FLOW SHEETING

This chapter covers the preparation and presentation of the process flow-sheet. The flow sheet is the key document in process design. It is a diagrammatic model of the process.

The flow sheet includes:

Arrangement of the equipment selected to carry out the process The stream connections Stream flow-rates and compositions

The operating conditions.

Manual flow-sheeting calculations is tedious and time consuming when the process is large or complex

Hence, computer-aided flow-sheeting programs are used extensibly.

Their use enables the designer to consider different processes and select the best process and optimum process conditions

FLOW SHEETING
FLOW SHEET PRESENTATION

Block diagrams:
It is the simplest form of presentation. Each block can represent a single piece of equipment in a simple process Or principle stage in a complex process.

Generally used in reports and textbooks, but have only a limited use as engineering documents.

FLOW SHEETING
FLOW SHEET PRESENTATION

Pictorial representation:
On the detailed flow-sheets used for design and operation, the equipment is normally drawn in a stylized pictorial form.

Actual scale drawings of the equipment are sometimes used, but it is more usual to use a simplified representation.
Generally , British Standard, BS 1553 or American National Standards Institute (ANSI) symbols are used. Appendix A lists some symbols.

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FLOW SHEET PRESENTATION

Pictorial representation:

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PRESENTATION OF STREAM FLOW-RATES

Simple method suitable for simple processes

Tabulate the data in blocks alongside the process stream lines.
Data blocks

But only a limited amount of information can be shown in this way, and it is difficult to make neat alterations or to add additional data.

FLOW SHEETING
PRESENTATION OF STREAM FLOW-RATES

The other better method

Each stream line is numbered and the data tabulated at the bottom of the sheet. Figure 4.2
Stream no.

FLOW SHEETING
PRESENTATION OF STREAM FLOW-RATES

The other better method

Stream no.

Each stream line is numbered and the data tabulated at the bottom of the sheet. Figure 4.2
Comp. & cond. of the stream

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FLOW SHEET PRESENTATION

Information to be included: Stream composition,

Total stream flow-rate.

Stream temperature. Nominal operating pressure.

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FLOW SHEET PRESENTATION

Layout:
The sequence of the main equipment items shown symbolically on the flow-sheet follows that of the proposed plant layout.

All the process stream lines shown on the flow-sheet should be numbered and the data for the stream given.
Complete, unambiguous information on all streams should be given, even if this involves some repetition. Some licence must be exercised in the placing of ancillary items, such as heat exchangers and pumps, or the layout will be too congested. The equipment should be drawn approximately to scale.

The stream line numbers should follow consecutively from left to right of the layout, as far as is practicable for ease of location of the equipment.
The continuation of the process streams from one sheet to another must be clearly shown in a complex process involving many sheets.

FLOW SHEETING
FLOW SHEET PRESENTATION

Layout:
The continuation of the process streams from one sheet to another must be clearly shown in a complex process involving many sheets. Example Fig. 4.2.

FLOW SHEETING
FLOW SHEET PRESENTATION

Layout
The components should be listed down the left-hand side of the table. Same component
For a long table it is good practice to repeat the list at the right-hand side, so the components can be traced across from either side. Components
list here

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FLOW SHEET PRESENTATION

Basis of the calculation:

It is good practice to show on the flow-sheet the basis used for the flowsheet calculations. This would include:

Operating hours per year

The reaction and physical yields The datum temperature used for energy balances Normally high precision on the process flow-sheet is not needed. Include a list of principal assumptions used in the calculations.

Special limitation alerts

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FLOW SHEET PRESENTATION

Batch processes:
Normally show the quantities required to produce one batch.

If a batch process forms part of a continuous process, it can be shown on the same flow-sheet.
But a clear break should be made data between the continuous and batch sections; For example the change from kg/h to kg/batch. A continuous process may include batch make-up of minor reagents, such as the catalyst for a polymerization process.

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FLOW SHEET PRESENTATION

Equipment identification:
Each piece of equipment shown on the flow-sheet must be identified with a code number and name. For example: H heat exchangers, C columns, R reactors.

FLOW SHEETING
MANUAL FLOW SHEET CALCULATIONS

External constraints: Not directly under the control of the designer, and which
cannot normally be relaxed.

