Flash Drum

PROBLEM

The flash drum process shown in Figure 1.1 preheats a feed stream to a
distillation column. The flash drum vaporizes 40 mole percent of the feed,
and the heat exchanger further heats the flash drum liquid. Both the flash
drum and heat exchanger have 1 psi (6.9 kPa) pressure drops. A total of
1.0 MM Btu/hr (1.05 MM kJ/hr) is available to the process.
Find the liquid fraction and temperature of the PROD stream and the two
duties.
Table 1.1 shows the feed composition and condition. Use the NRTL
thermodynamic system, but replace its default vapor enthalpy and vapor
density methods with SRKM.

Figure 1.1: Preheat Process

Table 1.1: Feed Stream

Component

Mole %

Toluene

80

Methyl-Ethyl Ketone (MEK)

19

Water

Flowrate

100 lb-mol/hr 45 kg-mol/hr

Pressure

20 psia

138kPa

Temperature

190 F

88 C

Hint: Use one stream Specification and one Define.

1. Define button is in HX spec.
2. Cold side is process Stream

SOLUTION
PRO/II Work Book

To vaporize 40% of the flash drum feed, use the following stream specification:
1

Steam VAPOR Flowrate of All Components on a Wet basis in LBMOL/ HR / Total Unit Feed to FD
Flowrate of All Components on a wet basis in LB-MOL / HR = 0.40000 within the default tolerance

Hint: In prod. Spec., click = , then replace it with a / (divide sign).

The duty available to the heat exchanger is 1 MM Btu/hr (1.05 MM kJ/ hr) minus however much
duty the flash drum requires to vaporize 40% of its feed. Since the flash duty is unknown before the
run, you cannot assign a value to the heat exchanger's duty. Instead, you should have PRO/II
calculate the FLASH duty, and use the define feature to pass the calculated flash duty to the heat
exchanger. The Define statement for the HEAT EXCHANGER will has the form:
Hear Exchanger HX Duty in x 10^6 BTU/HR = 1.000 Flash FD Duty in 10^6 BTU/HR

Table 1.2 summarizes the results.

Table 1.2: Results of Flash Drum
English Units
Flash Duty
Heat Exchanger Duty

PRO/II Work Book

Metric Units
PROD Temperature
PROD Liquid Fraction
0.7353 MM Btu/hr 0.2647
MM Btu/hr 233.96 F
0.6844

0.7678 MM kJ/hr
0.2822 MM kJ/hr
112.20C
0.6787

Hydrocarbon/Water Separation
PROBLEM

This exercise illustrates the differences between a rigorous VLLE flash and a
VLE flash with the water decant option. Simulate a three phase separator as
an isothermal flash at 300F and 300 psia for the crude stream given in the
tables below. Use VLLE SRK Kabadi-Danner (SRKKD) thermodynamics and
VLE SRK thermodynamics with the water decant option, along with the EOS
water solubility correlation (water in the HC phase). Show the K-values for
the VLE flash and for the VLLE flash. You can draw 2 separate flash units with
the feed to the second unit referring to the feed stream to the 1 st unit.
This exercise allows you to answer the following questions:
Is the assumption of a pure water phase valid for this simulation?
How do the results vary with respect to the water solubility correlations?

Table 2.1: Feed Stream Data

Pure Components

Rate

Petroleum

Rate

(lb moles/hr)

Components

(lb moles/hr)

Water

3000

Cut 11

165

Carbon Dioxide

35

Cut 12

303

Nitrogen

30

Cut 13

560

Methane

890

Cut 14

930

Ethane

300

Cut 15

300

Propane

520

i-Butane

105

n-Butane

283

i-Pentane

100

n-Pentane

133

Temperature

150F

Pressure

1000 psia

Table 2.2: Petroleum Fraction Properties

SOLUTION
PRO/II Work Book

Fraction

Molecular Wt.

API Gravity

NBP (F)

Cut 11

91

64

180

Cut 12

100

61

210

Cut 13

120

55

280

Cut 14

150

48

370

Cut 15

200

40

495

Defining four thermodynamic sets allows PRO/II to flash the feed iso-thermally
3

four times within one simulation run. Defining the LLE key components can
greatly decrease the computation time.

