Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Menoufia

Chemical Engineering Department

Chemical Plant Design & Management (CHE452)
Lecture (4)

Lecture (4)
Optimum design
It is the main job responsibility of chemical engineering to choose the best process that will give
the beat results.
Optimum design:
Optimum design refers to the process of creating a system, product, or process that achieves the
best possible performance under given constraints and criteria.
It involves the systematic selection of design variables to maximize or minimize specific objectives
while adhering to certain limitations.
For example:
✓ Formaldehyde can be produced by catalytic dehydrogenation of methanol , or by direct
reaction between CO and H2, under special conditions of catalyst, temperature
formaldehyde can be produced by, by controlled oxidation, and pressure.
✓ Each of these processes contains many possible alternatives involving variables such as
gas-mixture composition, temperature, pressure, and choice of catalyst.
✓ It is the responsibility of the chemical engineer, in this case, to choose the best process and
to incorporate into the design the equipment and methods which will give the best results.
To meet this need, various aspects of chemical engineering plant-design optimization are
well done.

Objective Function of optimum design:

✓ The goal of optimum design is often represented by an objective function that needs to be
maximized or minimized. This could relate to efficiency, cost, weight, strength, or other
performance metrics.

Design Variables:

✓ These are the parameters that can be controlled or adjusted in the design process. Examples
include dimensions, materials, shapes, and configurations.

Constraints:
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 Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Menoufia
Chemical Engineering Department
Chemical Plant Design & Management (CHE452)
Lecture (4)

✓ Constraints are limitations or requirements that the design must meet. They can be physical
(like size or weight limits), regulatory (such as safety standards), or operational (like
performance criteria).

Methods and Techniques:

✓ Various methods can be employed to achieve optimum design, including:

1. Mathematical Optimization:

Using algorithms to find the best solution from a set of feasible solutions.

2. Simulation:

Utilizing computer models to analyze performance under different scenarios and conditions.

3. Heuristic Methods:

Applying rules of thumb or trial-and-error techniques to guide the design process.

Iterative Process:

Optimum design is often iterative, meaning that designers may need to repeatedly refine and
evaluate their designs based on feedback from simulations or tests.

Applications:

Optimum design can be applied in various fields, including engineering (e.g., structural,
mechanical, and civil engineering), architecture, product design, and system engineering.

Examples of Optimum Design

✓ Structural Engineering:

Designing a bridge to support maximum load while using the least amount of material.

✓ Mechanical Engineering:

Creating an engine component that maximizes efficiency while minimizing weight and cost.

✓ Chemical Engineering:

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 Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Menoufia
Chemical Engineering Department
Chemical Plant Design & Management (CHE452)
Lecture (4)

Developing a reactor design that maximizes yield while minimizing energy consumption and
material costs.

Optimum design is crucial in ensuring that products and systems perform effectively and
efficiently while adhering to specified constraints. By carefully balancing objectives and
limitations, designers can create solutions that meet performance expectations and provide value.

There are two types of optimum design:

• Optimum Economic Design
• Optimum operating Design
Optimum Economic Design:
✓ Choosing the design that would give the best results with minimum total cost per unit
product
✓ Gives maximum profit per unit time
✓ Optimum Economic Design refers to the design process that seeks to achieve the most cost-
effective solution while meeting performance requirements and constraints.
✓ It emphasizes the economic aspects of design, balancing initial investment costs,
operational expenses, and overall lifecycle costs.

The objective of Optimum Economic Design:

The primary goal is to minimize costs while maximizing the performance and reliability of the
system, product, or process.

Cost Factors for the Optimum Economic Design :

1. Initial Costs:

Expenses incurred during the design and construction phases, including materials, labor, and
equipment.

2. Operational Costs:

Ongoing expenses related to maintenance, energy consumption, labor, and materials during the
product's or system’s life.

