Project-Final-Report

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Table of Contents
Table of Contents ..................................................................................................1
I. Introduction ......................................................................................................2
II. Problem Statement ............................................................................................3
III. Objectives.......................................................................................................4
IV. Analysis of Objectives and Possible Processes .......................................................5
(i) Examining the Problem ..................................................................................................................5
(ii) Preliminary Analysis of Pressure Swing Vs. Azeotropic Distillation .................................................7
Pressure Swing Distillation:............................................................................................................7
Azeotropic Distillation:...................................................................................................................7
(iii) Deciding Between Pressure Swing and Azeotropic Distillation........................................................8
Pressure Swing Distillation Analysis: ..............................................................................................8
Azeotropic Distillation Analysis:....................................................................................................11
(iv) Deciding Between a Two-column System and a Three-column System..........................................13
(v) Improved Pressure-swing Column Design with Incorrect Feed Composition ...................................14
V. Examination of Various Options ........................................................................17
VI. Detail Design.................................................................................................18
(i) Piping and Instrumental Diagram (P&ID diagram) .........................................................................18
(ii) Sizing of Equipment....................................................................................................................21
VII. Investment Analysis ......................................................................................23
VIII. Safety and HAZOP ......................................................................................26
IX. Environmental Impact Statement .....................................................................27
X. Appendices.....................................................................................................29
(a) HAZOP Analysis.........................................................................................................................30
(b) List of Acronyms.........................................................................................................................46
(c) References ..................................................................................................................................46

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I. Introduction
Global warming has been an issue for our environment for years; the effects of our everyday
choices are seen all over the world. Specifically, our increasing production of carbon dioxide in
our atmosphere and oceans are warming up the planet and acidifying our oceans. Rather than
resorting to unrealistic solutions, researchers suggest producing biofuel as an alternative to
common fuels used today.
While current fuel productions involve harsh treatments of the earth such as drilling and
exploiting of natural resources, the usage of biofuels promises a cleaner environment for the
future. Rather than adding amounts of carbon dioxide to the current excess our environment
already produces, alternative biofuel production methods provide a technique that takes
advantage of the carbon dioxide currently present in our environment. As an alternative to the
detrimental practices in place today, we can use the starches the plants of our environment
produce to make fuel; in other words, the plants would consume the carbon dioxide in the air and
in turn provide a valuable resources for the production of fuel. This sustainable cycle would then
be completed when our consumers use the fuel and, as a byproduct, produce the carbon dioxide
necessary for the plants to produce the starches.
As mentioned earlier, plants produce starches that are refinable; this is where Corn
Masters™ can take its part in the responsibility for the environment. Corn Masters™ currently
processes the starches produced by plants into dilute ethanol. Rather than selling this capable
product, Corn Masters™ can distill this dilute ethanol to separate the ethanol and water. From
this, the concentrated ethanol could be used to improve current, detrimental fuel conditions.
Currently, Corn Masters would like to expand and further process its products. It is considering
salvaging the reactor to produce 70% by weight high fructose corn syrup or extending the plant
to produce absolute ethanol via a distillation process. The team’s goal is to consider all necessary
components to provide a thorough proposal for the distillation extension.

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II. Problem Statement
CornMasters™ needs to find an efficient way to obtain 99.5% ethanol in water from dilute
ethanol through distillation and dehydration techniques boosting their infrastructure. Currently,
two options are in debate: to improve the current reactor to produce a higher concentration of
high fructose corn syrup or to build an efficient distillation process that yields absolute ethanol.
The objective of the team is to design an efficient and safe distillation process to synthesize 500
million gallons of ethanol per year and to determine its profitability.

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III. Objectives
a. Determine between pressure swing distillation and azeotropic distillation based on
research of previous ethanol plants
b. Optimize plant to get 99.5 mol% ethanol product from 50 mol% ethanol feed
c. Finalize the process flow diagram by considering economic and industry standards.
d. Perform safety analysis/HAZOP
e. Implement PID automatic control of the process
f. Size process equipment
g. Report Environmental Impact Statement
h. Perform Cost and Investment Analysis
i. 5% ROI annually

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IV. Analysis of Objectives and Possible Processes
(i) Examining the Problem
Figure 1. T-x-y diagram of ethanol and water
Before any simulations of the distillation of ethanol could be modeled, the relationship of the
water and ethanol mixture was thoroughly analyzed via the T-x-y diagram shown in Figure 1.
Aspen was used to predict the interactions of a mixture of ethanol and water at a pressure of
1.0133 bar, a common operating pressure. Further, this mixture was modeled under non-random
two-liquid model (NRTL), a common form used in industry and laboratory literatures. From the
graph, critical information was found.
From the T-x-y graph modeled at 1.0133 bar, it is noted that an azeotrope exists; this
complicates the distillation process. At this operating pressure, the azeotrope exists at a
temperature of 78.2 °C. Because of this azeotrope, the solution of ethanol and water together
have a boiling point of 78.2 °C, making it impossible to separate beyond that temperature. From
this data, we realize we do not need to raise the feed to the boiling point of the water, but we do
need to make sure our feed source is pre-heated.

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Figure 2. y-x diagram of ethanol and water
Figure 3. Zoomed-in y-x diagram of ethanol and water
As shown in the zoomed-in y-x diagram in Figure 3, the azeotrope for an ethanol-water
system at atmospheric pressure occurs at 89.4 mole percent of ethanol. This means under
standard pressure and temperature, ethanol can only be distilled up to a purity of 89.4 mol%, in
the NRTL model. In order to obtain a solution of ethanol at 99.5 mol%, the azeotrope needs to be
broken, or moved. Two known separations methods were suggested in the previous report:
pressure swing distillation and azeotropic distillation.

