United Arab Emirates University

College of Engineering
Industrial Training and Graduation
Project Unit
Mariam Ali Albraiki
Hanaa Saeed Al-Shamsi
Lamya Lari
Fatima Al-shehhi
Advisor: Dr. Rachid Chebbi

Introduction.

Summary of GP1

Objective of GP2

Project units

Refrigeration unit

Fractionation unit

Sweetening unit
Refrigeration
Separator
Chiller
Compressor
Fractionation unit
Distillation column
Sweetening
Heat
exchanger
Absorber

Sizing of the equipments

Cost of the plant

Conclusion
The project is about designing and optimizing
fractionating plant in Al-Ruwais Fractionation
Unit. Our target from the fractionation unit is
to design and optimize a unit in order to
separate the liquid components from natural
gas into DEO, C3, butanes and C5+.
Complete literature survey.
Two simulator packages were used simulate
chemical processes such as :
HYSYS simulator used for the
fractionation and refrigeration sections
ASPEN-PLUS used for sweetening
section
Design Fractionation Unit.
Design equipments of the Refrigeration and
Sweetening Unit.
Determine efficiency of compressor and
pump.
Estimate Fractionation, Refrigeration and
Sweetening Units Cost.
Study Environmental Aspect.
Refrigeration
Sweetening
Fractionation
B1
SOUR
LIQUID
GAS
DEA
SWEET
B1
1
B1
FLASH
B1
FVAP
RLR
1
B1
1
1
DEO
B1
B1
H O 1
1
B11
11
B11
Refrigeration
Refrigeration
unit
unit
Separation process operates basically on the
principle of pressure reduction to achieve the
separation of gas from a liquid inlet stream.
Separation Process
Horizontal Separators
Vertical Separators
Types of Separators
Separator Sizing
The settling velocity of liquid droplets
1 / 1
Lv
v L
t
11 . 1 u
1
1
]
1

,
_

Relation between operating pressure and

Lv/Dv
Operating
pressure (bar)
L
v
/D
v
0-20 3
20-35 4
>35 5
Fluid physical properties required for sizing, were
obtained form HYSYS simulator:
Density for liquid and vapor phases
Operating pressure
Volumetric flow rate of vapor and liquid phases
The cross sectional area for vapor flow :
The vapor velocity :
Vapor residence time required for the droplets to
settle to liquid surface :
1 . 1
1
Dv
A
1

A
V
u
v
v

Actual residence time:
v
v
a
u
L
T
The actual residence time is set equal to vapor
residence time, and from this step , Dv, and Lv are
determined.

The liquid height :

1
D
h
v
v

t
v
v
u
h
T
Results
Parameter Value
Vessel length, L
v
(m) 9.2
Vessel Diameter, D
v
(m) 3.05
Cross sectional area,
A(m
2
)
3.7
Logarithmic mean temperature
( ) ( )
( )
( )
1 1
1 1
1 1 1 1
lm
t T
t T
ln
t T t T
T

Heat transfer area was determined assuming U
m
T U
Q
A

The rate of heat transfer:

T C m Q
p
.

Shell side heat transfer coefficient
( )
1
1
]
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

11
c
1 . 1
c
11 . 1
c
1 . 1 11 . 1
c cb
P
P
11
P
P
1
P
P
1 . 1 ) q ( P 111 . 1 h

Tube side heat transfer coefficient

,
_

w
r P e R j
k
d h
h
f
i i

11 . 1
11 . 1

d G
e R
f
p
k
C
r P

i i
o
id i
o
w
i
o
o
od o o
h d
d
h d
d
k
d
d
d
h h U
1 1
1
ln
1 1 1
+ +

,
_

+ +

Calculate Uo and compare it with the

assumed U :
Compressors are described as mechanical
device that takes in a gas and increases its
pressure by squeezing volume of it into a
smaller volume
Definition of Compressor

