This document discusses challenges in process plant design and chemical engineering. It summarizes a course on process plant design that teaches students to systematically design processes by integrating different disciplines. The course uses over 170 design cases and many are published or presented. Process intensification quick scans are also discussed, which identify opportunities to improve processes. These scans stimulate process innovation by reconsidering daily activities and cross-fertilizing disciplines. Sustainable product and process design is important to address challenges around energy, water, and raw materials to take responsibility.

1. Process Plant Design
global challenges and daily work
Henk van den Berg
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overview
Intro
Process Plant Design course
Process Design Assignment
PI process reviews
Sustainable design
Evaluation
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2. Process Plant Design –
stimulated by interactions
Teaching Process
Plant Design, Process
>170 cases, Intensification,
E&R symposia Quick Scans
processes
Industrial
experience
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Challenges chemistry, chemical engineering
chemistry + industries – strong in the Netherlands
and Belgium
Netherlands: ~450 1st yr enrollments chemistry
and chemical engineering, > 3000 psychology
Europe 20.000 engineers/yr, India x10, China x15
Chemical research, education and process
industries will change, but not disappear from
Europe
International exchange of research
Chemical industries look ahead, more than
governments
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3. Challenges chemistry, chemical engineering
Technology push Market driven
fundamentals resources – materials, energy
new technologies and sustainable (green)
combinations of UOs
ecology, pollution
new catalysts
safety, e.g. Reach
micro, nano, bio
new raw materials, markets - new demands
process routes, products global issues, Europe - China
functional approach
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Chemical Engineers face challenges
research results to be implemented –
process + product + nano + food
processes without innovation lead to
phase out
continued education is a must
societal needs to be translated
daily work vs. sustainability, energy
transition etc.
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4. from confusion to innovation?
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C2W 13 jan ‘01
Process Plant Design for MSc. students
at University of Twente, ChE - PT track
Objective: students must be able to apply
systematic process design and be able to
integrate disciplines
Prerequisites:
reactor technology & separation technology
flowsheeting
thermodynamics
equipment design
Process or product design case (PhD,
Industry)
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5. Course profile:
Conceptual design / process synthesis,
Project phasing & organization, flowsheets
Apply to project case -> basic Flowsheet
team
Reactor technology & selection
Separation, new techniques + basics
case
heat integration + recap basics,
heat exchangers, types, selection,
Process safety, from basics to application
Process control
P&ID’s, Economics, new developments e.g.
Process Intensification 9
From synthesis steps to process operations
all elements have to contribute to the process goals
feed A product C
reaction separation
feed B ? recycles, from + to
product D
Ref. Seider, Seader, Lewin, Widagdo Ch 4
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6. Process Plant Design approach
start design process activities deliverables
black build up
decomposition
box
collect info, analyze, set boundaries, (re)build to reduce rework
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Develop work and tree diagram
main goal subgoal means
start feeds, route
scope scope, products
design capacity,
Index basis deliverables
collect
flowsheet collect Douglas
info
+ process info Ullmann
description operation
project
organization BB components
+ yield, sel, cap
EP0 chemistry
BB phys prop
prices
continue to Index flowsheet ++
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7. Develop work and tree diagram
main goal subgoal means
continue:
BB
scope,design basis
Index collect info
conceptual
flowsheet BB + EP
design
+ process
description conceptual BB
process flow design decomp
diagram functions
mass bal
PFD conceptual
Index UO, technology
flowsheet simulations
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Process Plant Design assignment
A learning experience for teams
>170 different designs completed in 20 yrs
Proven valuable in industry and jobs
Several designs published or presented
Continuous effort needed to implement
new tools and technologies
Academics: focus on industry and society,
sell fundamentals + technology + tool
Industry: transfer to new technology +
accept process synthesis for challenges
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8. Next section:
Process Intensification Quick Scans
To identify opportunities for substantial
process improvements
Process Intensification is under Chain
Efficiency part of Energy Transition
program
Stimulated by VNCI, organisation by
SenterNovem
Intensive process reviews by company
staff + experts
Four experts reviewed more than 36
processes in 2 years
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Process Intensification Quick Scans
The systematic approach stimulates process
innovation
“Not possible” often turned into “might be”
Reconsideration of process units vs. daily
activities
Cross fertilization by interaction of
disciplines
Main challenges:
Create confidence
Technologies in the toolbox
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9. Process Intensification Quick Scans
Differences between companies
(PI) technical know how
Openess
Department subcultures
Confidentiality
Documentation
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Process Intensification Quick Scans
A unique experience for the experts
Impressed by the broadness of the Dutch
chemical process industry
A stimulus to expand technical know how –
overview and analysis of PI technologies
Process industry - required to survive:
company focus improvements +
innovation
expand know how of conventional and
new technologies – load engineers’
battery
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10. Process Intensification Scans
PI Quick Scans –
VNCI+SenterNovem+experts:
will be continued
results will be published
PI “In depth” scans:
scope has been set – effort of several
days, conceptual and pre-engineering
funding under consideration
have been started
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Sustainable product and process design
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12. 23
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13. Process and product design
Societal, technical and ecological
challenges will force us to consider
energy
water management
raw materials
Chemical process industries and research
have and develop know how and have to
take responsibility
We still have manpower and faclities
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Process and product design
Gratulations Peter Bongers and good luck
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