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(ii) Preliminary Analysis of Pressure Swing Vs. Azeotropic Distillation
Pressure Swing Distillation:
Pressure swing distillation is a process commonly used for the separation of water and dilute
ethanol; because the azeotrope is pressure dependent, having two columns operate at different
pressures allows for the movement of this azeotrope. First, the feed flows into low pressure
columns in order to reach the binary azeotropic point. Then, it continues through a high pressure
column to shift the azeotropic point to reach maximum separation. We consider a schematic of
this process as shown below in Figure 4.
Figure 4. Pressure Swing Distillation1
In designing a pressure swing distillation process, the following specifications are
required for simulations: temperature, pressure, and flow rates of dilute ethanol feed stream; and
reflux ratio, distillate to feed ratio, entering feed stage, temperature, and pressure for the two
columns. The flow rate of the water recycle stream will also be need to be determined.
One main advantage of pressure swing process is to avoid introducing any entrainer into
the system, and therefore a reduction of material needed for operation and number of columns
for the recycling of the entrainer. Based on previous implementations, the pressure swing process
could lead to a reduction of energy demand because of its heat integrated system with pressure
and boiling point difference; they also show that pressure swing columns are potentially cheaper
in the long term. However, the disadvantages of the process include more complex automation
systems and process control strategies2.
Azeotropic Distillation:
The azeotropic distillation works on the basis that when a liquid is partially vaporized, the two
phases have a different composition. However, since the mixture of ethanol and water have an

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azeotrope, an entrainer has to be added to break the azeotrope. We consider a schematic of the
addition of an entrainer to this process is shown in Figure 5.
Figure 5. Azeotropic Distillation3
To calculate the costs, we model the height and diameter, pressure, and flow rates of the
feed required for the operation of the columns. The arrangement of the columns in series or
parallel will also be considered in the analysis. A common material used as the entrainer is
benzene4, but we will consider other material alternatives with regards to purity of product and
cost of deployment. In addition, we will determine the amount of entrainer going into the system.
For further analysis, we will optimize the energy consumption such as the heat duty
required for the columns and mass balance calculations in order to save and use energy
efficiently within the proposed system. However, compared to the pressure swing distillation, the
azeotropic distillation has a significantly higher energy consumption as well as a high volume of
entrainer that adds to the operating cost. In addition, this type of distillation is unstable when the
boiling point of the azeotrope is low and when the process is in azeotrope rich mode. Another
potential disadvantage of azeotropic distillation is that when a third material is added, the
thermodynamics of the process is changed leading to the possible formation of a tri-azeotrope.
(iii) Deciding Between Pressure Swing and Azeotropic Distillation
Pressure Swing Distillation Analysis:
For the pressure swing distillation system, a high-pressured distillation column shifts the
azeotrope from 89.4 mol% ethanol to a lower ethanol mole fraction (at around 60 mol%), as
shown in Figure 6. At this new high pressure condition, we can distill ethanol to 99.5 mol%.

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Figure 6. y-x diagram of ethanol and water at different pressures
Figure 7. Preliminary process flow diagram of a pressure-swing distillation
The preliminary PFD of pressure swing distillation system to obtain 99.5 mol% ethanol is
shown in Figure 7. The feed contains 50 mol% of ethanol and 50 mol% of water; it is fed into the
Low Pressure Column (LPC) to be distilled into two product streams: the top stream consisting
of concentrated ethanol in water and the bottom stream containing wastewater and trace ethanol.
The LPC operates at standard atmospheric pressure (1 atm) and the feed is at 90 °C. The distilled
stream (Distill 1) from the LPC is raised to high pressure by the pump which is fed into the High
Pressure Column (HPC), where pure ethanol goes out from the bottom of the column and the top
distillate is recycled back to the LPC to minimize the ethanol loss. The HPC operates at 40 atm,
the same pressure raised up by the pump.
With this PFD, a preliminary Aspen simulation of this system was performed under
NRTL model. A basis of 100 kmol/hr feed of 90 °C was fed into the LPC. As per
recommendation, to optimize the ethanol yield and prevent ethanol loss in the water waste

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stream, the specifications of the Low Pressure Column and High Pressure Column were set to the
following modified values shown in Table 1.
LPC HPC
Operating Pressure
(Total Condenser)
1 atm 40 atm
Reflux Ratio 3.7 4.3
Distillate to Feed Ratio 0.81 0.81
Number of Stages 30 30
Table 1. Specification of both columns [5][6]
For the LPC, the feed stage was set to Stage 23 and the recycle stream into the LPC was
set to Stage 13. For the HPC, the feed stage was set to Stage 14. All product streams leave at
either Stage 1 or 30. After the simulation, a stream table of all streams is obtained and shown in
Figure 8.
Figure 8. Stream table of the pressure swing distillation

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From the table, the ethanol stream is 44.75 kmol/hr with 99.51 mol% of ethanol, which is
the desired production rate of the system and the desired composition, respectively. However, there
is an ethanol loss of 11.57 % (5.462 kmol/hr) of the feed in the wastewater stream, which will be
minimized either through changing the parameters of the LPC or adding another recycle stream.
The recycle stream saves a great amount of ethanol from being wasted, but the system requires
further improvements to reduce the ethanol loss. According to the Perry’s Handbook7, the number
of required stages for an average ethanol-water distillation column is 60, and the team will attempt
to minimize the number of stages if possible to further reduce costs.
Azeotropic Distillation Analysis:
For azeotropic distillation, an entrainer is needed in the system in order to eliminate the
azeotrope of ethanol and water so that 99.5 mol% ethanol can be distilled. However, this means
that the entrainer would add costs for make-up stream introduced to the system. Furthermore,
due to its low cost, the most common entrainer used in the industry for ethanol dehydration is
benzene6, which requires proper disposal in the waste streams because of its material properties.
Figure 9. Preliminary process flow diagram of an azeotropic distillation
Along with the pressure swing simulation, an azeotropic distillation simulation was also
attempted. Because of lack of understanding of this process, a very inadequate model was
created based on the simulation of pressure swing distillation. The PFD of this process is shown
in Figure 9. In this process, a 100 kmol/hr feed contains 50 mol% of ethanol and 50 mol% of
water; it is fed into the first column (COL1) to be distilled into two product streams: the top
distillate containing ethanol and the bottom as the wastewater stream. An entrainer (benzene) is
added to the system to mix with the distillate (DIST1) from COL1 and further feed to the second
column (COL2). A decanter is added to the system to separate light and heavy liquids and
recycle them back to the two columns respectively: light component to COL2 and heavy

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component to COL1. The pure ethanol in water goes out from the bottom stream of the COL2.
Both COL1 and COL2 operate at standard atmospheric pressure (1 atm) and temperature at
90 °C. With this PFD, a preliminary Aspen simulation of this system was performed under
NRTL model. Based on the simulation for the pressure swing distillation, the specifications of
both COL1 and COL2 were set to the same values as LPC.
Figure 10. Stream table of the azeotropic distillation
From the stream table shown in Figure 10, the ethanol stream is 60 kmol/hr with only
60.4 mol% ethanol, which is relatively low compared to the pressure swing distillation.
Furthermore, the wastewater stream contains about 27.5 mol% ethanol, which is too high and
could be improved by adding more recycle streams.
Therefore, the team compared these two separation methods and found that pressure
swing distillation is the more favorable choice because of a better understanding and an overall
lower cost.