Note: To enter LLE key components through PROVISION, you must modify
the defined VLLE thermodynamic system's LLE K-value data. Within
the LLE K-value window, click on the LLE Key Components button,
select the user-specified radio buttons, and select your light and heavy
liquid phase key components. (Dominant Species).
Figure 33 shows the Flash Drum Summary from the PRO/II output report. Note
that this summary only reports the water decant flashes. PRO/II reports the total
liquid mole fraction and breaks down the liquid phases into the liquid
hydrocarbon phase and the free water phase. USE ONLY DCNT-EOS. Note
that PRO/II provides this type of report only when you invoke the water decant
option for a hydrocarbon-water system.
The K-value printout for the first FLASH unit (DCNT-EOS) follows the standard
Flash Drum Summary. This report gives the vapor and liquid mole fractions and
the K-value for each component. This gives you information about the relative
volatilities of the components of the products.

PRO/II Work Book

Figure 34 shows the thee-phase Flash Drum Summary from the output report.
Note that this summary only reports the rigorous VLLE FLASH units. If you
invoke the VLLE option for a FLASH, but only one liquid phase exists, then
PRO/II provides the results in the standard Flash, but only one liquid phase
exists, then PRO/II provides the results in the standard Flash Drum Summary.
The results for the rigorous three-phase FLASH are very similar to those in
Figure 34. The Vapor and liquid mole fractions for each component in the three
product phases are at the end of the standard three-phase Flash Drum
Summary. Pro/II uses these results to calculate the two sets of K-values. You
can obtain a set of LLE K-values by dividing the second set of VLE K-values by
the first.

PRO/II Work Book

PRO/II Work Book

Naphtha Assay - Part 1

PROBLEM

Enter the assay data for the Naphtha Feed described below to a flash drum
and generate a set of petroleum components. Also create a plot of the
calculated TBP curve and component cuts. The light ends make up 5% of the
total liquid volume. Use SRK thermodynamics with API liquid density to model
the system. To represent the boiling curve more closely, increase the number of
pseudocomponents by using twenty-one 18F (10C) cuts from 80 cF to 460F
(30C to 240C). The process data is given in Table 3.1.
Table 3.1: Naphtha Feed Data
ASTM D86 Data

SOLUTION

Light Ends

LV%

T(F)

T(C)

Component

Mole %

90

32

isobutane

0.70

125

52

butane

2.15

10

195

90

isopentane

0.86

30

250

121

pentane

50

280

138

70

310

154

90

390

199

95

418

214

98

430

221

Total

Flowrate

1000 Ib/hr

450 kg/hr

Temperature

100F

38"C

Pressure

1 atm

Average API gravity

54.2

3.58
5% Liq. volume

Average Specific Gravity

0.762

Build the flow sheet and enter the UOM, components, and thermodynamic
data, as usual.

Step 1 Modify the Assay Characterization Data

To represent the boiling curve more closely, you must increase the number of
pseudocomponents by using twenty-one 18F (10 GC) cuts from SOT to 460F
(30C to 240C).
Click the Assay Characterization button on the toolbar
PRO/II Work Book

 Click Modify Primary Set...

In the Primary TBP Cutpoints Definition dialog box, change the

Minimum Temperature for First Interval to 80F (30C).
In first row, enter 460F (240 C) as the Maximum Temperature for the
Interval and 21 as the Number of Pseudocomponents in Interval. Leave the
default data for the second and third intervals as they are.

Click OK to return to the Assay Cutpoints and Characterization

Options dialog box.
Click Characterization Options... and change the Initial Point from its
default to 3%.

Step 2 Define the Assay Stream

Double-click on the stream and select Petroleum Assay as the Stream
Type.
Click Flowrate and Assay and enter the rate.

To define a new assay:

In the Stream Data - Flowrate and Assay dialog box, click Define/Edit
Assay...
Choose ASTM D86 and enter the distillation data in the grid. You can use
the <Tab> key to move from cell to cell in the grid.
Select API Gravity and enter the average value.
Figure 35 shows these entries.

To enter the lightends composition:

In the Assay Definition dialog box, click Lightends...
Choose Percent of Assay and enter 5 as the LV percent figure.
Check the Assay lightends information for stream
NAPTHA_FEED box and enter the molar composition of each
component in the grid.
Because the lightends compositions do not add up to 1 or 100,
you
must check the Normalize box.

