Synthesis and Analysis

of Batch Processes 2

Design Decisions for Continuous

Processes

Level 1:

Batch vs. continuous below we consider only continuous

processes

Level 2:

Input-output structure of flowsheet

1.
Should we purify the raw material streams before they are fed
to the reactor? If the impurities are inert, there are no
quantitative heuristics.
2.
Should a reversible by-product be recovered or recycled to
extinction? No quantitative heuristic is available.
3.
Do we need a gas recycle and a purge stream? A quantitative
heuristic seemed to be available before the recent invention of
membrane separation processes to separate gaseous
mixtures.
4.
Is O2 from air or H2O a reactant that is not recovered and
recycled? (An excess amount must be specified.)
5.
How many product streams will there be? Reasonable
heuristics seem to be available, except for the case of a
reversible by-product.

Design Decisions

Design Decisions for Continuous

Processes

Level 3:

Recycle structure
1.
How many reactor systems are required? The heuristics
seem to be reasonable. Is there any separation between the
reactors? Usually a decision can be made based on a
chemists data.
2.
How many recycle streams are there? Heuristics are
available.
3.
Should we use an excess of one reactant? Normally the
chemists data will indicate the answer.
4.
Is a gas-recycle compressor required? A heuristic is
available.
5.
Should the reactor be operated adiabatically, with direct
heating or cooling, or is a diluent (heat carrier) needed? Some
calculations are needed to use the heuristic.
6.
Do we want to shift the equilibrium conversion? Calculations
and judgment are required.

Design Decisions

Design Decisions for Continuous

Processes
Level 4:
Separation system
Level 4a:

Vapor recovery system

1.
What is the best location of the vapor recovery system? Heuristics are
available.
2.
What is the best type of vapor recovery system to use? No heuristics are
available.

Level 4b:

Liquid separation system

1.
What separation can be made by distillation? A heuristic that usually
works is available.
2.
What sequence of distillation columns should be used? The published
heuristics are limited to sharp splits of ideal mixtures for a single feed, but
in many cases they do not lead to the best sequence. Thus, calculations
are required.
3.
How should the light ends be removed? Calculations and judgment are
required.
4.
Should the light ends be vented, sent to fuel, or recycled to the vapor
recovery system? Calculations and judgment are required.
5.
How should we accomplish the other separations? No heuristics are
available.

Level 5:

Heat exchanger network a design procedure is available (See Chapter 8 of

Douglas).

Design Decisions

A hierarchical procedure for the conceptual

design of dedicated batch processes
1.

2.

Design a continuous process first (if possible), using the procedure

described previously. Use this procedure to find the best alternative and
to identify the dominant design variables. If continuous units are not
available for some processing steps, start with the best guess of a
flowsheet that shows each processing step individually.
Replace each continuous unit by a batch unit.
a. Include only an intermediate storage tank for recycle.
b. Calculate the optimum cycle times for each unit by minimizing the total annual
cost of the complete process.
(1) This calculation provides a bound on the cost for the case where the intermediate
storage required to schedule the plant is free. (If the plant is not profitable with free storage, it
will not be profitable when storage is included.)
(2) The result will provide some measure of the economic incentive for modifying the
chemists recipe.
(3) Normally, the cost of each operation in the optimized batch process will exceed the
cost of the corresponding unit in the continuous plant.
(4) The results are used later as a guide to merging units.

c. Calculate the optimum design by setting the cycle times of every unit equal to
each other.

Design Procedure of Batch Processes

A hierarchical procedure for the conceptual design of

dedicated batch processes
(1) This calculation provides a bound for the cost when there is maximum equipment
utilization.
(2) However, there will be no flexibility in the design.
(3) Again, a measure of the economic incentives for changing the chemists recipe is
obtained.

3.

Consider merging adjacent batch units for the design in 2b.

a. Merge units with similar cycle times and size factors.
b. Compare the costs of the merged units with the costs of the comparable continuous units.
(1) If the costs of continuous units are cheaper, retain the continuous units.
(2) Otherwise, keep the merged batch units.
c. Continue to merge units until the costs increase.

4.

Consider the use of parallel (or parallel merged units)

a. The goal is to increase equipment utilization.
b. The ratio of the cycle times must be matched to the inverse ratio of the number of units.
c. Normally, use at most three parallel units.

5.
6.
7.

Add the intermediate storage needed to schedule the plant and

optimize the design.
Optimize the best flowsheet alternative including storage.
Check the operability of the process, using a batch simulation.