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(iv) Deciding Between a Two-column System and a Three-column System
After thorough analysis of the three-column system, the desired product composition of 99.5%
ethanol was obtained. A diagram of this system is shown in Figure 11; stream details are shown
in Figure 12.
Figure 11. Preliminary process flow diagram of a three-column distillation system
Figure 12. The stream table of a three-column distillation system
As shown in Figure 11, the feed stream enters a low pressure column and separates into 2
streams: one called DISTILL1 with a distillate of 87.7% ethanol and a bottoms called WATER
of 73.6% water. That distillate is then pumped to a higher pressure column that further separates
the feed to the column into a distillate stream called RECYCLE1 with 81.3% ethanol and a
bottom stream called ETHANOL with 93.3% ethanol. The distillate, RECYCLE1 stream is then
pushed through a turbine (to produce work) and fed into the first high pressure column;
meanwhile, the ETHANOL stream is further distilled (to reach the requirement of 99.5%

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ethanol) via a second low pressure column. This third column then separates the feed into two
streams: one stream called FINAL with the desired composition of 99.5% ethanol and a stream
called DISTILL2 with 91.7% ethanol. The FINAL stream is then what is used as product while
the DISTILL2 is then pumped back to a high pressure to be reused and further purified through
the high pressure column.
Although this process involving 3 distillation columns showed promise, it did not solve
the problem of having an inefficient recycle stream and posed a larger problem; we concluded
that adding a third distillation column involves an excessively high capital and operating cost. To
solve this problem, and seeing that other models have successfully distilled ethanol with a two-
column system, we further researched and manipulated our previous two column system to reach
the desired results. To add, we incorporated another turbine to help with the high pressure
product and preliminary safety adjustments. More about the team’s finalized process and safety
considerations is described below.
(v) Improved Pressure-swing Column Design with Incorrect Feed Composition
Figure 13. Process flow diagram of an improved two-column pressure-swing distillation system
After scaling up the plant, the feed is 50 mol% ethanol and 50 mol% water at 90 °C coming in at
1.752 × 106 kmol/hr in order to obtain
(1.4342 × 107
𝑔𝑎𝑙
ℎ𝑟
)(
24 ℎ𝑟
251 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠
)(365
𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠
𝑦𝑟
) = 500.5 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑔𝑎𝑙/𝑦𝑟
of 99.6% ethanol. The product exceeds the required 500 million gallons of 99.5% ethanol per
year. The feed enters stage 23 of the LPC Radfrac distillation column operating at 1 atm. The
bottoms of the LPC is the water waste stream (>99.99% water) to remove water from the system.
The distillate of the LPC contains 86.7 mol% ethanol which is compressed by PUMP and fed

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into the HPC column at stage 14 at 8 atm. The distillate of the HPC is recycled to the LPC at
stage 13 to complete the pressure swing loop. The recycle loop has a turbine, TURBINE, which
transfers work generated from the high pressure stream input of 8 atm and output of 1 atm to
PUMP. The bottoms of the HPC column is fed into the turbine, TURBINE2, which transfers
work generated from the high pressure stream BOTTOMS input of 8 atm and output of 1 atm to
PUMP. Stream ETHANOL 1 at 1 atm and 78.8 °C is cooled to 70 °C with cooling water in heat
exchanger (EXCH1) in order to prevent ethanol from evaporating.
Through trial and error, the following reflux ratios and distillate to feed ratios shown in
Table 2 were found to obtain 99.6 mol% ethanol in the ETHANOL2 product stream:
LPC HPC
Operating Pressure (Total Condenser) 1 atm 8 atm
Table 2. LPC and HPC column specified parameters
Figure 14. Stream table of the improved two-column pressure-swing distillation system

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The previous design had three columns, LPC, HPC, LPC2 with high reflux ratios and
high distillate to feed ratios resulting in high recycle and high operating costs. The current design
has two columns LPC and HPC with lower reflux ratio and lower distillate to feed ratios for the
LPC and HPC resulting in lower operating costs for the operation of the plant. The operating
costs are further reduced by using two turbines: one in the recycle stream for work in the pump
between the LPC and HPC and one in the ethanol product stream. The goal of 500 million
gallons of 99.5% ethanol per year has been obtained as the product ethanol liquid stream has
500.5 million gallons per year of 99.6% ethanol, and the waste stream has >99.99% water.
However, it was found that the feed composition of this model was incorrect. The feed
was 50 mol% of ethanol and 50 mol% of water in this model; the correct composition is
supposed to be 28 mol% of ethanol and 72 mol% of water.

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V. Examination of Various Options
After scaling up the plant, the feed is 28 mol% ethanol and 72 mol% water at 90 °C coming in at
3.205 × 106 kmol/hr in order to obtain
(1.434 × 107
𝑔𝑎𝑙
ℎ𝑟
)(
24 ℎ𝑟
251 𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠
)(365
𝑑𝑎𝑦𝑠
𝑦𝑟
) = 500.5 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑔𝑎𝑙/𝑦𝑟
of 99.8% ethanol.
With the same model as shown in Figure 13, the product exceeds the required 500 million
gallons of 99.8% ethanol per year. Through trial and error, updated reflux ratios and distillate to
feed ratios shown in Table 3 were found to obtain 99.8 mol% ethanol in the ETHANOL2
product stream:
LPC HPC
Operating Pressure (Total Condenser) 1 atm 8 atm
Table 3. LPC and HPC column specified parameters
Figure 15. Updated stream table of the two-column pressure-swing distillation system

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VI. Detail Design
(i) Piping and Instrumental Diagram (P&ID diagram)
Figure 16. P&ID diagram of the improved pressure-swing distillation system Part 1

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Figure 17. P&ID diagram of the improved pressure-swing distillation system Part 2
The feed comes in as Line 1 to the distillation column LPC. Line 1 has a minimum flow valve
and an excess flow valve to prevent excessive flow or too little flow to the distillation column.
The check valve on Line 1 is to prevent backflow. As the flow rate of the feed is controlled as
upstream as possible within the flow rate range constrained by two safety valves, disturbances to
the system will be contained before spreading to the downstream system. The recycle to the LPC
column from Turbine 1 as Recycle 2 also has minimum flow valves and excess flow valves to
control for the flow rate and a safety valve to prevent backflow. As the liquid feed fills the LPC