Reciprocating compressors

Centrifugal compressors

Axial flow compressors

Types of Compressor
Condition of the two compressors
Compressor Pressure,
bar
Volumetric flow rate
(m
3
/hr)
Compressor 1 3.22 29023
Compressor 2 8.06 15989
29023
3.22
8.06
74
Efficiency of the two compressors
Compressor Efficiency (%) Volumetric flow rate
(m
3
/sec)
Compressor 1 70 8.06
Compressor 2 74 4.44
Fractionation
Fractionation
unit
unit
D
e
-
p
r
o
p
a
n
i
z
e
r
D
e
-
e
t
h
a
n
i
z
e
r
D
e
-
b
u
t
a
n
i
z
e
r
C
2
C
3
C
4
C
5
+
Sieve tray
In the sieve plate,
vapor bubbles up
through simple
holes in the tray
through the
flowing liquid
Hole sizes
range from 3
to 12 mm in
diameter, with
5 mm a
common size
The vapor area of the
holes varies between 5
to 15% of the tray area
Bubble cap tray
This type has been
used over 100
years
The gas flows
through slots in the
periphery of each
cap and bubbles
upward through the
flowing liquid.
vapor or gas rises
through the opening in
the tray into bubble
caps
Valve tray
modification of
the sieve tray,
they are
essentially
sieve plate with
large diameter
holes.
Tray efficiency
stage efficiency is the performance of a
practical contacting stage to the theoretical
equilibrium stage. Murphree plate efficiency
is the ratio of the actual separation achieved
to that which would be achieved in an
equilibrium stage
stages real of number
stages ideal of number
E
O

Calculate the maximum and minimum
vapor and liquid rates which can be
obtained from simulation results.
Collect the system physical properties
from simulation results.
Select a trial plate spacing.
Estimate the column diameter based on
flooding considerations.
Decide the liquid flow
arrangement.
Check the weeping rate.
Check the pressure drop.
Check downcomer back up.
Recalculate the percentage
flooding Check
entrainment.
l
V
W
W
LV
V
L
F

The liquid- vapor flow factor

was determined for the top
and bottom part using the
following equation:
Where,
Lw = Liquid mass flow rate in Kg/s
Vw = Vapour mass flow rate in Kg/s
v = is the vapor mass density in Kg/m3
l = is the liquid mass density in Kg/m3
Flv ( Top) = 0.359
Flv ( Bot) = 0.394
From the
graph ,it the
K
Top
and K
Bot
were found as
8*10-2 and
7.6*10-2
respectively.
Next step was to correct the surface tension for top either
bottom as shown below , from HYSYS simulator the surface
tension are
S
Top
= 2.771 *10-3 N/m
S
Bot
= 2.155 *10-3 N/m
By using the equation
1 * )
11
(
1 . 1 '
K
S
K
K'
Top
= 0.0538
K
Bot
= 0.0486
Then the flooding velocity was estimated using the equation
v
v L
f
K u

'

Where,
u f is the flooding vapor velocity in m/s
K' is the correction value for the surface tension in top and
bottom part
u f
Top
=0.1387 m/s
u f
Bot
=0.1387 m/s
With 85
%
flooding
u f
Top
=0.1178m/s
u f
Bot
=0.097 m/s
In order to find the Maximum volumetric flow rate , the following
equation was used
V
Top
Vw
V

Where,
V
w
= Vapour mass flow rate in Kg/s
v = is the vapor mass density in Kg/m
3
V
top
=0.074 m3/s
V
bot
=0.077 m3/s
In this step , the net area was calculated using the following
equation
rate floooding Max
rate Volumetric Max
required area Net
.
.

Top = 0.628
m2
Bot = 0.802
m2
In this part, it was assumed that the downcomer area is 12%
from the total as a trial step , the column cross sectional area
are
Top =
) 11 111 (
top at area Net

Bot =
) 11 111 (
bot at area Net
= 0.713 m2 = 0.911 m2
Finally , the column diameter column at top and bottom

1 * A
D
Where,
D is the column diameter in m
A is the net area
D
top
=0.952 m
D
bot
=1.01 m
By taking all assumption as below
Weir height = 50 mm
Hole diameter = 5 mm
Plate thickness = 5 mm
Parameter VALUE
Column diameter, Dc 1.2 m
Column area , Ac 1 m
2
Downcomer area, Ad 0.12 m
2
Net area, An 0.88 m
2
Active area, An 0.76 m
2
T
o
t
a
l

p
r
e
s
s
u
r
e

d
r
o
p


ht = hd +( hw+ how)+ hr
100 mm
liquid
Weeping
Actual minimum vapor velocity =
h
A
rate vapor Minimum
= 0.709 m/s
Back up in downcomer was estimated by
hb = (hw + how) + ht + hdc
Downcomer liquid back
up
= 178 mm
Entrainment
n
v
A
rate flow Vapor
u
=
11 . 1
111 . 1
= 0.0875 m/s
Number of holes
Area one hole = 1.964
*10
-5
m
2
Number of holes =
1
11 * 111 . 1
111 . 1