Design Procedure of Batch Processes

Required Batch Capacity

Designinput
inputvariables:
variables:
Design
Annualproduction
productionrate
rate
PPa:a:Annual
e.g.:480,000
480,000kg/yr
kg/yr
e.g.:
Annualeffective
effectiveproduction
productiontime
time
TTa:a:Annual
e.g.:7,200
7,200hr/yr
hr/yr
e.g.:

Pa

(kg/yr)
(kg/yr)

Ta

Tc

(hr/yr)
(hr/yr)
Batch process

Designdecision
decisionvariables:
variables:
Design
Batchcycle
cycletime
time
TTc:c:Batch
e.g.:12
12hr/batch
hr/batch
e.g.:

(hr/batch)
(hr/batch)

Batchcapacity
capacitycalculations:
calculations:
Batch
Annualnumber
numberof
ofbatches
batches
(#/yr)
NNa:a:Annual
(#/yr)
e.g.:NNa==7200/12
7200/12== 600
600batches
batches
a/T;c;e.g.:
NNaa==TTa/T
c
a
Productionmass
massper
perbatch
batch
(kg/batch)
PPc:c:Production
(kg/batch)
Pc ==480,000/600
480,000/600==800
800kg/batch
kg/batch
a/N;a;P
PPc c==PPa/N
a
c

Na

Pc

Batch Process Design

Design Decision Variables

Batch cycle time

Batch size
Size of equipment
Batch units in parallel
Batch units in series
Intermediate storage

12 hr/batch
800 kg/batch
<300 kg/unit
3 units
serial tasks
waiting times

Must also take care of link with continuous

units
Batch Process Design

Balances over a Batch Cycle

mi,0

T0

t0

Initialstates
statesatatt t==t t:0:
Initial
0
m
(t
)
=
mi(ti 0)0 =
mmi,0i,0
TT(t(t0)0) ==
TT0 0

qi
Batch process
Q
Changesofofstates
statesbetween
betweent t0<<t t <<t t0++TTc
Changes
0
0
c
d
(m
)/dt
=
f
(m,T,P)
+
q
(t)
i
d (mi)/dt
= fi i(m,T,P) + qi i(t)
.c.dT/dt
(m,T,P)++QQ(t)
(t)
p.dT/dt==f fT(m,T,P)
.c
p
T
(m,T,P)
00 ==fpfp(m,T,P)

mi,e

Te

Tc

te

Finalstates
statesatatt te==t t0++TT:c:
Final
e
0
c
m
(t
)
=
m
+

m
(t
,T
0 )
c)
mi(ti e)e = mi,0i,0+ mi i(t0,T
c

T(t(t0,TT)c)
TT(t(te)e)==TT00++T
0, c

Batch Process Design & Simulation

Simulation of Batch Processes

x1(t0,1)
u1

Unit 1

x1(te,1)
x2(t0,2)
u2

Modelofofunit
unitj:j:
Model
initialstate
stateat
att t==t t0,j: :
initial
0,j
final
time
at
t
=
t
final time at t = te,je,j::

Unit 2

x2(te,2)
x3(t0,3)
u3

Unit 3

e,j-1
xxj j(t(t0,j0,j) )== xxj-1j-1(t(te,j-1
))

te,j==t t0,j++TTb,j
te,j
0,j
b,j
changes
of
states
between
t
and
/dt==f fj(x(xj,uu(t))
j(t))
changes of states between t0,j0,jand tte,je,j::ddxxi,ji,j/dt
j
j, j

x3(te,3)

Simulation tools:
MatLab/Simulink
ASPEN+ (batch unit)
SPEED UP (continuous time)
g-PROMS (+discrete events)

Batch Process Design & Simulation

Exercise on Synthesis Decision Variables of

Batch Process Design
The feeds to a continuous plant are prepared batch wise by dissolving the solid feeds A and B in
a solvent S. In the continuous reactor the overall reaction occurs
1/3 A + 2/3 B P (mass based stoichiometry!)
A, B and P are solutions in S.
The reactor must produce 8.1 ton/hr of product P. Given a conversion of 90% one needs 3 ton/hr
of A and 6 ton/hr of B as feed.
The solution of A must be continuously supplied from a supply vessel at a rate of 3 ton A/hr, in a
concentration of 1 ton A per 9 ton of S. Hence, 30 ton/hr of the solution is needed.
Likewise a solution of B is supplied from another vessel at a rate of 6 ton B/hr, in concentration of
1 ton B per 6 ton of S. The feed rate of the solution is 42 ton/hr.
The solutions of A and B must be kept separate as to avoid reactions in the storage vessels.
It is requested to design a batch-wise feed preparation plant in which the solids A and B are
dissolved in solvent S and supplied in the required concentrations to the supply vessels of the
continuous plant.

EXERCISE PROBLEM

Exercise on Synthesis Decision Variables of

Batch Process Design
BASIS OF DESIGN:
The solids A and B are available in unlimited amounts from storage bunkers. Also the solvent
S is abundantly available from storage. When dissolving A or B the solids must be added to S,
not the other way around. The rate of dissolution (by stirring) of a solid is 3 ton/hr.
The solids feed rate to the dissolution vessel is 30 ton/hr.
The pumping rate of fluids to/from any vessel is 120 ton/hr.
The maximum size of a dissolution vessel is 30 ton.
The maximum size of a storage vessel is 75 ton.
Define the tasks of the batch plant.
Use time-event (Gantt) charts to decide on:
(1)
Batch cycle time and batch size
(2)
Number and sizes of vessels
(3)
Units in parallel
(4)
Units in series
(5)
Intermediate storage
(6)
Waiting times

EXERCISE PROBLEM