3. Lifecycle Costs:

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 Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Menoufia
Chemical Engineering Department
Chemical Plant Design & Management (CHE452)
Lecture (4)

Total costs associated with the design, including initial costs, operational costs, and disposal or
decommissioning costs at the end of the product’s life.

Design Variables:

Factors that can be controlled or adjusted to influence cost and performance. Examples include:

✓ Material selection (cost vs. performance)

✓ Dimensions and geometry (to reduce material costs)
✓ Technology choices (cost vs. efficiency)

Constraints:

Limitations or requirements that must be adhered to, such as:

✓ Performance specifications (e.g., strength, durability)

✓ Safety and regulatory standards
✓ Environmental impact and sustainability considerations

Methods and Techniques:

1. Mathematical Optimization:

Utilizing optimization algorithms to find the best combination of design variables that minimize
costs while meeting constraints.

2. Cost-Benefit Analysis:

Evaluating the economic viability of different design options by comparing costs and benefits.

3. Sensitivity Analysis:

Assessing how changes in design variables affect costs and performance, helping to identify
critical factors in the design process.

Applications:

1. Engineering:

In mechanical, civil, and chemical engineering, optimum economic design is crucial for designing
structures, systems, and processes that are both effective and economically feasible.

2. Manufacturing:

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 Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Menoufia
Chemical Engineering Department
Chemical Plant Design & Management (CHE452)
Lecture (4)

In product design, companies seek to balance functionality and cost-effectiveness to remain

competitive in the market.

3. Infrastructure:

Public projects (like bridges, roads, and buildings) often require economic design considerations
to ensure efficient use of taxpayer funds.

Benefits of Optimum Economic Design

✓ Cost Savings:

By focusing on minimizing costs, organizations can significantly reduce expenses, increasing

profitability.

✓ Efficiency:

Enhances the performance and efficiency of systems, leading to better resource utilization.

✓ Competitiveness:

Helps organizations maintain a competitive edge in the market by balancing quality and cost.

General Examples of Optimum Economic Design:

1. Structural Engineering:

Designing a bridge that uses the least amount of materials while ensuring safety and performance
requirements are met.

2. Chemical Process Design:

Developing a chemical plant layout that minimizes construction costs and operational expenses,
including energy and raw material costs.

3. Manufacturing Systems:

Designing assembly lines that maximize throughput while minimizing equipment and labor costs.

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 Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Menoufia
Chemical Engineering Department
Chemical Plant Design & Management (CHE452)
Lecture (4)

examples of optimum economic design in chemical engineering:

Here are some examples of optimum economic design in chemical engineering, illustrating how
the principles are applied to achieve cost-effective solutions while maintaining performance and
safety:

1. Chemical Reactor Design:

✓ Example: Designing a reactor for the synthesis of ammonia via the Haber-Bosch process.
✓ Considerations:

✓ Reactor Type:

Selecting between batch and continuous flow reactors based on production needs and operational
costs.

✓ Material Selection:

Choosing cost-effective materials that can withstand high pressures and temperatures while
minimizing corrosion.

✓ Heat Integration:

Utilizing heat exchangers to recover and reuse heat generated during the reaction to reduce energy
costs.

2. Distillation Column Design:

✓ Example: Designing a distillation column for separating ethanol from a fermentation

broth.
✓ Considerations:

✓ Number of Stages:

Optimizing the number of trays or packing to achieve the desired separation while minimizing
energy and material costs.

✓ Operating Conditions:

Evaluating pressure and temperature settings to minimize energy consumption.

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 Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Menoufia
Chemical Engineering Department
Chemical Plant Design & Management (CHE452)
Lecture (4)

✓ Recycle Streams:

Implementing recycle streams to reduce the overall feed cost and improve yield.

3. Process Optimization in Wastewater Treatment:

✓ Example: Designing a wastewater treatment facility.

✓ Considerations:

✓ Treatment Methods:

Choosing between biological, chemical, or physical treatment methods based on cost-effectiveness

and regulatory requirements.