Figure 36 shows these entries.

PRO/II Work Book

Back in the Stream Data dialog box, enter Temperature and

Pressure values. Click OK to return to the flowsheet.
You will be asked whether you want to generate
pseudocomponents now or at a later time. Answer "No.
Step 3

the

Generate the Pseudocomponents

You can generate the pseudocomponents at any time by selecting Generate Assay Components from the Input menu. Do this now. Then:

To view the list of pseudocomponents, open the Component Selection

dialog box.

PRO/II Work Book

To look at the petroleum property data generated for the pseudocom ponents, generate an output report and view it.

To view Processing Curve, click View Curve... in the Assay Definition dialog
box. (Hint: Stream/Flowrate Assay/Assay Definition/View Curve, Figure 38)

Figure 38: Assay

Processing Plot

Naphtha Assay - Part 2

PROBLEM

In this exercise you will use the assay stream you created in NAPHTH1 and
manipulate it using two flash drums. The first flash drum predicts the
temperature at which 80% of the feed is recovered in the vapor. The second
flash drum predicts the quantity of liquid that drops out when a temperature
drop is imposed on that vapor.
Table 3.3: Equipment Data and Operating Conditions __
Unit
Description
Data

SOLUTION

Step 1

D-1

Flash drum

Pressure = 0.8 atm

80/20 vapor/liquid split

D-2

Flash drum

Temperature Drop = 18F (10C)

Pressure Drop = 0.1 atm

Open the simulation named NAPHTH1. PRZ and save it under a new name,
NAPHTH2.PRZ.
Build the Process Flow Diagram

Add two flash drums to the flowsheet and connect, as shown below.
Connect the stream NAPHTHA_FEED to the first flash drum.

Figure 3.3: PRO/II

Flowsheet

PRO/II Work Book

10

Step 2

Enter Unit Operating Conditions

Enter unit data from Table 3.3 into both flash drums.

Express the recovery specification in Flash F1 as the ratio of one stream's

flowrate to that of another. You can define a recovery on the basis of one
component or a range of components or, as here, on the total stream. Set the
specification so that it matches the figure shown below.

Steam F1VAPOR Flowrate of All Components on a Wet basis in LBMOL/ HR / Stream NAPHTHA
FEED Flowrate of All Components on a wet basis in LB-MOL / HR = 0.80000 within the default tolerance

Because the feed temperature of flash F2 is unknown until the first flash
has executed, you cannot enter an absolute value at this time. You can,
however, enter a relative value, as shown below (Hint: Define T).

Flash Drum F2 Temperature in F = Stream F1VAPOR Temperature in F 18.000

Step 3

Run the Simulation and View the Results

Add a STREAM PROPERTY TABLE to display a Short Property List for all
the streams in the flowsheet.
Run the simulation and observe the temperatures, pressures and flowrates
on the STREAM PROPERTY TABLE. Verify that they accurately reflect the
specifications you entered.

Figure 40: Short Property Table

Strea
m Name

Temp
erature

ure

Press

PRO/II Work Book

ATM

NA
PH
TH
A_
FE
ED
10
0.0
00
1.0
00

F1
VAPOR

F2V
APOR

281.
195

263.
195

0.B
00

0.70
0

F2L
IQUID

263
.19
5
0.7
00

F1
LIQUID

281.
195
0.80
0
11


ate

Flowr

LBMOL/
HR

8.5
74

6.85
9

6.34
6

0.5
14

1.71
5

Phase

Liq
uid

Vap
or

Vap
or

Liqu
id

Liqui
d

Strea
m Name

Temp
erature

NA
F1V
F2V
F2L
F1
PH
APOR
APOR
IOUID
LIQUID
TH
A_
FE
ED
33.
138.
128.
128
138.
00
442
442
.44
442
0
2
1.0
0.80
0.70
0.7
0.80
00
0
0
00
0
3.8
3.08
2.85
0.2
0.77
58
7
6
31
2

ure

ate

Press

ATM

Flowr

Phase

KGMOU
HR

Liq
uid

Vap
or

Vap
or

Liqu
id

Liqui
d

(OUTPUT/ Stream Property Table/Double Click Stream Property Table to add

desired streams)
or (Right Mouse Stream Icon/ View Results)

Naphtha Assay - Part 3

PROBLEM
Using the assay stream and flashes from NAPHTH2, you will now examine
the effects of varying the vapor/liquid split in the first flash drum on the duty of
the second flash drum. Run cases at vapor fractions from 80% (the base case)
to 40% in 10% increments.