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column, a level transmitter monitors the fluid level. If the level is too high or too low, an alarm
will sound to notify on-site personnel. The fluid level information feedforward to a flow
controller controlling the valve on Line 11 waste WATER stream to prevent accumulation in the
system and to maintain the fluid level in the LPC column. A minimum flow valve is installed on
the bottom of the LPC column so that the downstream Reboiler Pump has a guaranteed flow
through to prevent cavitation. The check valves on Lines 8 and 11 ensure the flows do not
backflow into the pump and prevent accumulation of water in the system as water must exit
through Line 11.
An analyzer transmitter on Line 10 of the Reboiler loop detects if there is steam in the
stream if the steam feed of the Reboiler leaks into Line 10. The flow controller will then signal
the flow valve controller to close the valves on Lines 9 and 10 to isolate the Reboiler. A check
valve on Line 11 prevents backflow to the Reboiler Loop from the LPC column.
As the vapor from Line 11 moves up the distillation column, there is a maximum flow
rate valve on Line 2 to prevent excessive pressure from damaging the downstream equipment.
The pressure of the LPC column is monitored by a pressure transmitter and controlled by bypass
Line 3 which adjusts for too much or too little pressure. The temperature controller on the
condenser adjusts for temperature deviations, and an analyzer transmitter will signal the flow
controllers on Lines 2 and 4 to close the valves if coolant leaks into Line 4. The level of the
reflux drum is monitored by a level transmitter which is feedforward to a flow controller which
adjusts the flow valve on Line 6 to control reflux. A minimum flow valve is installed on Line 5
to ensure a flow through the pump to prevent cavitation, and a flow rate analyzer on Line 5
feedforward to a pump controller to shut down the pump if the flow rate is too low. A check
valve is installed on Lines 6 and 7 to prevent backflow to the pump and to prevent buildup in the
system due to product accumulation. Feedforward controllers and intermediate controllers adjust
for the valves on Lines 6 and 7 to control for the reflux ratio, distillate to feed ratio, and the
amount of steam to the reboiler.
The PUMP has a minimum flow valve on stream DISTILL 1 to prevent cavitation
damage to the pump.
After exiting the pump, FEED 2 passes through an excess flow valve and a minimum
flow valve to prevent damage the distillation and future components such as the pumps. A level
meter is attached to the HPC to give an indication of the amount of material present in the
column; if there is nothing in the column, the pump pushing the fluid to Reboiler 2 would be
damaged. To further protect the pump, a minimum flow valve was put in place to ensure flow is
present. Once entering the reboiler and passing through a check valve to prevent backflow,
various measurements are taken to ensure the quality and safety of our plant. An analyzer
transmitter is placed on Stream 22 exiting the reboiler; this will notify personnel that there is a
change in composition in the stream indicating that there is a leak in the reboiler. If a leak occurs,
the two valves surrounding the reboiler will close isolating the problem and protecting the
quality of the product. This stream is split into a product stream and a stream where it is then fed
again to the column and a backflow valve is put in place to prevent damage to the other
components of the system.
As the vapor exits stream 22 and enters the column, it rises up the column and through
stream 14. As it is doing so, the stream is checked through an excess flow valve and backflow

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valve to protect the walls of the piping system and equipment down the process line. On the
column, a pressure transmitter is placed to ensure that the column is operating at optimal
conditions since it needs to perform at high pressure to break the azeotrope. After passing
through stream 14, the material is passed to a condenser where a similar setup to the reboiler was
used. As the flow exits the condenser and into stream 16, an analyzer transmitter is placed to
alert personnel of drastic changes in material composition. If drastic changes occur, it would give
signal to a leak in the condenser and close the valves surrounding the condenser to isolate the
problem and protect the other equipment. After going through the valves, stream 16 enters a
reflux drum. The level of the reflux drum is monitored by a level transmitter which is
feedforward to a flow controller which adjusts the flow valve on stream 18 to control reflux. A
minimum flow valve is placed after the reflux drum to protect the pump pushing the feed to back
to the distillation column from damage due to lack of flow. Not only does the pump push
material back to the high pressure column through stream 18, but it also pushes material through
RECYCLE 1 up to the turbine where it is brought back to a lower pressure, passed through a
minimum, excess, and backflow valve. This, again, ensures that there is a flow present at the
appropriate conditions, for the LPC.
The analyzer transmitter on Line 25 will detect coolant leakage to the product from the
heat exchanger EXCH1 and the flow controller will shut off the valves on Lines 24 and 25 to
isolate the leakage.
When isolating the leakages of condenser or reboiler, a shutdown of the plant should be
used in conjunction with the automatic valve shutdowns to prevent accumulation in the system.
(ii) Sizing of Equipment
Equipment Size
pump Centrifugal pump with maximum head of 150m and flows 0.001 m3/s to
0.3 m3/s.
driver None, fluid head used.
HPC and LPC
tower
40 trays with spacing 0.61m. Vapor factor was 1.70m/s for MPC and
1.35m/s for HPC. Height of columns 28m.
tank 9 tanks that hold 10e7 gallons
Table 4. Equipment sizing information
The pump chosen was a centrifugal pump because centrifugal pumps are for flows of 0.001 m3/s
to 0.3 m3/s with a maximum head of 150m. The PUMP in our design has a flow rate of only
0.0046 m3/s and the LPC and HPC reflux pumps each have a flow rate of 0.0216 m3/s and
0.0221 m3/s, respectively. From the data obtained from ASPEN above, the team observed that
none of our pumps’ flow rate exceeds the centrifugal pump limit of 0.3 m3/s. A driver was not
used in the pump because a fluid head was used to raise the pressure from around 1barg to

22
around 8.8 barg. The fluid head of the PUMP was found to be around 97 meters, which is below
the maximum head limit of a centrifugal pump. The pump efficiency was around 48% for the
PUMP and 0.7 for both the LPC and HPC reflux pumps.
The LPC tower had a 2.8956m bottom section diameter and the HPC tower had a 1.8288
m bottom section diameter which makes sense because the operating temperature (about 100 ºC)
and the pressure (about 1barg) in the LPC is lower than that of the HPC (about 143 ºC and 8.8
barg). From ASPEN, the team found the optimal # of trays to be 40 and the spacing to be around
0.61 m, which is in the optimal range of 0.6-0.86 m. The vapor factor the team calculated was
1.70 m/s for the LPC and 1.35 m/s for the HPC. The vapor factor of the HPC falls within the
optimal vapor factor range of 1.2-1.5 m/s, however, the vapor factor of the LPC does not fall in
that optimal range. Since it was still relatively close the the optimal range, the team determined
that this vapor factor was acceptable. The height of both distillation columns were also taken into
consideration. Due to wind load and foundation stability, the height of the columns cannot be
over 50 m. Through ASPEN stimulation, the height of both columns were found to be around
28m, which is well under the 50 m limit.
To find out what size tanks the plant needs and how many of those thanks are needed, the
team calculated how many liters are produced in a day. The plant produces 500.4 million gallons
per year in 251 working days, which means that there are about 1993625.498 gallons of 99.5%
ethanol produced a day. Since any tank above 40 m^3 will need a concrete foundation and
there’s no specific limit to how tall the tank can be, the team went online and found a supplier
that supplied a vertical tank with concrete foundation that can hold 10e7 gallons. Therefore, the
team found that we need at least 6 of these tanks per month to store all the ethanol produced. The
team then took into consideration the fact that trucks and/or pipelines will move the ethanol
away from the factory site and not all the ethanol will be stored in tanks for the whole day, and
the fact that sometimes there will be unusual circumstances that will require the plant to store
excess ethanol, the team decided to obtain 9 of these tanks.

