio. The suggested heat-transfer fluid is Dowtherm A™. If a heat-transfer fluid
is used, it is circulated in a closed loop through the reactor where its temperature is increased (if
the reaction is endothermic) or decreased (if the reaction is exothermic). Then, heat is added
(removed) from the fluid in a heat exchanger (or fired heater, if needed). The heat-transfer fluid
is then pumped back to the reactor. Properties of the Dowtherm A™ can be obtained from
Chemcad..

For your best case, you should include a discussion of the temperature, pressure, and
concentration profiles obtained from Chemcad.

General

The entire MTBE process should be optimized using decision variables of your choosing.
Decision variables should be chosen as those most strongly affecting the objective function.
There are topological optimization and parametric optimization. In topological optimization,
which is usually done first, the best process configuration is chosen. Parametric optimization
involves varying operating variables and should be done after topological optimization is
complete. Some examples of parameters that can be used as decision variables are reactor
temperature, pressure, and conversion and distillation column reflux ratio.

Economic Analysis

When evaluating alternative cases, the equivalent annual operating cost (EAOC) objective
function should be used. The EAOC is defined as

EAOC = -(product value - feed cost – utility costs – waste treatment cost - capital cost annuity)

A negative EAOC means there is a profit. It is desirable to minimize the EAOC; i.e., a large
negative EAOC is very desirable.

The capital cost annuity is an annual cost (like a car payment) associated with the one-time,
fixed cost of plant construction.

The capital cost annuity is defined as follows:

 4

i(1 + i) n
capital cost annuity = FCI (8)
(1 + i) n − 1

where FCI is the installed cost of all equipment; i is the interest rate (take i = 0.15) and n is the
plant life for accounting purposes (take n = 10).

Report Format

This report should conform to the Department guidelines. It should be bound in a folder that
is not oversized relative to the number of pages in the report. Figures and tables should be
included as appropriate. An appendix should be attached that includes sample calculations.
These calculations should be easy to follow.

The written report is a very important part of the assignment. Poorly written and/or
organized written reports may require re-writing. Be sure to follow the format outlined in the
guidelines for written reports. Failure to follow the prescribed format may be grounds for a re-
write.

The following information, at a minimum, must appear in the main body of the final report:

1. a computer-generated PFD (not a Chemcad PFD) for the recommended optimum case,

2. a stream table containing the usual items,

3. a list of new equipment for the process, costs, plus equipment specifications (presented
with a reasonable number of significant figures),

4. a summary table of all utilities used,

5. a clear summary of alternatives considered and a discussion, supported with figures, of

why the chosen alternative is superior,

6. a clear economic analysis which justifies the recommended case

7. a discussion section pertinent to each class plus a general discussion section for
optimization of the entire process

8. a Chemcad report only for your optimized case (in the Appendix). This must contain the
equipment connectivity, thermodynamics, and overall material balance cover pages;
stream flows; equipment summaries; tower profiles; and tray (packing) design
specifications (if you use Chemcad to design the trays (packing)). It should not contain
stream properties. Missing Chemcad output will not be requested; credit will be deducted
as if the information is missing.
 5

Other Information

Unless specifically stated in class, the information in this document is valid for this project
only. Any information in the sophomore projects not specifically stated in this document is not
valid for this project.

Deliverables

Each group must deliver a report (two identical copies, one for each professor) written using
a word processor. The report should be clear and concise. The format is explained in the
document Written Design Reports. Any report not containing a labeled PFD and a stream table,
each in the appropriate format, will be considered unacceptable. PFDs from Chemcad are
generally unsuitable unless you modify them significantly. When presenting results for different
cases, graphs are superior to tables. For the optimum case, the report appendix should contain
details of calculations that are easy to follow. There should be separate appendices for each
class, ChE 312 and ChE 325, each containing calculations appropriate for the respective class.
These may be handwritten if done so neatly. Calculations that cannot be easily followed will
lose credit.

Each group will give an oral report in which the results of this project will be presented in a
concise manner. The oral report should be between 15-20 minutes, and each group member
must speak once. Reports exceeding this time limit will be stopped. A 5-10 minute question-
and-answer session will follow. Instructions for presentation of oral reports are provided in a
separate document entitled Oral Reports. The oral presentations will be Wednesday, April 19,
2006, starting at 11:00 a.m. and running until approximately 3:00 p.m. Attendance is required of
all students during their classmates’ presentations (this means in the room, not in the hall or the
computer room). Failure to attend any of the above-required sessions will result in a decrease of
one letter grade (per occurrence) from your project grade in ChE 312 and ChE 325.

The written project report is due by 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, April 19, 2006. Late projects
will receive a minimum deduction of one letter grade.

In order to evaluate each team members writing skills, the results and discussion sections for
each specific assignment should be written by a different team member. The authorship of each
of these specific assignments should be clearly specified in the report. If a team has four
members, the member not authoring a specific assignment should author the cover
memorandum, abstract, introduction, and conclusion.

