Chapter 25: Process Modeling

Rules of Thumb for Chemical Engineers, 5th Edition

by Stephen Hall
This workbook illustrates the use of Excel and VBA to perform a simulation variable inputs. It accompanies the
article, "Process Simulation Using VBA Code with Variable Input Data," written by Stephen M. Hall, published in
Pharmaceutical Engineering , from the International Society for Pharmaceutical Engineering (ISPE), Tampa,
Florida, September, 2010.
This Excel workbook includes Visual Basic for Application function subroutines.
Macros must be enabled for them to work.
PURIFIED WATER GENERATION AND STORAGE TANK ANALYSIS
Copyright 2010 by Stephen M. Hall
This workbook may be freely used as an educational tool. It illustrates techniques
for incorporating variable input data into a process model, using VBA subroutines.
Excel must be configured to allow macros for this worksheet to function properly.
There are no claims of accuracy or reliability; the workbook is intended only for
the purpose stated.
PURIFIED WATER GENERATION AND STORAGE TANK ANALYSIS
Parameters
Daily Sanitization? TRUE Time 4.00 Duration 3 hours
Use Point Description Draw Rate Schedule Duration
(min)
SD Distribution Usage
Starts
(minimum
per day)
Usage Starts
(maximum per
day)
Distribution
1 Formulation Tank 25 Day & Evening 80 0 NA 1 3 Uniform
2 Formulation Tank 35 Day 135 0 NA 0 4 Uniform
3 Washer 10 Anytime 15 5 Normal 2 20 Uniform
4 Washer 10 Anytime 15 7 Normal 10 30 Normal
5 Washer 15 Anytime 5 1 Normal 0 30 Normal
Decisions
Maximum simultaneous draw 60
Tank size 30,000
Generation Rate 15 per minute
Starting level 13,250
Results
Time Generation Consumption Avg Draw Rate Net Level Percent
0 900 350 6 550 13,800 46%
1 900 340 6 560 14,360 48%
2 900 450 8 450 14,810 49%
3 900 440 7 460 15,270 51%
4 900 - - 900 16,170 54%
5 900 - - 900 17,070 57%
6 900 - - 900 17,970 60%
7 900 465 8 435 18,405 61%
8 900 120 2 780 19,185 64%
9 900 2,220 37 (1,320) 17,865 60%
10 900 2,530 42 (1,630) 16,235 54%
11 900 2,485 41 (1,585) 14,650 49%
12 900 955 16 (55) 14,595 49%
13 900 2,585 43 (1,685) 12,910 43%
14 900 4,035 67 (3,135) 9,775 33%
15 900 1,225 20 (325) 9,450 32%
16 900 - - 900 10,350 35%
17 900 310 5 590 10,940 36%
18 900 400 7 500 11,440 38%
19 900 350 6 550 11,990 40%
20 900 400 7 500 12,490 42%
21 900 - - 900 13,390 45%
22 900 - - 900 14,290 48%
23 900 - - 900 15,190 51%
-
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
25,000
30,000
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
V
o
l
u
m
e

Time
Tank Level Over the Day
Results for 1 Day Total 21,600 19,660
Minimum 900 - - (3,135) 9,450 32%
Maximum 900 4,035 67 900 19,185 64%
Average 900 819 14 81 14,275 48%
Results for 30 days Generation Consumption Avg Draw Rate Net Level % Full
Minimum Daily 20,935 5,935
Maximum Daily 21,600 29,615
Average Daily 21,578 20,056
Minimum Hourly 235 - - (4,050) 2,170 7%
Maximum Hourly 900 4,950 83 900 30,000 100%
Average Hourly 899 836 14 63 16,188 54%
Simulation Parameters
Case 1: Tank starting level is a fixed value
Case 2: Tank level is carried over from previous day
Which case: 2
Number of days to simulate: 30
Intermediate Results from Steps 1 and 2
This sheet simply provides a list of the duration of uses from each use point for one day
It uses the data for usage starts minimum, maximum, and distribution from the Parameters section
and the time and distribution for each usage
The sheet is calculated and filled in with the VBA macro "UsesPerDay"
Generated 21,600 Use Point
Consumed 19,646 1 2
Number of Usages VBA Duration
Usage Data 2 2
1 80 135
2 80 135
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
It uses the data for usage starts minimum, maximum, and distribution from the Parameters section
3 4 5
12 18 20
3.8 21.8 7.7
16 7.8 4.9
13.5 21.3 6.1
9.7 10.7 4.7
17.7 14.8 3.9
13.9 18.3 5.2
18.9 13.8 5.4
13.2 19.8 5
10.6 12.1 5.3
20.3 23.1 6.9
10.7 21.4 6.2
13.9 19 2.4
24.8 3.7
9.9 4.5
30 5.3
9.7 5.6
23.9 4.4
7.4 3.8
3.5
4
Intermediate Results from Step 3
This sheet spreads the uses within the time of day limits parameters
The sheet is calculated and filled in with the VBA macro "ScheduleUsePoints"
Generated
Hourly
Consumption Sanitized Consumed
1 2
Midnight 0 900 350
1 900 340
2 900 450
3 900 440
4 900 - X
5 900 - X
6 900 - X
7 900 465
8 900 120
9 900 2,220 2100
10 900 2,530 2100
11 900 2,485 1500 525
12 900 955 500
13 900 2,585 2100
14 900 4,035 1500 2100
15 900 1,225 500 525
16 900 -
17 900 310
18 900 400
19 900 350
20 900 400
21 900 -
22 900 -
23 900 -
3 4 5
350
340
330 120
320 120
300 165
120
120
250 180
310 150
320 135
320 165
240 195
200
310
400
350
400