when is process simulation done? 4

[sfmech]

An owner wants to set up a chemical plant. Basic Engg. is carried out by Process Licensor and FEED is carried out by EPC contractor. When will be process simulation be done? Whether it will be done in Basic Engg. or FEED?

 

[racookpe1978]

Nearly continuously - Since every change made during design could potentially affect the process flow and process conditions.

 

[sfmech]

Once simulation has been done, is it correct that there is no need for additional calculations.

 

[racookpe1978]

Yes. No more simulations are needed.

Until something changes. The moment anything affecting the process or process controls changes, then you must repeat the simulation to "test" what the effect will be. And, most - many - changes will be benign. Will not affect delivery times and delivery quality. BUT!

The simulations are run to look for that 3% that DO affect quality, energy required, or feedstock requirements.

 

[mbt22]

Depending on what you mean by 'simulation', there could be a huge number of calculations. Each of those calculations might feed back into an updated simulation, for example:
* Column internal sizing, tray efficiency calculations
* Heat exchanger detailed thermal design, vibration analysis
* Pressure drop calculations on all your equipment once the basic design design has been done and maybe again with detailed design
* Dynamic blowdown simulations

Then once the plant is built, reconciling the simulation against a test run both for any process guarantees and to improve it for the next one. Then the proud new plant owner wants to debottleneck or change feedstock...

Process simulation is not an end in itself, to be done at one stage. It's a tool that gets used throughout the design/build/operate cycle.

Regards,

Matt

 

[sfmech]

Thank you very much for your posts. It was really nice.

Before simulation is done, I believe all test cases are collated in to a Process Design Basis.

 

[sfmech]

Can someone guide me to a trial software that I can use to get s feel of process simulation.

 

[EmmanuelTop]

Try this:

http://www.chemstations.com/Products/Free_Trial/

Dejan IVANOVIC
Process Engineer, MSChE