✓ Energy Consumption:

Analyzing energy use in aeration systems to optimize oxygen transfer rates while minimizing
operational costs.

✓ Sludge Management:

Designing systems for sludge handling and disposal to reduce overall treatment costs and
environmental impact.

4. Heat Exchanger Network Design:

✓ Example: Designing a heat exchanger network for a petrochemical complex.

✓ Considerations:

✓ Heat Recovery:

Maximizing heat recovery from various processes to minimize the need for external heating and
cooling.

✓ Network Configuration:

Optimizing the layout and configuration of heat exchangers to reduce material costs and improve
energy efficiency.

✓ Cost-Benefit Analysis:

Evaluating the trade-offs between initial investment costs and long-term operational savings.

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 Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Menoufia
Chemical Engineering Department
Chemical Plant Design & Management (CHE452)
Lecture (4)

5. Separation Processes:

✓ Example: Designing a separation process for purifying butadiene from a hydrocarbon

mixture.
✓ Considerations:

✓ Separation Technique:

Selecting the most economical method (e.g., extraction, adsorption, or distillation) based on the
feed composition and desired purity.

✓ Solvent Selection:

Choosing cost-effective solvents that provide high selectivity while minimizing environmental
impact.

✓ Energy Efficiency:

Evaluating the energy requirements of different separation processes to minimize operational

costs.

6. Sustainable Chemical Production:

✓ Example: Designing a process for producing bio-based chemicals from renewable resources.
✓ Considerations:

✓ Feedstock Availability:

Analyzing the cost and availability of renewable feedstocks compared to fossil fuels.

✓ Process Integration:

Implementing strategies to integrate multiple processes to minimize waste and maximize resource
use.

✓ Life Cycle Assessment:

Conducting life cycle assessments to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of the
process from production to disposal.

These examples highlight the importance of optimum economic design in chemical engineering,
demonstrating how careful consideration of costs, efficiency, and regulatory requirements can lead
to effective and sustainable solutions in various chemical processes.

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 Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Menoufia
Chemical Engineering Department
Chemical Plant Design & Management (CHE452)
Lecture (4)

Optimum economic design is a critical approach in engineering and product development, focusing
on creating cost-effective solutions while maintaining performance and safety standards. By
systematically analyzing costs and integrating economic considerations into the design process,
organizations can achieve sustainable and profitable outcomes.

Example :

determining the pipe diameter to use when pumping a given amount of fluid from one point to
another.
Solution :
Here the same result (i.e., a set amount of fluid pumped between two given points) can be
accomplished by using an infinite number of different pipe diameters.
an economic balance will show that one pipe diameter gives the least total cost.
The total cost includes the cost for pumping the liquid (operating cost )and the cost for the
installed piping(fixed charges)

Total cost = fixed cost + operating cost

figure (1) Determination of optimum economic pipe diameter for constant mass-throughput rate.

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 Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology, Menoufia
Chemical Engineering Department
Chemical Plant Design & Management (CHE452)
Lecture (4)

✓ A graphical representation showing the meaning of an optimum economic pipe diameter

is presented in Figure (1).
✓ the pumping cost increases with decreased size of pipe diameter because of frictional
effects,
✓ the fixed charges for the pipeline become lower when smaller pipe diameters are used
because of the reduced capital investment.
Total cost = fixed cost (established cost )+ operating cost (pumping cost )
✓ The optimum economic diameter is located where the sum of the pumping costs and
fixed
✓ costs for the pipeline becomes a minimum since this represents the point of least total
cost. In this point is represented by E.

Questions on lecture (3)

1. Defined the following :

✓ Optimum design .
✓ The goal of Optimum design.
✓ Optimum Economic Design.
✓ The total cost.
2. Mention some examples of Optimum design.
3. Draw the figure of Determination of optimum economic pipe diameter for constant mass-
throughput rate.

Best wishes
Associate Professor. Wafaa Ahmed

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