Process Simulation Using ASPEN PLUS Process Simulation Using ASPEN PLUS

Problem 1: Heat Exchanger

A saturated vapor stream of alkenes (36% n-butane, 34% n-hexane, 30% n-octane in wt.
percent) enters to the shell of a heat exchanger at 1000 kPa with mass flow rate of 100 kg/hr.
The cooling water at 20 ˚C and 1000 kPa is use to remove the heat from this stream, where its
temperature should not be higher than 50 ˚C in outlet of the heat exchanger. Calculate the
minimum molar flow rate of cooling water so that the temperature of alkenes stream to be 60
˚C in the outlet of heat exchanger. Simulation with no pressure drops in both sides.

Tutorial 3

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Solution: 3) Add a heat exchanger from the Model library.

Follow the step-by-step instruction to solve the problem:
1) Create a Template.

4) Click the material stream from the Model library.

2) In the New page select General With Metric Units.

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6) Open the Data Browser from Data or use F8 key (you can also use button or
button).

5) Draw the Inlet and Outlet streams.

7) If you click the button the message below appear.

Click “OK” to go to the “Data Browser”.

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8) In Setup page go to Accounting tab then write ASPEN in User name.

10) Select Peng-Robinson equation of state in the Base Method and click next .

9) Input the required components from the component list and click the next button to go 11) click next to calculate Binary interaction between components.
to the next step.

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14) Enter Vapor fraction, Pressure, total flow rate and composition of “HOTIN” stream, and
12) Click next ,and the message box below appears.
then click next .(you have to input two out of tree of Temperature, Pressure and vapor
fraction in the “State variables” panel).

Click OK button.

13) Enter Temperature, Pressure, total flow rate and composition of “COLDIN” stream, and
then click next .(you have to input two out of tree of Temperature, Pressure and vapor
fraction in the “State variables” panel). Assume 50 kmol/hr as the initial guess for the water.

15) Input the hot stream outlet temperature in exchanger specification panel.

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16) Make sure that in the pressure drop tab, the pressure drop in both hot and cold sides are 18) Click “New”. Then accept the default ID for the spec.
set to zero.

19) Click “New” to define the water temperature at outlet stream as a variable.
17) To find the minimum flow rate of water go to Flowsheeting OptionÆ Design spe.

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20) Type “CLDTMP” for the name and define the category and references, then click next 22) Define the mole flow rate of inlet water as a manipulate variable in the “Vary” tab, and
. set its limits and then click next .

Click next .

21) Type CLDTMP in the spec field and input 50 in the target and then click next . 23) The message box below appears.

Click “OK” to run the simulation.

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24) The status bar indicates that the simulation were done successfully and the results are 26) You can see the water flow rate in Convergence Results.
available. (you can view results by clicking the button or the button).

25) If you click the button the message below appears.

Click “OK” to see the results.

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Problem 2: Shortcut Distillation Solution:

Follow the step-by-step instruction to solve the problem:
A column is to separate propane from mixture of hydrocarbons (ethane to n-hexane). The
1) Create a Template.
Condenser is in full condition and pressure in condenser and reboiler are 248 and 252 psia,
respectively. Reflux ratio is 6.06. Feed enters to the column at 225 ˚F and 250 psia with
molar flow rate of 1000 lbmol/hr. Solve the column using shortcut operation. The
composition of feed is shown bellow.

Composition of feed
Component Molar flow rate (lbmole/hr)
Ethane 30
Propane 200
n-Butane 370
n-Pentane 350
n-Hexane 50

2) In the New page select General With English Units.

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3) Add a DSTWU column from the Model library. 5) Draw the Inlet and Outlet streams.

6) Open the Data Browser from Data or use F8 key (you can also use button or
4) Click Material stream from the Model library.
button).

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7) If you click the button the message below appear. 9) Input the required components from the component list and click the next button to go
to the next step.

Click “OK” to go to the “Data Browser.

8) In Setup page go to Accounting tab then write ASPEN in User name.

10) Select Peng-Robinson equation of state in the Base Method and click next .

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13) Enter Temperature, Pressure, total flow rate and components molar flow of “FEED”
11) Click next to calculate Binary interaction between components.
stream, and then click next .(you have to input two out of tree of Temperature, Pressure
and vapor fraction in the “State variables” panel).

12) Click next ,The message box below appears. 14) In the column specification set propane as light key with .99 recovery and n-butane as
heavy key with .01 recovery, set the condenser to partial condenser with vapor, enter the rest
given data and click next .

Click “OK” to go to the next step.

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15) The message box below appears; Click “OK” to run the simulation:
17) If you click the button the message below appears.

Click “OK” to go to the next step.

16) The status bar indicates that the simulations were done successfully and the results are
available. (you can view results by clicking the button or the button). Click “OK” to see the results.

18) You can see the results in the Block B1 results.

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Problem 3: Distillation Column Solution:

Follow the step-by-step instruction to solve the problem:
Consider a stream of light hydrocarbons fed to a column at 100 ˚C and 10 atm with a molar
1) Create a Template.
flow rate of 1150 kmole/hr. The column has 18 trays and the feed enters on the 8th tray.
Pressure in condenser and reboiler are 7 and 12 atm, respectively, and the reflux ratio is 2.
Condenser is in the full reflux condition .Simulate the column if the recovery of ethane in
distillate is 99%. The feed composition is shown at the table bellow:
Composition:
Components Mole fraction
Methane 0.1
Ethane 0.4
Propane 0.2
i-Butane 0.15
n-Butane 0.15

2) In the New page select General With Metric Units.