= 3869.6 =
3870
Column diameter, m 1.2
Column height, m 17
Cross section area, m
2
1
Weir height, mm 50
Hole diameter, mm 5
Plate thickness, mm 5
Sweetening
Sweetening
unit
unit
Device that facilitate the exchange of heat between
two fluids that are at different temperature without
allowing them to mix
Heat exchanger description
The most common types of flow path configuration
are:
The most common types of flow path configuration
are:

Double-Pipe Exchangers Double-Pipe Exchangers

Compact Exchangers Compact Exchangers

Shell and Tube Exchangers Shell and Tube Exchangers

Plate and Frame Exchangers Plate and Frame Exchangers

Regenerative Exchangers Regenerative Exchangers

Double-Pipe Exchangers Double-Pipe Exchangers

Compact Exchangers Compact Exchangers

Shell and Tube Exchangers Shell and Tube Exchangers

Plate and Frame Exchangers Plate and Frame Exchangers

Regenerative Exchangers Regenerative Exchangers

Heat Exchanger Types Heat Exchanger Types
Most heat exchangers are classified in one of several
categories on the basis of configuration of the fluid flow
path through heat exchanger.
Most heat exchangers are classified in one of several
categories on the basis of configuration of the fluid flow
path through heat exchanger.
Shell and Tube Exchanger
The advantage of this type are:
The configuration gives a large surface area in small volume
Easily cleaned
Can be constructed from a wide range of materials
General design consideration
Fluid location: shell or tube
Corrosive fluid Tube
Fouling fluid Tube
Higher temperature Tube
Higher pressure Tube
More viscous Shell
Low Flow rate Shell
For Tube (1-2) m/s
For Shell (0.3-1) m/s
Shell and tube fluid velocities
Stream temperature
The closer the approach temperature used, the larger will be
the heat transfer area required.

Minimum approach temperature = 20
o
C
Pressure drop
Selection of pressure drop depends on the economical analysis that
gives the lowest operating cost.
Heat Exchanger Design
Tube Diameter
Shell
Diameter
Tube Length
Tube-side
t
1
=31
o
C
Tube-side
t
1
=55
o
C
Shell-side
T
1
=121
o
C
Shell-side
T
1
=89
o
C
Baffle Spacing
Baffle
Bundle Diameter
Physical properties needed for calculation:
Heat Exchanger Design
Physical property Rich amine Lean amine
Mass Flow Rate
kg/s
13.5 11.4
Density kg/m
3
984.5 865.8
Heat Capacity
Kj/Kg.
o
C
3.663 3.578
Viscosity mN.s/m
2
1.52 0.3324
Thermal
conductivity W/m.
o
C
0.8472 0.6392
Dimensions
Outside diameter, d
o
mm 20
Tube length m 4.83
Inside diameter, d
i
mm 16
Step 1 : calculating the Tlm
) (
) (
ln
) ( ) (
1 1
1 1
1 1 1 1
t T
t T
t T t T
T
lm

Step 2 : Selecting Number of shell and tube passes
) (
) (
1 1
1 1
t t
T T
R

) (
) (
1 1
1 1
t T
t t
S

Ft : Temperature Ft : Temperature
correction factor correction factor
( )
( ) 1
1
]
1

+ + +
+ +

1
]
1

) 1 ( 1 2
) 1 ( 1 2
) 1 (
) 1 (
) 1 (
) 1 (
2
2
2
R R S
R R S
Ln R
RS
S
Ln R
F
t
Step 3 : Calculating the Tm
m
T U
Q
A

Step 4: Selecting a trial value for the overall heat transfer

coefficient U
Step 5 : Calculating the heat transfer area A
lm t m
T F T
Where, Where,
Q : The heat load, was taken from ASPEN PLUS simulation result Q : The heat load, was taken from ASPEN PLUS simulation result
Step 6: Calculating tube side heat transfer coefficient
hi
11 . 1
Pr Re
h
e
j
d
K
hi

d G
e R
11 . 1
Pr Re
h
i
j
d
K
hi
Step 7: Calculating shell side heat transfer coefficient
h
o

k is thermal conductivity of fluid k is thermal conductivity of fluid
G is the mass velocity G is the mass velocity
j j
h h
is is friction factor obtained from figure friction factor obtained from figure
is viscosity is viscosity
Where, Where,
f
p
k
C
r P