Product specifications, set by customer requirements. Major safety considerations, such as flammability limits. Effluent specifications, set by government agencies. Internal constraints: Determined by the nature of the process and the equipment functions. The process stoichiometry, reactor conversions and yields. Chemical equilibria and Physical equilibria, involved in liquid-liquid and gas/vapor-liquid separations. Azeotropes and other fixed compositions. Energy-balance constraints. Where the energy and material balance interact, as for example in flash distillation. Any general limitations on equipment design.

FLOW SHEETING
MANUAL FLOW SHEET CALCULATIONS

Scaling factor:
It is usually easiest to carry out the sequence of flow-sheet calculations in the same order as the process steps Start with the raw-material feeds and progressing stage by stage where possible, through the process to the final product flow.

Required production rate will usually be specified in terms of the product, not the raw-material feed.
Hence an arbitrary basis for the calculations, say 100 kmol/h of the principal raw material is selected and multiplied. =
100

FLOW SHEETING
MANUAL FLOW SHEET CALCULATIONS

Flow sheet calculations on individual units: Some of the design constraints can
be used to determine stream flow and composition.

Reactor
Reactor yield and conversion specified Chemical equilibrium

Equilibrium stage: The stream compositions can then be calculated from the phase equilibrium data for the components.
Fixed stream compositions

Combined heat and material balances.

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COMPUTER AIDED FLOW SHEETING

Full simulation programs Require powerful computing facilities Capable of carrying out rigorous simultaneous heat and material balances and preliminary equipment design. Produce accurate and detailed flow-sheets Simple material balance programs

Require only a relatively small core size.

These are an aid to manual calculations Enable preliminary flow-sheets to be produced quickly and cheaply.

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FULL STEADY-STATE SIMULATION PROGRAMS

Table 4.1 Aspen Plus

Dynamics for dynamic processes.

FLOW SHEETING
FULL STEADY-STATE SIMULATION PROGRAMS

Sequential-modular programs
Here the equations describing each process unit (module) are solved moduleby-module in a stepwise manner Iterative techniques used to solve the problems arising from the recycle Simulate the steady-state operation of the process Capable of carrying out rigorous simultaneous heat and material balances and preliminary equipment design. Produce accurate and detailed flow-sheets.

Equation based programs:

Here the entire process is described by a set of differential equations, and the equations solved simultaneously: not stepwise Equation based programs can simulate the unsteady-state operation of processes and equipment.

FLOW SHEETING
FULL STEADY-STATE SIMULATION PROGRAMS
Sequential Modular Approach Simulate one unit model at a time Decompose flow sheet Iterate in tear streams Less flexible but more robust Initialization is important Storage requirement not high Equation Oriented Approach Solve all unit models together Order equations Update all unknown variables simultaneously More flexible but less robust Initialization is very important Storage requirement can be very high

FLOW SHEETING
FULL STEADY-STATE SIMULATION PROGRAMS

Sequential-modular programs
Advantage: Less computing time Limitation: Obtain convergence to solve recycles problems. Unable to simulate the dynamic, time dependent, behavior of a process.

Equation based programs:

Advantage: Able to model unsteady state conditions usually occurring at start-up.

Disadvantage: Require high computing power and time.

FLOW SHEETING
FULL STEADY-STATE SIMULATION PROGRAMS

A typical simulation program

Software

Operator

Controls and keeps track of the flow-sheet calculations and flow of information to & from sub-routines

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INFORMATION FLOW DIAGRAMS

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INFORMATION FLOW DIAGRAMS

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MANUAL CALCULATIONS WITH RECYCLE STREAMS

The split-fraction concept

FLOW SHEETING
MANUAL CALCULATIONS WITH RECYCLE STREAMS

The split-fraction concept

FLOW SHEETING
MANUAL CALCULATIONS WITH RECYCLE STREAMS

The split-fraction concept

FLOW SHEETING
MANUAL CALCULATIONS WITH RECYCLE STREAMS

Processes with reaction

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Guide rules for estimating split-fraction coefficients
Reactor: %age conversion. Mixers

Dividers
Absorption or stripping columns Distillation columns

Equilibrium separators