SOLUTION Open the simulation named NAPHTH2.PRZ and save it under a new
name, MAPHTH3.PRZ.

PRO/II Work Book

12

 Step 1

Enter Case Study Data

Click the Case Study button on the toolbar to open the Case Study Parameters and
Results dialog box.
Check the Define Case Study box.
In the first row of the Parameter field, click Parameter.
Select Flash from the Unit/Stream list, Fl from the Unit Name list.
Click Parameter and select Product Specification.
Specify 5 cycles and a step size of -0.1.
In the first row of the Result field, click Parameter and select Flash F2 Duty.
Figure 41 shows the completed dialog box.

Figure 41: Completed Case Study

Step 2

Run the Simulation

Click the Run button to run the simulation.

Step 3

View Output in a Tabular Format

Select Output/Case Study from the menu bar and then Tables from the
submenu to open the Case Study Tables dialog box.
Enter a table name in the first row and click Data...
PRO/II Work Book

13

 Move the variables you want to appear in the table from the Available
Variables list to the Selected Variables list.
Click on Columns to change the default to Display cycles in Rows.
Click View Tales... to view the results.

Step 4

View Output in a Graphical Format

Define a plot that shows the change in F2 duty with the change in F1
split.

Select Output/Case Study from the menu bar and then Plots from the
submenu to open the Case Study Plots dialog box.
Enter a plot name in the first row and click Data....
Highlight F1SPLIT from the Available Variables list and X-Axis from the
other list.

Enter a label in the Label/Legend field, if desired.

Click Update , followed by Add ->

Highlight F2DUTY from the Available Variables list and Y-Axis#1 in the
other list.
Enter a label in the Label/Legend field, if desired.
Click Update , followed by Add ->

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18

Cyclohexane Plant

Part 1: Base

Case Solution

PROBLEM Solve the heat and material balances for the Cyclohexane plant shown in

Figure 4.1. Table 4.1 gives the stream conditions. The process conditions and
reaction data follow. Do not break the thermal recycle loop or use any special
techniques to accelerate convergence.

Figure 4.1
Flowsheet for
Cyclohexane Plant

Table 4.1: Stream Data

Hydrogen
(mol %)

Methane
{mol %)

Benzene
(mol %)

Temperat
ure (DF)

Pressure
(psig)

Benzene(

SI)

Flowrate

Makeup H2

{S2}

0.0

97.5

0.0

2.5

100

0.0

100

100

500

500

100 bbl/hr

600,000 {std vap

ft3 / hr)

Process

Conditions (Hint:
Input/Recycle

Convergence)
PRO/II Work Book

19

 Increase the number of loop trials to 80.

Use the Minimum Tear Streams sequence (the default).
Use SRK thermodynamics with API liquid density (default).
Heat exchangers have a 5 psi pressure drop on both sides (Cold Product).
Heat exchanger E1 is a shell and tube heat exchanger with one pass shell
side and 2 passes tube side. U=100 Btu/F-ft 2-hr and Area=650 ft2.

Set up the splitter specification so that 20% of the splitter feed exits as the
purge gas.

Reaction Data (Hint: Click Reaction Data button on the tool bar; Conversion

Reactor)
Vapor phase reaction: C 6H6 + 3H2 > C6H12
Reactor is jacketed and controlled to 435F
99.9% conversion of benzene to Cyclohexane (Extent of Reaction)
Heat of reaction (at 77F) = -87x10 3 Btu/lb-mol benzene
Enter the reaction through the Reaction Data and Reaction
Definition dialog boxes, accessed through the Reaction Data button.
Figure 4.2 shows the Reaction Definition dialog box after the data has
been entered. Don't forget to enter the heat of reaction data, by clicking
H...

