ChE Tulsa University

 
           

4104 Process Component Design
Required course for ChE program

Current Catalog Description:   Open-ended problems in economic design of chemical process components.  Economic aspects of engineering, including evaluating alternative courses of action, depreciation, replacement analysis, and process optimization.  Lecture 3 hours per week, laboratory 3 hours per week.

Prerequisites:  Senior Standing, ChE 3084.

Recent Textbook:   P. Buthod, R.E. Thompson, A.J. Wilson, "Process Component Design", The University of Tulsa, 1993

Recent References:   Perry's ChE Handbook, 6th ed., McGraw-Hill; Walas, "Chemical Process Equipment - Selection and Design", Butterworths, 1988.

Set of Course Goals/Objectives:   (1) To learn some of the technical design considerations for process equipment common to many, if not most, chemical and allied plants.  These include: piping systems, tanks and vessels, pumps and compressors, shell-and-tube heat exchangers, fired heaters, and trayed and packed columns; (2) To learn to estimate and escalate costs for process equipment; (3) To learn basic concepts of optimization of equipment cost; (4) To apply engineering judgment, as well as technical computations, in the selection and design of process equipment; (5) To learn the rudiments of corrosion prevention and selection of materials of construction for process equipment; (6) To learn the principles of engineering economics; (7) students have incorporated writing skills, computer skills, and a knowledge of safety and ethical concerns throughout the course.

Prerequisites by Topic:   (1) Stoichiometry; (2) Basic and advanced thermodynamics; (3) Fluid mechanics; (4) Heat transfer; (5) Mass transfer

Major Topics Covered in the Course:   (1) Cost estimation; (2) Estimation of physical properties; (3) Materials selection; (4) Piping and instrumentation drawings (5) Pipe, fittings, and piping systems, pipe sizing (6) Tanks and vessels, separator and accumulator sizing (7) Pump design and selection; (8) Compressor design and selection; (9) Heat exchangers; (10) Shell-and-tube heat exchangers; (11) Fired heaters (12) Tray columns; (13) Packed columns.

Laboratory Projects:   (1) Pipe, fittings, and piping systems; (2) Materials selection; (3) Tanks and vessels; (4) Pump design and selection; (5) Reviews for FE exam; (6) Safety review; (7) Compressor design; (8) Tray columns; (9) Shell-and-tube heat exchangers (10) Tests.

Oral and Written Communications:   Design projects must include an appropriate written report.  At least three such projects.  Each design group also presents its findings orally.

Social, Ethical and Professional Issues:   Social and ethical issues are discussed throughout the course whenever they impact process design.  Usually they appear when safety, emissions, noise, regulations and codes are involved in design.  Professional registration is discussed in detail.  Students are urged to take the FE exam and three lab periods are used to prepare them for the ChE afternoon portion of the exam.

Theoretical Content:   Each topic starts with a brief review of the underlying theory.

Analysis/Design:   The course emphasizes design and analysis of process equipment.

Teamwork:   Three design projects require that students work in teams of 2 or 3.

Laboratory/Data Interpretation:   While students do not take any experimental data, they are frequently asked to analyze and interpret data on heat exchangers, compressors, and distillation columns.  Sometimes the data are either missing or faulty.

Contemporary Issues Presented/Discussed:   Current Federal regulations on industrial safety, health, emissions, and pollution control are discussed whenever relevant.

Computer Usage:   (1) Computation of gas properties using HYSYS process simulation software; (2) Computation of crude oil separator train with three-stage compressor simulation; determination of pressure levels to optimize horsepower; (3) Computation of shell-and-tube by HETEX, optimizing results of hand calculation assignment; (4) Design of fractionator by HYSYS, based on hand shortcut calculations, confirm hand-calculated tower sizing.

Field Experiences:   Field trips to a petroleum refinery, and to manufacturers of reciprocating compressors, shell-and-tube heat exchangers, and column internals.

Relationship to Program Outcomes: 

  • Outcome a:  Students learn the theory and basic equations behind reactor design.
  • Outcome b:  Students are required to analyze and interpret chemical reaction data to determine reaction order and temperature dependence.
  • Outcome c:  Students spend approximately half the course on design-related topics, including reactor design assignments and a semester design project.
  • Outcome d:  The project is done with a team of 3 students. 
  • Outcome e:  Class discussions and the design project focused on finding the necessary information to solve a real engineering problem.
  • Outcome f:  Ethical behavior is required in the course.  Chemical reactor safety is emphasized in the course.
  • Outcome g:  Students are required to write two team reports for the design project.  The first of these reports must be revised to meet acceptable technical writing standards before the second may be submitted.
  • Outcome h:  Lectures and the design project included issues relating to environmental and societal needs.
  • Outcome i:  The design project required students to conduct a literature survey for background information as well as to find kinetic data.
  • Outcome j:  The design project was based on current emissions standards for automobiles.
  • Outcome k:  Students are required to use computers to solve problems throughout the course.  Excel and HYSYS are required.