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VII. Investment Analysis
Figure 18. Capital Cost Estimation
Figure 19. Installation Cost Estimation

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Figure 20. Operating Cost Estimation and Cost of Production Estimation
The team obtained 500.5 million gallons of 99.5% ethanol per year with the cost of of production
of 16.25 million per year from Figure 20. To find the cost per gallon,
16.25 𝑀𝑀$/𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟
500.5 𝑀𝑖𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑔𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑛/𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟
= 0.03 $/𝑔𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑛
the cost of production is about 3 cents per gallon. The team found that the price per gallon when
bulk 99.5% ethanol is sold is about $1.48 per gallon. Then, the total revenue per year by first
multiplying $1.48 per gallon by 500.5 million gallons and then subtracting $162524.95 from that,
which comes out as $740577475.1. Assuming this is what the plant produces every year, the 5%
greater average annual return for investors is $16.25x1.05% = $17.0625 million per year. The

25
revenue calculated above, $740577475.1, exceeds the goal average annual return, $17062500, by
230%. Therefore, our team concluded that this plant is profitable.

26
VIII. Safety and HAZOP
The detailed HAZOP analysis has been included in the Appendix section (b). From the HAZOP
analysis, disturbances to the system in flow rate, pressure, temperature, composition, and liquid
level in the distillation columns have been mitigated through the P&ID design as mentioned
before. Disturbances to flow rates are controlled by installing excess flow and minimum flow
rate valves; pressure is controlled by a feedforward control and bypass line; temperature is
controlled by feedforward control of the steam lines and temperature controllers of heat
exchangers, condensers, and reboilers; composition is controlled through analyzer transmitters
and flow control; and the liquid level is controlled by level monitoring transmitters connected to
flow valves and alarms.
For inherent safety of the plant design, the design of the system allows for the
containment of any single point of equipment failure in conjunction with system shutdown to
allow for safer repair of the single point of failure so that it does not spread to the rest of the
system. Basic process control of the system through feedforward control of reflux ratio and
distillate to feed ratio has been implemented. The critical alarms for the liquid level in the LPC
and HPC columns alert on site personnel to control manually for any flow rate using the installed
control valves. Automatic shutdown of pump and valves to heat exchangers, condenser, and
reboilers have been implemented in case of low flow or leakage to prevent equipment damage
and contamination to downstream processes.
The pressure relief system for the columns are the bypass Lines 2 and 15 which is
controlled by a flow controller connected to a pressure monitoring transmitter on the distillation
columns. Following the MSDS data and industry safety containment response procedure, any
emergency response in process unit and community must wear a self-contained breathing
apparatus in pressure-demand, MSHA/NIOSH (approved or equivalent), and full protective gear.
For spills, the emergency response should absorb the ethanol with inert material (e.g.
vermiculite, sand or earth), place in suitable container, and remove all sources of ignition. A
vapor suppressing foam may be used to reduce vapors. For fires, the emergency response should
use water, dry chemical, chemical foam, or alcohol-resistant foam and not use straight streams of
water. For large fires, the emergency response should use dry chemical, carbon dioxide, alcohol-
resistant foam, or water spray and cool containers with flooding quantities of water until well
after fire is out.

27
IX. Environmental Impact Statement
Adding the distillation extension to CornMasters imposes some environmental issues that the
company should consider. Although the addition of the process brings the company many
benefits, thorough analysis should be done to ensure proper and safe disposal of the the water
waste produced by the plant.
CornMasters is currently located near a cornfield in Iowa. Assuming that the extension to
the plant will be placed near where the current plant is, the team has considered the surrounding
environment to come up with some proposed actions for the waste disposal of the distillation
extension. Currently, from the Aspen simulation our waste water stream comes out at 100.018 C
with trace amounts of ethanol.
In order to analyze the disposal appropriately, the team has considered the following
experimental characteristics: Plant Life, Soil Quality, Air Quality, Noise, Groundwater
Contamination, and Temperature.
Figure 17. Environmental Assessment Checklist

28
After thorough analysis of the Environmental Assessment Checklist shown above, the
team has come to various conclusions on the disposal of the water waste; it is obvious that the
best choice of the disposal lie between selling the heated to water to nearby farms, implementing
a recycle system in the company, or investing in a cooling tower.
Selling the heated waste water to nearby farms is appealing since it removes any
responsibility from CornMasters, however this option is strongly dependent on the presence and
demand of nearby farms; nearby farms need to exist and want the heated water for use. Further
complications include transportation of this heated water.
Implementing a recycled water system in the plant also appears to be beneficial since it
could be used as a source of heat for the exchangers and used for the company’s plumbing
system. However, this option requires some investment and thought in the placement of piping
and functionality.
Lastly, a cooling tower could be used by the plant to cool the water and redirect it. Like
the recycled water system, implementing a cooling tower involves usage of capital. Using the
cooling tower could be the first step in redirecting the water waste; the waste water’s high
temperature was the largest area of concern.
After consulting with the project manager, the team will conclude the best viable solution
for the disposal of the extension’s disposal of the wastewater; the team will consider any new
proposals or a combination of the proposals listed above.

29
X. Conclusion and Recommendations
The project design met the requested output of 500 million gal/year of 99.5 mol% ethanol and
5% greater average annual return on investment during the 25-year project lifetime compared
with the option of manufacturing high fructose corn syrup from the 50 weight % ethanol in water
feed. During the design process, the team utilized strength, weakness, opportunity, and threat
analysis for minimizing cost and maximizing return at greatest safety to workers.
From our research and computer simulations, the team chose the most efficient system
after several intermediate design considerations: a pressure swing 2-distillation tower system
with energy recovery turbines. For controlling the pressure swing process and preventing
catastrophic failure, the team implemented a PID system after a detailed HAZOP analysis of the
optimal design. The team recommends processing the waste heat water in a cooling tower from
the Environmental Impact Statement analysis. The team calculated the revenue and the costs of
production to check the optimal design met the goal of 5% annual return on investment for a 25-
year period.
In conclusion, the team utilized the strength of the pressure swing design for its low
environmental impact as compared to an azeotropic system; minimized the weakness of flow
disturbances, pipe rupture, and flammability by performing HAZOP, improving safety design for
PID; proved the greater opportunity for the ethanol pressure swing instead of high fructose corn
syrup; and reduced threats to the environment by cooling hot waste water. By expanding the
industry of ethanol, its usage by consumers would decrease the amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere. The ethanol project is not only environmentally friendly due to ethanol as a green
fuel but also generates a 5% greater average annual return on investment.