Step 8: Calculating calculate Uo and compare it with

the assumed U
i i
o
id i
o
w
i
o
o
od o o
h d
d
h d
d
k
d
d
d
h h U
1 1
1
ln
1 1 1
+ +

,
_

+ +
Where, Where,
K K
w w
is thermal conductivity of the tube wall material is thermal conductivity of the tube wall material
h h
d d
is fouling factor of the fluid in tube and shell is fouling factor of the fluid in tube and shell
Trial and error is used if the computed Uo is Trial and error is used if the computed Uo is
different than the assumed U different than the assumed U
Pressure drop
Tube-side
1
1
1 . 1 1
t
u
di
L
f
j
p
N
t
P

1
1
]
1

+
Shell-side
)
1
1
)( )( ( 1
s
u
B
l
L
e
d
s
D
f
j
s
P


Where, Where,
L = tube length, m L = tube length, m
L L
B B
= baffle spacing = baffle spacing
N N
p p
=number of tube-side passes, =number of tube-side passes,
u = tube-side velocity u = tube-side velocity

T
lm
58.5
o
C
U 914 W/m
2 o
C
A 16.2 m
2
D
b
227.57 mm
h
i
10200 W/m
2 o
C
h
o
25164.84 W/m
2o
C
Number of tubes 27
P
tube
78.707 KPa
P
shell
4496 KPa
Baffle spacing 56 mm
h
od,
h
id
2839 W/m
2 o
C
Environmental
Environmental
Impact
Impact

The design will consist of calculating the following:
Column diameter.
Total cross-sectional area.
Height.
Downcomer area.
Active area over the tray.
Weir length.
Distance from tray center to weir.
Total hole area.
Pressure drop.
Weeping and Entrainment
Column Diameter:
Tower diameter, m Tray spacing, m
1 or less 0.5
1-3 0.6
3-4 0.75
4-8 0.9
( )
m
A
A
v f
Q
D
t
d
GF
G
111 . 1
1 . 1 1 111 . 1 * 1 . 1
111 . 1 * 1
1
1
1 . 1
1 . 1

1
1
]
1

1
1
1
1
1
]
1

,
_

Tray pressure drop

Total head loss:
Gas pressure drop:
111 . 1 111 . 1 111 . 1 111 . 1 + +
+ +

h h h h
l d t
tray Pa
g h P
G t G
/ 11 . 1111 1 . 1 * 11 . 11 * 111 . 1

111 . 1
111 . 1 * 1 . 1
111 . 1
11 . 111
11 . 11
1 . 1
1
1 . 1
1
1

1
]
1

1
]
1

l
o
L
g
R
gh
v
F

Definition
If F
R0
0.5 that means weeping is not a problem.
Height of two-phase region on tray:
1
]
1

,
_

11 . 1 1 . 1 tanh 1 1 . 1
o
l
d
h
Ln K

,
_

1
1
]
1

,
_

+ +
a
h
e
l
o
e
l
A
A
g
Ks
h
d h
h

1
11 . 1
1
1 . 1 1 11 . 1
Entrainment
Constant defined by (Bennett):
Fractional entrainment:
Entrainment mass flow rate :
11 . 1
111 . 1
111 . 1
11 . 11
11 . 111
111 . 1
111 . 1
11111 . 1
11111 . 1
1
11 * 111 . 1 1 . 1 1 . 1
1
1 . 1 1 . 1
1

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

,
_

K
l
G
L
h
h
t
h
E

s kg V E L
e
/ 111 . 1 11 * 11 . 1 ' *
Additional calculation
Parameter Value
Diameter 1.309 m
Height 8 m
Tray spacing 0.6 m
Cross sectional
area
1.344 m
2
Downcomer area 0.1344 m
2
Active area 1.075m
2
Weir length 0.95 m
Hole area 0.101 m
2

It is released primarily as a gas and will

spread in the air.

It will form sulfur dioxide and sulfuric acid

in the atmosphere.

It causes acid rains.