Figure 4.2: Reaction

Definitions Dialog Box:

PRO/II Work Book

20


Run A: Base Case Simulation

From the Output menu, choose Report Format and then Miscellaneous Data. Mark the
Include Overall Flowsheet Mass Balance check box. Generate the output report.

1. How many recycle loop iterations are necessary for the simulation to converge? How much
time did this take?
2. What is the percent deviation in the hydrogen and methane material balance?
3.

What calculation sequence and tear streams did PRO/II select for this flowsheet?

4.

How many loops did PRO/II use in solving the flowsheet?

(Thought: Why is recycle necessary? Why is purge necessary?}

Run B: Tighten Tolerances

Tighten the recycle stream tolerances to make the relative component tolerance 0.001 and
to exclude components with mole fractions below 0.001. Rerun the problem.

1. How many additional iterations are necessary?

2. Do the hydrogen and methane material balances improve?

SOLUTION

Run A: Base Case Simulation

1. The run required 29 iterations (10.5 seconds) Naturally the time depends on
the computer you use. Don't worry if your time doesn't match this value; we
are only looking for trends.
2. The percent deviation is 4.32% for Hydrogen and 4.00% for methane.
3. The sequence is: Ml, El, Fl, SP1, C1, E2, and RX1. Heat exchanger E3
does not appear, because we chose to merge it with the FLASH. The tear
streams are S6 and S13. The SIMSCI sequence option always selects the
calculation sequence that yields the minimum number of tear streams.
When more than one sequence satisfies this minimum tear streams
criterion, the sequence selected by PRO/II can depend on the order you
entered the unit operations. For this flowsheet, the
sequence: Ml, E2,
R1, E1, F1, SP1, C1 also yields two tear streams, S13 andS4.
4. One loop is used in solving the flowsheet

Run B: Tighten Tolerances

1. 21 additional iterations (14.5 seconds) were required for a total of 50=29+21

(25 seconds).
2. The hydrogen and methane material balances so improve. The material
balance errors decreased to 0.37% for hydrogen and 0.34% for methane.

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25

LOCATING TERNARY AZEOTROPES

ACETONE-METHANOL-CHOLOROFORM

PROBLEM In this exercise, you will first use a multivariable controller to locate
the ternary azeotrope for an acetone-chloroform-methanol system. In Part B, you
will simulate the same process but use an optimizer to locate the azeotrope. Process
data are provided below.

Figure 5.1: PRO/II Flowsheet

Table 5.1: Stream Data

Aceto
ne

Acetone (mol %)
Chloroform (mol

Chloroform

Methanol

100

100

Methanol (mol %)

100

Temperature (F)

Flowrate (lbmol/hr)

150

120

150

0.367

0.213

0.420

%)

Use NRTL thermodynamics and include two-phase LLE calculations.

Operate the flash drum at the bubble point and 0 psig.

Using a Multivariable Controller

Add a multivariable controller and a calculator to the flowsheet shown in Figure 5.1 and
use it to locate the ternary azeotrope for an acetone-methanol-chloroform system.

SOLUTION

In the Calculator dialog box, change the stream sequence to VAPOR, LIQUID1, and
LIQUID2 and enter the procedure shown in Figure 5.2.

PRO/II Work Book

26

Set up the MVC as shown in Figure 5.3:

Figure 5.3:

Multivariable

Controller

Box

Hint: Click the number under variables and then click insert to add a specification

Definition of Azeotrope: mole fraction of combined liq / mole fraction of Vap = 1

Figure 5.4 shows the output results for the product streams, VAPOR and LIQUID1.

Stream Name
Stream Description

Phase

Temperature
Pressure

F
PSIG

LBMOLJH
R

Flowrate

Composition

ACETONE

METHANIOL

PRO/II Work
CLFR
Book

VAPOR

LIQUID1

Vapor

Liquid

134.53
4
0.000

134.534
0.000

0 .000

1.000

0.367
0.420
0.213

0.366
0.421
0.213

Figure 5.4:
Product
Streams
Summary

27

This example converges rapidly, provided your initial guesses are not too far from the solution. At

0 psig, the ternary azeotrope occurs at 134.53 F, X acetone = 0.367, Xmethanol = 0.420, Xchloroform = 0.213.
(Hint: Bubble Point No Vapor Flow) (Right Mouse on a stream, select view Results or Data
Review window)

Propane-Propylene Splitter

Part 1: Base case

simulation
PROBLEM Solve the heat and material balances for the propane-Propylene
splitter shown in Figure 6.1. Process data and specifications are provided below.