30
XI. Appendices
(a) HAZOP Analysis
Vessel—Low Pressure Column (LPC)
Intention—separate FEED stream components at a low pressure column to reach the azeotrope
of the mixture
Guide Word Deviation Cause Consequences and
Action
Line No. 1
Intention—transfer the 3.205e6 kmol/hr FEED stream of 28 mol% of ethanol and 72 mol% of
water at 90 °C and 1.01325 bar to the LPC
NO
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pipe broken or
plugging
Pipe partially
plugged or leakage
High pressure from
source
Level decrease in
distillation column,
undesired product
composition: schedule
maintenance, install low
level alarm and minimum
flow valve
Level decrease in
distillation column, off
specification product, back
flow of material: install
check valve, install low
level alarm, minimum flow
valve
Flooding in distillation
column: install excess flow
valve, install high level
alarm
Line No. 10
Intention—transfer boiling stream from the Reboiler 1 to the LPC
NO
LESS
Flow
Flow
Pipe broken or
plugging, steam line
blockage/fail closed,
pump failure, pump
control failure
Pipe partially
plugged or leakage,
steam line blockage,
pump malfunction,
pump control/valve
failure
Off specification product,
no distillation: install
minimum flow valve,
temperature sensorand
alarm
less distillation: install
alarm, minimum flow
valve, schedule
maintenance

31
MORE
AS WELL AS
Flow
Composition
Pump malfunction,
pump control
failure, steam line
control failure/fail
open
Reboiler steam line
leakage into Line 10
stream
more distillation, excessive
pressure:install
alarm, install pressure
sensorand burst disc,
install automatic pump
and steamline shutdown,
excess flow valve
Off specification product:
install composition sensor
and alarm
Line No. 12
Intention – transfer the recycle stream from Turbine 1 back to the LPC
NO
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pipe broken or plugging
Pipe partially plugged
or leakage
High pressure from
source
Level decrease in
undesired product
maintenance, install
low level alarm and
minimum flow valve
Level decrease in
specification product,
back flow of material:
install check valve,
install low level alarm,
minimum flow valve
column: install excess
flow valve, install high
level alarm
Vessel—Condenser 1
Intention—condense vapor from top of LPC
Line No. 2
Intention—transfer the vapor from top of the LPC to the Condenser 1
NO Flow Reboiler steam line
fail closed, no FEED
pump failure: schedule
inspection and
maintenance, install flow
sensor,automatic
condenserpump shutdown,
minimum flow valve

32
LESS
MORE
REVERSE
LESS
Flow
Flow
Flow
Coolant Flow
Reboiler steam line
flow reduced,
reduced FEED
Excessive reboiler
steam line flow,
excessive FEED
Blockage in Line 2
and/or Line 3
Blockage or leakage
in condenser coolant
pipe
less distillation: install flow
sensor,minimum flow
valve
more distillation, reflux
drum rupture: install flow
sensor,schedule
maintenance, excess flow
valve, automatic reboiler
pump and steam line
control and shutdown
Pressure build up in
distillation column, column
rupture: schedule
maintenance, install burst
disc, bypass line, check
valve
vapor not fully vaporized,
loss of temperature control:
install minimum flow
valve, flow control, and
temperature control
Vessel—Reflux Drum 1
Intention—separate the reflux and distillate streams
Line No. 3
Intention—bypass line around Condenser 1 for direct flow from LPC to Reflux Drum 1
NO
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Control valve is fail
closed, pipe burst
Control system
failure, pipe
blockage and/or
leakage
Pipe blockage of
Line 2, control
system failure
Loss of pressure control in
distillation column: install
alarms, burst disc, and
automatic shutdown and
control of pump and steam
lines, minimum flow valve
install flow sensor,
schedule maintenance,
minimum flow valve
distillation column, reflux
drum overfill/rupture:
install alarms, burst disc,

33
REVERSE Flow
Line 2 blockage,
control valve fail
open
excess flow valve, and
lines
Backflow of liquid in
reflux drum, reflux drum
rupture: install burst disc,
level sensorin reflux drum,
check valve
Line No. 4
Intention—transfer condensed stream from Condenser 1 to Reflux Drum 1
NO
LESS
MORE
REVERSE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Flow
Steam line and/or
reboiler pump
failure, Line 2 and 3
blockage/fail closed
Pipe leak, upstream
pipe clogged/valves
fail closed
Steam line fail open,
reboiler pump
control failure
Reflux drum overfill
Loss of pressure and
temperature control in
distillation column, pump
failure: install alarms,
temperature sensor,flow
sensor,automatic pump
shutdown,minimum flow
valve
Higher column
temperature, loss of
pressure and temperature
control: install alarms, flow
sensor,temperature sensor
on reflux drum,
Minimum flow valve
Reflux drum rupture:
install burst disc, excess
flow valve, pressure sensor
and alarm, excess flow
valve
Reflux drum overfill:
install level monitor and
alarm, check valve
Vessel—Reflux Pump 1
Intention—maintain pressure at a set point for the reflux stream and transfer the condensed
vapor back to the LPC
Line No. 5
Intention—transfer condensate collected in reflux drum to the Reflux Pump 1

34
NO
LESS
MORE
REVERSE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Flow
No condensate in
reflux drum
Pipe blockage
and/or leakage
Pump is clogged
Pump failure: install level
sensorand alarm on reflux
drum, automatic shutdown
and control of reflux pump,
minimum flow valve
minimum flow valve
alarms, excess flow valve,
and automatic shutdown
and control of pump and
steamlines
rupture: install backup
pump, bypass line, and
check valve
Line No. 6
Intention—return condensate collected in Reflux Drum 1 back to the LPC
NO
LESS
Flow
Flow
Fail closed valve,
pipe burst
Pipe blockage
and/or leakage,
control system
failure
Damage to pump, loss of
control in distillation
column: install backup
pump, flow sensorand
alarm, automatic shutdown
steamlines, minimum flow
valve
loss of pressure and
flow sensor,automatic
shutdown and control of
pump and steam lines
minimum flow valve