It remains in the atmosphere

for about 18 hours.
What happens to hydrogen sulfide when it
enters the environment ?
Breathing very high Concentrations:
Death within just a few breaths
Loss of consciousness after one or more breaths
Breathing Low Concentrations:
Eye irritation
Sore throat and cough
Shortness of breath
Long-term, low-level exposure:
Loss of appetite
Headaches
Irritability
Dizziness
Poor memory
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
(OSHA (:
Acceptable concentration of (20 ppm) in the
workplace.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health (NIOSH(
recommends a maximum exposure level of 10
ppm.
Has the federal government made
recommendations to protect human health?
The characteristics, sources, and hazards of Hydrogen
Sulfide.
Proper use of the Hydrogen Sulfide detection methods
used on the site.
Gas detector
Training should be provided for workers in h2s
operation
Proper rescue techniques and first-aid
procedures to be used in a Hydrogen Sulfide
exposure.
Worker awareness of workplace practices
and maintenance procedures to protect
personnel from exposure to hydrogen sulfide.
Recognition of, and proper response to, Hydrogen Sulfide
warnings at the workplace.
Symptoms of Hydrogen Sulfide exposure
Equipment D, m L, m Volumetric flow
rate (m3/sec)
Heat transfer
area m
2
Separator 1 1.1 3.5 - -
Separator 2 3.05 9.2 - -
Separator (B 6) 0.64 1.9 - -
Chiller - - - 2000
Heat exchanger (B 8) - - - 16.2
Water Cooler - - - 16
Water Cooler (B10) - - - 16
Compressor 1 - - 8.04 -
Compressor 2 - - 4.44 -
Equipment Diameter, mLength, m Heat transfer
area m
2
De-ethanizer Column 1.25 15 -
De-propanizer Column 1.2 17 -
De-butanizer Column 1.3 21 -
Absorber (B 2) 1.3 8 -
Regenerator (B 4) 1.14 17 -
General consideration in finding the cost for equipments as
the following steps ( example : depropanzier column)
Using the process engineering index in Figure as :
Value of index at 1998 = 390
Value of index at 2003 = 395
Purchase cost, $ for vessel = (bare cost from Figure) x
(material factor) x (pressure factor ).
Table : Material and pressure factors for vessels:
Diameter, m Material Factor Pressure Factor
1-0.5
2-1.0
3-2.0
4-3.0
C.S x1.0
S.S x 2.0
Monel x 3.4
S.Sclad x 1.5
Monel clad x 2.1
1-5bar x 1.0
5-10bar x 1.1
10-20bar x 1.2
20-30bar x 1.4
30-40bar x 1.6
40-50bar x 1.8
50-60bar x 2.2

Purchase cost, $ for vessel = (bare cost from Figure

5.1.3)x(material factor)x (pressure factor ).
= 25000x 2x 1= 50,000

Purchase cost, $ for single plates = (bare cost from

Figure 5.1.2) x (material factor)
= 400x1.7 = 680

Purchase cost for 40 plates, $ = 40x680 = 27,200

Total purchase column will be = 77200 x
111
111
With 1.5% inflation from 2003 to 2004 it will become
as:
Purchased and installation cost for depropanizer
column = $87312
Total physical plant cost (PPC) = PCE (1+ f1 + f2 + f3 + f6)
= (377,028) (1+ 0.7+0.7+0.2+0.5)
= $1,168,786
Fractionation columns Fixed capital = PPC (1+ f10 + f11 + f12)
= 11,168,786.8 x (1+
0.3+0.05+0.1)

= $1,694,740
Factors PCE
f
1
Equipment erection
f
2
Piping
f
3
Instrumentation
f
4
Electrical
f
5
Building, process
f
6
Utilities
f
7
Storage
f
8
Site development
f
9
Ancillary building
f
10
Design and Engineering
f
11
Contractor's fee
f
12
Contingency
0.4
0.7
0.2
0.1
0.15
0.5
0.15
0.05
0.15
0.3
0.05
0.10
Table Typical factors for estimation of project fixed capital cost
Equipment Fixed cost (US$)
Columns 2,197,311
Separators 39,828
Heat exchanger 61,710
Kettle reboiler 431,764
Coolers 367,318
Compressor 3,458,913
Total 6,556,844
Three units were studied in this project. Simulation was
done for the two units using two different simulators.
GASCO specifications were met. In sweetening unit,
hydrogen sulfide concentration was reduced to 4ppm.
Process equipment design, sizing and cost estimation were
done in this project. Fixed capital cost for the whole plant
is found to be $6,556,844.
Our recommendation are :

Study the effect of using different amine solution in

sweetening unit.

Study the effect of using different sweetening process like

membrane.