For Propane Propylene

Figure 6.1: Flowsheet

Splitter

Table 6.1: Feed Stream Data

Component

Mole %

Propane
Propylene
Flowrate
Temperature
Pressure

14.6112
85.3888
25550 lb/hr
120 F
310 psia

Column Specifications:

Condenser is at Bubble point and at pressure of 272 psia.

Pressure Profile

PRO/II Work Book

28

Other Column Specifications:

1. Reboiler type

= Kettle

2. Overhead Estimate

= 500 lbmole/hr.

3. Feed Location Stage

= 105

Use SRK thermodynamics with Costald liquid density.

Use the I/O algorithm with the Conventional initial estimate generator.
Specify the mole fraction of propylene in the overhead stream to be 0.9968.
Specify the recovery of propylene in the bottom stream to be 5 % of the propylene in the
feed.
Vary the reboiler and condenser duties to meet these specifications.

Hint: Bottom Propylene Flowrate/Feed propylene Flow Rate = 0.05

1. What does the flat portion of separation factor plot tell you about the current feed tray
location?

2. What is the reboiler duty?

SOLUTION

1. Output/Generate Plot Your separation factor plot should look similar to Figure 6.2. The relatively flat region between approximately trays 100 & 130 indicates that the feed tray
locations is not optimal. The trays in this region are not effectively contributing to the
separation of the two components.
2. The reboiler duty is approximately 47.82 x 10^6 BTU/hr

PRO/II Work Book

29

Figure 6.2

PropanePropylene
Splitter

Part2: optimize the

Feed Tray
Location

PROBLEM In this and succeeding parts of this problem, you will use PRO-IIs
OPTIMIZER utility to determine the feed tray location that minimizes the reboiler
duty for the propane-propylene splitter flowsheet.
Add an OPTIMIZER to the flowsheet you built for Part 1 of this problem.
Define the OPTIMIZER objective function to minimize the reboiler duty.
Set up the OPTIMIZER to search for the best feed tray location between
trays 50 and 150.
Change the following convergence tolerances on the COLUMN:

PRO/II Work Book

(Double Click Column Icon and Click on column convergence data).

Relative tolerance for both column specifications to 1 x 10 -5 (Performance
30

Spec.)
Bubble point tolerance to 0.000001
Enthalpy balance tolerance to 0.000001
Equilibrium K-value tolerance to 0.000001

Answer the following questions:

1. What is the new feed

on the separation factor plot?

tray

location?

Is

this

what

you

expected

based

2. What is the new reboiler duty?

3. Plot the separation factor. How has the new feed tray location affected the separation factor
profile?

SOLUTION
Remember to select Input/Restore Input Data from the menu bar between runs.

The New feed tray location for Feed is stage 130

The reboiler duty is now 44.7 x 10^6 BTU/hr

Figure 6.3
shows the
new plot.
Notice that
the flat spot
is gone,
indicating an

improvement in the feed tray location.

Propane-Propylene Splitter

PRO/II Work Book

Part3: Changing the Optimizer

31

Parameters

PROBLEM In Part 2 of this problem, you changed the COLUMN convergence

tolerances which had a significant impact on the calculated optimum feed tray
location.

In this part, change the following OPTIMIZER parameters:

Set the absolute maximum step size to 5. (Step size)

Set the defined absolute step size to 1.
Set the minimum relative change for the objective function to 0.0001.
(Option)
Rerun the problem with the new parameters and answer the following questions:

1. What are the new feed tray locations?

1. How big an effect does changing the OPTIMIZER parameters have on the feed tray
location when compared to the effect of changing the COLUMN convergence tolerances?
2.

SOLUTION 1. The feed tray location is now 130.6

3.

2. The OPTIMIZER parameters had a smaller affect than the COLUMN

convergence tolerances. In flowsheets containing CONTROLLER and
OPTIMIZER loops, accuracy is often more strongly impacted by the tolerances of
the unit operations that make up the loop, rather than by the CONTROLLER or if
OPTIMIZER. A good rule thumb is to keep the unit operation tolerances an order
of magnitude lower than the CONTROLLER and OPTIMIZER tolerances.