35
MORE Flow Reflux drum
overfill, pump
control failure
alarms, burst disc, excess
flow valve, and automatic
Line No. 7
Intention—transfer DISTILL1 from Reflux Pump 1 to the PUMP
NO
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
No condensate in
reflux drum
Pipe blockage
and/or leakage,
control system
failure
Reflux drum
overfill/rupture
No product,downstream
vesseldamage: level
monitor and control of
reflux drum, install flow
sensor,minimum flow
valve
minimum flow valve
downstream vessel
damage: control valve set
to closed position, fail
closed control valve on
Line 6
Vessel—Reboiler Pump 1
Intention—maintain pressure at a set point for reboiler stream back to the LPC
Line No. 8
Intention—transfer liquid in bottom of the LPC to the Reboiler Pump 1
NO
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
No FEED, no liquid
in distillation
column
Pipe leak, pipe
partially clogged
Excessively high
distillation column
level
Pump failure: Low level
monitor in distillation
column, install automatic
reboiler pump shutdown,
minimum flow valve
minimum flow valve
High level monitor in
distillation column, install
alarm system,overflow
tank for distillation column

36
Line No. 11
Intention—transfer bottom stream WATER from the Reboiler Pump 1 to the downstream
collection
NO
LESS
Flow
Flow
Pump
clogged/failure, pipe
burst, no FEED,
control system
failure
Pipe leak, pipe
partially clogged,
pump partially
clogged, control
system failure
No waste stream,
accumulation in the
system: install multiple
waste streams, pumps,
minimum flow valve
Accumulation in the
system: install flow sensor
and alarm, schedule
maintenance, multiple
minimum flow valve
Vessel—Reboiler 1
Intention—boil the liquid stream from the bottom of LPC
Line No. 9
Intention—transfer liquid stream from the Reboiler Pump 1 to Reboiler 1
NO
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pipe burst, pipe
clogged, pump
failure, no FEED
Pipe partially
clogged, pump
control failure, less
FEED
Pump control
failure, high
distillation column
level, excessive
FEED
No heating liquid in
bottomof distillation
column, loss of
temperature control, low
level in distillation column:
minimum flow valve, flow
sensorand alarm
Loss of temperature
control, low level in
distillation column: backup
pump, minimum flow
valve, flow sensorand
alarm
High level in distillation
column: control valve in
stream 8, flow sensorand
alarm
Vessel—PUMP
Intention—increase the pressure of DISTILL 1 (Line 7) from 1 atm to 8 atm
Line FEED 2
Intention—transfer the distillate product from PUMP to HPC

37
NO
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pipe broken or
plugging
Pipe partially
plugged or leakage
High pressure from
source
Level decrease in
undesired product
flow valve
Level decrease in
valve
alarm
Vessel—High Pressure Column (HPC)
Intention—separate FEED 2 stream components at a high pressure to reach 99.5 mol% ethanol
Line No. 13
Intention—transfer the FEED 2 stream at 8 atm to the HPC
NO
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pipe broken or
plugging
Pipe partially
plugged or leakage
High pressure from
source
Level decrease in
undesired product
flow valve
Level decrease in
valve
alarm

38
MORE Pressure High pressure stress
on pipe
Distillation column
damage, off specification
product: schedule
maintenance, better
material for the column
Line No. 22
Intention—transfer boiling stream from the Reboiler 2 to the HPC
NO
LESS
Flow
Flow
Pipe broken or
plugging, steam line
blockage/fail closed,
pump failure, pump
control failure
Pipe partially
plugged or leakage,
steam line blockage,
pump malfunction,
pump control/valve
failure
no distillation: install
minimum flow valve,
alarm
less distillation: install
alarm, minimum flow
valve, schedule
maintenance
MORE
AS WELL AS
MORE
Flow
Composition
Pressure
Pump malfunction,
pump control
failure, steam line
control failure/fail
open
Reboiler steam line
leakage into Line 10
stream
High pressure stress
on pipe
more distillation, excessive
pressure:install
alarm, install pressure
sensorand burst disc,
install automatic pump
and steamline shutdown,
excess flow valve
install composition sensor
and alarm
Distillation column
product: schedule
maintenance, better
Vessel—Condenser 2
Intention—condense vapor from top of HPC
Line No. 14
Intention—transfer the vapor from top of the HPC to the Condenser 2

39
NO
LESS
MORE
REVERSE
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Flow
Coolant Flow
Pressure
Reboiler steam line
fail closed, no FEED
Reboiler steam line
flow reduced,
reduced FEED
Excessive reboiler
steam line flow,
excessive FEED
Blockage in Line 2
and/or Line 3
Blockage or leakage
in condenser coolant
pipe
on pipe
pump failure: schedule
inspection and
maintenance, install flow
sensor,automatic
condenserpump shutdown,
minimum flow valve
less distillation: install flow
sensor,minimum flow
valve
more distillation, reflux
drum rupture: install flow
sensor,schedule
maintenance, excess flow
valve, automatic reboiler
pump and steam line
control and shutdown
Pressure build up in
distillation column, column
rupture: schedule
maintenance, install burst
disc, bypass line, check
valve
vapor not fully vaporized,
install minimum flow
valve, flow control, and
temperature control
Condenserdamage, off
specification product:
better material for the
column
Vessel—Reflux Drum 2
Intention—separate the reflux and distillate streams
Line No. 15
Intention—bypass line around Condenser 2 for direct flow from HPC to Reflux Drum 2

40
NO
LESS
MORE
REVERSE
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pressure
Control valve is fail
closed, pipe burst
Control system
failure, pipe
blockage and/or
leakage
Pipe blockage of
Line 2, control
system failure
Line 2 blockage,
control valve fail
open
on pipe
alarms, burst disc, and
lines, minimum flow valve
minimum flow valve
distillation column, reflux
drum overfill/rupture:
install alarms, burst disc,
excess flow valve, and
lines
Backflow of liquid in
reflux drum, reflux drum
rupture: install burst disc,
level sensorin reflux drum,
check valve
Reflux drum damage, off
column
Line No. 16
Intention—transfer condensed stream from Condenser 2 to Reflux Drum 2

41
NO
LESS
MORE
REVERSE
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pressure
Steam line and/or
reboiler pump
failure, Line 2 and 3
blockage/fail closed
Pipe leak, upstream
pipe clogged/valves
fail closed
Steam line fail open,
reboiler pump
control failure
on pipe
distillation column, pump
failure: install alarms,
temperature sensor,flow
sensor,automatic pump
shutdown,minimum flow
valve
Higher column
temperature, loss of
control: install alarms, flow
sensor,temperature sensor
on reflux drum,
Minimum flow valve
Reflux drum rupture:
install burst disc, excess
flow valve, pressure sensor
and alarm, excess flow
valve
Reflux drum overfill:
install level monitor and
alarm, check valve
Reflux drum damage, off
column
Vessel—Reflux Pump 2
Intention—maintain pressure at a set point for the reflux stream and transfer the condensed
vapor back to the HPC
Line No. 17
Intention—transfer condensate collected in reflux drum to the Reflux Pump 2