Revisions

As with any open-ended problem (i.e., a problem with no single correct answer), the problem
statement above is deliberately vague. The possibility exists that, as you work on this problem,
your questions will require revisions and/or clarifications of the problem statement. You should
be aware that these revisions/clarifications might be forthcoming.
 6

References

1. Wankat, P., Equilibrium Staged Separation Processes, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River,
NJ, 1988.
 7

Appendix 1
Economic Data

Feed and Product Prices

Mixed-butenes feed $ 0.160/lb

Methanol feed $ 0.87/US gallon
MTBE $ 1.43/US gallon
Butene waste stream $ 0.155/lb
Methanol in MTBE $ 0.60/US gallon

Equipment Costs (Purchased)

Note: The numbers following the attribute are the minimum and maximum values for that
attribute. For a piece of equipment with a lower attribute value, use the minimum attribute value
to compute the cost. For a piece of equipment with a larger attribute value, extrapolation is
possible, but inaccurate.

Pumps log10 (purchased cost ) = 3.4 + 0.05 log10 W + 0.15[log10 W ]2

W = power (kW, 1, 300)
assume 80% efficiency

Heat Exchangers log10 (purchased cost ) = 4.6 − 0.8 log10 A + 0.3[log10 A]2
A = heat exchange area (m2, 20, 1000)

Compressors log10 (purchased cost ) = 2.3 + 1.4 log10 W − 0.1[log10 W ]2

W = power (kW, 450, 3000)
assume 70% efficiency

Compressor Drive log10 (purchased cost ) = 2.5 + 1.4 log10 W − 0.18[log10 W ]2

W = power (kW, 75, 2600)

Turbine log10 (purchased cost ) = 2.5 + 1.45 log10 W − 0.17[log10 W ]2

W = power (kW, 100, 4000)
assume 65% efficiency

Fired Heater log10 (purchased cost ) = 3.0 + 0.66 log10 Q + 0.02[log10 Q ]2

Q = duty (kW, 3000, 100,000)
assume 80% thermal efficiency
assume can be designed to use any organic compound as a fuel

Vertical Vessel log10 (purchased cost ) = 3.5 + 0.45 log10 V + 0.11[log10 V ]2

V = volume of vessel (m3, 0.3, 520)
 8

Horizontal Vessel log10 (purchased cost ) = 3.5 + 0.38 log10 V + 0.09[log10 V ]2

V = volume of vessel (m3, 0.1, 628)

Catalyst $2.25/kg

Packed Tower Cost as vessel plus cost of packing

Packing log10 (purchased cost ) = 3 + 0.97 log10 V + 0.0055[log10 V ]2

V = packing volume (m3, 0.03, 628)

Tray Tower Cost as vessel plus cost of trays

Trays log10 (purchased cost ) = 3.3 + 0.46 log10 A + 0.37[log10 A]2

A = tray area (m2, 0.07, 12.3)

Storage Tank log10 (purchased cost ) = 5.0 − 0.5 log10 V + 0.16[log10 V ]2

V = volume (m3, 90, 30,000)

Reactors For this project, the reactor is considered to be a vessel.

It may be assumed that pipes and valves are included in the equipment cost factors. Location
of key valves should be specified on the PFD.

Equipment Cost Factors

Total Installed Cost = Purchased Cost (4 + material factor (MF) + pressure factor (PF))

Pressure < 10 atm, PF = 0.0 does not apply to turbines, compressors, vessels,
(absolute) 10 - 20 atm, PF = 0.6 packing, trays, or catalyst, since their cost
20 - 40 atm, PF = 3.0 equations include pressure effects
40 - 50 atm, PR = 5.0
50 - 100 atm, PF = 10

Carbon Steel MF = 0.0

Stainless Steel MF = 4.0
 9

Utility Costs

Low Pressure Steam (618 kPa saturated) $7.78/1000 kg

Medium Pressure Steam (1135 kPa saturated) $8.22/1000 kg

High Pressure Steam (4237 kPa saturated) $9.83/1000 kg

Natural Gas (446 kPa, 25°C) $6.00/GJ

Fuel Gas Credit $5.00/GJ

Electricity $0.06/kWh

Boiler Feed Water (at 549 kPa, 90°C) $2.45/1000 kg

Cooling Water $0.354/GJ

available at 516 kPa and 30°C
return pressure ≥ 308 kPa
return temperature is no more than 15°C above the inlet temperature

Refrigerated Water $4.43/GJ

available at 516 kPa and 10°C
return pressure ≥ 308 kPa
return temperature is no higher than 20°C

Deionized Water $1.00/1000 kg

available at 5 bar and 30°C

Waste Treatment of Off-Gas incinerated - take fuel credit

Refrigeration $7.89/GJ

Wastewater Treatment $56/1000 m3

Any fuel gas purge may be assumed to be burned elsewhere in the plant at a credit of
$2.50/GJ. Steam produced cannot be returned to the steam supply system for the appropriate
credit. Steam produced in excess of that required in this process is purged with no credit.
 10

Appendix 2
Other Design Data

Heat Exchangers

For heat exchangers, use the following approximations for heat-transfer coefficients to
allow you to determine the heat transfer area:

situation h (W/m2°C)

condensing steam 6000

condensing organic 1000

boiling water 7500

boiling organic 1000

flowing liquid 600

flowing gas 60