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3) Add a RadFrac column from the Model library.

5) Draw the Inlet and Outlet streams.

4) Click Material stream from the Model library.

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8) In Setup page go to Accounting tab then write ASPEN in User name.

6) Open the Data Browser from Data or use F8 key (you can also use button or
button).

9) Input the required components from the component list and click the next button to go
7) If you click the button the message below appear. to the next step.

Click “OK” to go to the “Data Browser”.

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10) Select Peng-Robinson equation of state in the Base Method and click next . 12) Click next ,The message box below appears.

Click “OK” to go to the next step.

13) Enter Temperature, Pressure, total flow rate and components molar flow of “FEED”
stream, and then click next .(you have to input two out of tree of Temperature, Pressure
and vapor fraction in the “State variables” panel).

11) Click next to calculate Binary interaction between components.

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14) In the column specification assume that the molar Distillation rate is about 500 kmol/hr,
16) Input the Condenser pressure and the Column pressure drop, and click next .
set the condenser to Partial-Vapor condenser, enter the rest given data and click next .

17) To simulate the Column for 99% Ethane recovery in distillate and 100% i-Butane
recovery in bottom go to design spec and click “New”.
15) Enter 8 for the feed stage and set the “Convention” to on stream, then click next .

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18) Set the spec type to “Mole recovery” and enter 0.99 for the target, and click next . 20) Select the distillate stream for available, and feed stream for base stream and click .

21) Click “New” to define variable for the spec, and accept the default ID.
19) Select Ethane for spec component and click next .

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22) Set the variable type to “Distillate rate” and input the lower and upper bound for the 24) The status bar indicates that the simulation were done successfully and the results are
variable and click . available.(you can view results by clicking the button or the button).

23) The message box below appears:

25) If you click the button the message below appears:

Click “OK” to run the simulation.

Click “OK” to see the results.

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26) You can see the results in the “Streams” and in Block results. Problem 4: Ammonia Production
Harber’s process:
N 2 + 3H 2 → 2 NH 3
is carried out at high temperature and pressure (T=930 °F and P=200 atm). In an ammonia
plant, the feed gas (74 % H2, 24.5 % N2, 1.2 % CH4, and 0.3 % Ar) at 300 °F and 500 Psi is
catalytically reacted to produce NH3. 65 % of the N2 is converted in the reactor. The
products of reaction are refrigerated to separate out 75 % of NH3 product per pass. The
remaining process stream is recycled back after being purged. Assume a total feed of 100
lbmol/hr and no pressure drop in the mixer. Simulate the process with Peng-Robinson
equation of state for the case when the purge fraction is 10 %.

27) Also to see the value of Distillate rate in this problem go to Block B1\ Vary page, Results
tab.

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Solution: 3) Open Data Browser from Data (F8).

Follow the step-by-step instruction to solve the problem:
1) Create a Template.

4) In Setup page go to Accounting tab then write ASPEN in User name.

2) In the New page select General With English Units.

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5) Select components from Components list. 7) Click Next button to calculated Binary Interaction between components.

6) Select the Peng Robinson equation of state from properties. 8) Add a material stream from Data Browser.

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9) Enter temperature, pressure and composition in the Stream FEED Data Browser. 11) Double click on mixer to specify it.

10) Select a mixer from model library and drag in on the PFD and connect to feed stream. 12) Select a compressor from model library, pressure changers and drag in on the PFD.

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13) Complete flowsheet by connecting streams. 15) Select a heater from model library, heat exchangers and drag in on the PFD.

14) Double click on compressor. Specify discharge pressure in specifications page. 16) Complete flowsheet by connecting streams.

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17) Double click on heater. Specify temperature and pressure in specifications page. 19) Complete flowsheet by connecting streams.

18) Select a reactor stoichiometry from model library reactors and drag in on the PFD.

20) Enter temperature and pressure in the B4 Data Browser.

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21) Add a reaction by clicking new button in reaction page. 23) Select a heater from model library and drag in on the PFD. Then complete flowsheet by
connecting streams

22) Specifying reaction in Edit Stoichiometry page.

24) Double click on the heater and specify pressure and enter a temperature for the outlet
stream in which it becomes two phases.

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25) Select a separator from model library and drag it on the PFD. Then complete flowsheet 27) For finding outlet temperature heater go to Flowsheeting Options and add a new Design
by connecting streams. Spec.

28) Define dependent variable in the Define page.

26) Double click on the separator and assume the adiabatic vessel and enter pressure.

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29) To define recovery ratio of ammonia first add a mole flow of ammonia in stream 6. 31) Define ammonia mole ratio in FORTRAN page.

30) Similar to 6 add a mole flow of ammonia in stream 8.

32) In SPEC page, write X as a spec and 75 as a target value of X.

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33) In VARY page determine manipulated variable. 35) Select a fsplit from model library and drag in on the PFD. Then complete flowsheet by
connecting streams.

34) Run the ASPEN PLUS and view temperature stream 6 in results summary, convergence.

36) Double click on fsplit and enter 0.9 for Split fraction of recycled stream.

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37) Connecting stream recycle to mixer. 39) The message box below appears:

Click “OK” to run the simulation.

40) The status bar indicates that the simulations were done successfully and the results are
available. (you can view results by clicking the button or the button)

38) All required data were input completely, Click next.

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41) If you click the button the message below appears:

Click “OK” to see the results.

42) You can see the outlet temperature of block B5 in Convergence Results

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