42
NO
LESS
MORE
REVERSE
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pressure
No condensate in
reflux drum
Pipe blockage
and/or leakage
Pump is clogged
on pipe
Pump failure: install level
sensorand alarm on reflux
drum, automatic shutdown
and control of reflux pump,
minimum flow valve
minimum flow valve
alarms, excess flow valve,
and automatic shutdown
steamlines
rupture: install backup
pump, bypass line, and
check valve
Reflux pump damage, off
column
Line No. 18
Intention—return condensate collected in Reflux Drum 2 back to the HPC
NO
LESS
Flow
Flow
Fail closed valve,
pipe burst
Pipe blockage
and/or leakage,
control system
failure
Damage to pump, loss of
control in distillation
column: install backup
pump, flow sensorand
alarm, automatic shutdown
steamlines, minimum flow
valve
loss of pressure and
flow sensor,automatic
minimum flow valve

43
MORE
MORE
Flow
Pressure
Reflux drum
overfill, pump
control failure
on pipe
alarms, burst disc, excess
flow valve, and automatic
Reflux drum damage,
distillation column
product: schedule
maintenance, better
Line No. 19
Intention—transfer RECYCLE 1 from Reflux Pump 2 to the Turbine 1
NO
LESS
MORE
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pressure
No condensate in
reflux drum
Pipe blockage
and/or leakage,
control system
failure
Reflux drum
overfill/rupture
on pipe
No product,downstream
vesseldamage: level
monitor and control of
reflux drum, install flow
sensor,minimum flow
valve
minimum flow valve
downstream vessel
damage: control valve set
to closed position, fail
closed control valve on
Line 6
Reflux pump damage,
turbine damage, off
column
Vessel—Reboiler Pump 2
Intention—maintain pressure at a set point for reboiler stream back to the HPC
Line No. 20
Intention—transfer liquid in bottom of the HPC to the Reboiler Pump 2

44
NO
LESS
MORE
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pressure
No FEED, no liquid
in distillation
column
Pipe leak, pipe
partially clogged
Excessively high
distillation column
level
on pipe
Pump failure: Low level
monitor in distillation
column, install automatic
reboiler pump shutdown,
minimum flow valve
minimum flow valve
High level monitor in
distillation column, install
alarm system,overflow
tank for distillation column
Reboiler pump damage,
distillation column
product: schedule
maintenance, better
Line No. 23
Intention—transfer bottom stream BOTTOMS from the Reboiler Pump 2 to Turbine 2
NO
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Pressure
Pump
clogged/failure, pipe
burst, no FEED,
control system
failure
Pipe leak, pipe
partially clogged,
pump partially
clogged, control
system failure
on pipe
No waste stream,
accumulation in the
system: install multiple
minimum flow valve
Accumulation in the
system: install flow sensor
and alarm, schedule
maintenance, multiple
minimum flow valve
turbine damage, off
column
Vessel—Reboiler 2
Intention—boil the liquid stream from the bottom of HPC
Line No. 21
Intention—transfer liquid stream from the Reboiler Pump 2 to Reboiler 2

45
NO
LESS
MORE
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Pressure
Pipe burst, pipe
clogged, pump
failure, no FEED
Pipe partially
clogged, pump
control failure, less
FEED
Pump control
failure, high
distillation column
level, excessive
FEED
on pipe
No heating liquid in
bottomof distillation
column, loss of
temperature control, low
level in distillation column:
minimum flow valve, flow
sensorand alarm
Loss of temperature
control, low level in
distillation column: backup
pump, minimum flow
valve, flow sensorand
alarm
High level in distillation
column: control valve in
stream 8, flow sensorand
alarm
reboiler damage, off
column
Vessel—Turbine 1
Intention—recover energy from the high pressure distillate stream of HPC to lower pressure
feed of LPC
Vessel—Turbine 2
Intention—recover energy from the high pressure bottom stream of HPC to lower pressure
ETHANOL 1 stream
Vessel—EXCH1
Intention—lower the temperature of ETHANOL 1 from 78.8 °C to 70 °C so that all products
are condensed to be liquid
Line No. 24
Intention—transfer ETHANOL 1 from Turbine 2 to EXCH1
NO
LESS
Flow
Flow
Turbine clogged,
pipe failure
Pipe leak, pipe
partially clogged
Material accumulation in
the system: maintenance
and inspection of lines and
turbine
Not enough product:
maintenance and inspection
of lines and turbine

46
MORE Flow Turbine failure due
to high pressure
stress
Product at higher pressure
than desired: maintenance
turbine
Line No. 25
Intention—transfer the ETHANOL 2 stream from EXCH 1 to final collection
NO
LESS
MORE
Flow
Flow
Flow
Turbine clogged,
pipe failure
Pipe leak, pipe
partially clogged
Turbine failure due
to high pressure
stress
Material accumulation in
the system: maintenance
turbine
Not enough product:
maintenance and inspection
of lines and turbine
Product at higher pressure
than desired: maintenance
turbine
(b) List of Acronyms
Comment: we are going to update this section in Report 6
(c) References
1Takehiro Yamaki, Keigo Matsuda, K. H. H. M. M. N. Separation of Binary Mixture Using
Pressure Swing Distillation with Heat Integration. Proceedings of the 22nd European
Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering. 2012, 17–20
2Takehiro Yamaki, Keigo Matsuda, K. H. H. M. M. N. Separation of Binary Mixture Using
Pressure Swing Distillation with Heat Integration. Proceedings of the 22nd European
Symposium on Computer Aided Process Engineering. 2012, 17–20
3 Klein, D.-I. A.,Azeotropic Pressure Swing Distillation, Berlin, 2008, pp 1–20.
4Luben, W. L., Distillation Design and Control Using Aspen Simulation, 2nd ed.; John Wiley
and Sons: Bethleyham, 2013, pp 105
5Iqbal, A., Ahmad, S.A.,Pressure Swing Distillation of Azeotropic mixture - A Simulation Study,
Perspectives in Science (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pisc.2016.01.001
6Jeong, J.-S.; Jang, B.-U. Production of dehydrated fuel ethanol by pressure swing adsorption
process in the pilot plant. Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering 2010, 26, 1308–1312

47
7Genskow, L. et al., Psychrometry, Evaporative Cooling, and Solids Drying. In Chemical
Engineers’ Handbook, Perry, R., Chilton, C., Eds., 8th ed.; McGraw Hill: New York, 2008, pp
13-17.

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