Project
PRELIMINARY INFORMATION
In this project, you are first asked to replicate an existing simulation of a process for the production of heptene (C7H14) from an impure mixture of propene (C3H6) and butene (C4H8). Replicating existing results is often used to check that your methodology and parameter values are correct before undertaking further work. After checking your work, you are then asked to conduct an extension study of your choice on a process synthesis and design topic.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of this project are to:
- Replicate an existing simulation, clearly documenting the assumptions and choices you made.
- Check that your simulation adequately approximates the existing simulation.
- Perform an extension study related to process synthesis and design, explaining the benefits of the study, your method, the results and their implications.
- Convey technical information in a professional report.
ASSIGNMENT TASKS
Please write a report that covers the following topics.
1. Replication of existing simulation
The process, flowsheet, equipment details and stream tables are provided in the document "Heptene process.pdf" on Blackboard, which was taken from Turton et al. You are asked to reproduce as closely as reasonably possible the results in this simulation. For your report, please include:
(a) A clear image of your Hysys flowsheet.
(b) Stream tables for the material and energy streams. The material streams should show component molar flowrates (kmol/h) for easy comparison with Table B.11.1.
(c) An explanation of the assumptions and decisions you had to make to develop the simulation.
Notes:
- Use equipment and stream IDs that match closely with those in the existing simulation; however, it is acknowledged that there may need to be some differences.
- You are advised to construct your simulation using simple unit models; for example, conversion reactors and shortcut columns.
- While you are asked to reproduce Turton's work closely, it is acknowledged that there will almost always be differences in results when using different simulators. Note that Turton used the CHEMCAD simulator.
- The Hysys (.hsc) case file that attempts to replicate the existing simulation will need to be submitted with your report.
2. Checking simulation results
(a) Describe and show evidence of the checks that you performed to build confidence that your simulation matches closely with the simulation results in Turton's document.
(b) Briefly comment on the most significant discrepancies: try to explain why they occurred and what implications they could have.
3. Extension study
For your selected extension topic on the heptene process, please:
(a) Outline the intended scope and briefly explain the significance and potential benefits of conducting the selected study.
(b) Briefly describe the methodology you used for the study, referring to the literature as appropriate.
(c) Show the results of the work performed: flowsheets, tables, graphs, equations, analyses and so on.
(d) Discuss the results, including the limitations, implications and recommendations of your study.
Before selecting a topic, please bear in mind the limited information that is available in Turton's document. Think carefully about the data you might need and how it could be obtained or approximated. Some of the topics may require further research and some self-study. You are free to select any one of the topics here to investigate the heptene process further:
- Alternative reactor configurations
- Alternative separation systems
- Heat exchanger network analysis and synthesis
- Dynamic simulation and control
- Optimisation and economic analysis
- Plant debottlenecking
- A fully rigorous simulation that eliminates shortcut and simplified models
- Another topic of your choice related to process synthesis and design that interests you. Please check with your unit coordinator for the topic's suitability before starting the study.
To conduct some of these studies, you may need to replace some of the simplified units by rigorous units.
REPORT FORMAT
The main body of the report must be at most 15 pages long. Please use single or 1.15 line spacing and A4 pages. A professional standard of writing and presentation is expected. Aside from the main body, the report should have a cover page, a summary of at most ½ page, table of contents, list of figures, list of tables, list of abbreviations (if needed), references and an appendix that contains the Input Summary of your simulation from Question 1. These are not included in the page count; however, any additional appendices will be counted towards the page limit. Pages should be numbered.
Attachment:- Heptene-process.pdf