4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
PRO/II Work Book

32

Propane-

15.

Propylene Splitter
16.

Part 4: Maximize Profit

PROBLEM

Use PRO/II's CALCULATOR and OPTIMIZER units to evaluate and

maximize the profit for the propane-propylene splitter. Base the profit on the
economic data found as follows in the Tables.
17. Economic Data
18. Utility
20. LP Steam
21. Cooling
Water
24. Product
26. Propylene
27. Propane

19. Cost ($/MM

Btu)
22. 3.6
23. 0.40
25. Product
($/LB)
28. 0.174
29. 0.120

30. In this part of the exercise, vary the following parameters:

Feed tray location between trays 50 and 150
Recovery of Propylene in the bottoms product between 0.01 and 0.1. This corresponds
to COL1SPEC1 or COL1SPEC2 in the OPTIMIZER.
31. Hint: Remember to Restore input data; Define Parameter in Calculator 1;

Click the number then insert the 2nd variable; Ht Duty of Cooling Water is
negative; Tolerances (Column: 1.E-6; Optimizer: 1.E-5)
32.

Questions:

1.

What is the new feed tray location?

2.

What is die new value for the recovery specification?

3.

Are either of the variables at the bounds you provided?

4.

Explain why this recovery specification corresponds to the optimum

solution in this exercise?

5.

SOLUTION

1. The New Feed tray location is stage 118.9.

2. The New recovery specification is 0.01.
3. The recovery specification is at its lower bound. It is quite common to find the optimum solution
at one or more of the variable bounds.
4. The OPTIMIZER guided the COLUMN to the solution that yields the least propylene in the

bottom product. Although this sharp split requires high reboiler and condenser duties, it frees
up more propylene for the high-value overhead product. In this example, the additional
33
PRO/II Work Book

energy costs are more than offset by the increased flowrate of the propylene stream.
6.
7.

8.

Multiple-Feed Distillation Column

Part

1:

Base

case

simulation
PROBLEM Solve the heat and material balances for the propane-butane splitter shown
in Figure 7.1. Process data and specifications are provided below.
9.

Figure
7.1:
Flowsheet
10.
For
Propane11. Butane
Splitter

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

PRO/II Work Book

34

17.

Table 4: Feed Stream Data

18.
Component

19.

Lb-moles per hr

FEED 1 to stage 15 from the bottom

FEED 2 to stage 6 from the bottom

20 .

21.

22.
23.
24.
25.
26.

Ethane
Propane
n-Butane
n-Pentane
n-Hexane

1.5
24.0
16.5
7.5
0.5

0.5
10.0
22.0
14.5
3.0

27.
28. Both feeds are at Bubble point and at pressure of 250 psia.
29.
30. Specifications:
4. Top tray Pressure

= 250 psia

5. Condenser type

= Partial

6. Condenser Pressure

= 250 psia

7. Reboiler type

= Kettle

8. Distillate rate

= 36.0 lbmole/hr.

9. Reflux rate

= 150 lb mole/hr.

10. Initial Estimates Method

= Conventional

31. Reflux estimate (Bulk liquid rate) = 186 lbmole/hr

11. Column Performance Specification:
32.

PRO/II Work Book

35

33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.

Use SRK thermodynamics with Costald liquid density.

Use the I/O algorithm with the Conventional initial estimate generator.
Vary the reboiler and condenser duties to meet these specifications.
46.
47.
48.
3. What does the flat portion of separation factor plot tell you about the current feed tray
location?

4. What is the reboiler duty?

49.

SOLUTION

3. Your separation factor plot should look similar to Figure 23. The relatively flat region between
approximately trays 11 & 18 and 24 & 27 indicates that the feed tray locations are not
optimal. The trays in this region are not effectively contributing to the separation of the two
components.
4. The reboiler duty is approximately 1.1283 x 10^6 BTU/hr

PRO/II Work Book

36

5.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
55.
56.
57.
58.
59.
60.
61.
62.
63.
64.
65.

66.

Multiple-Feed Column

Part2: optimize the Feed Tray Location

PROBLEM In this and succeeding parts of this problem, you will use PRO-IIs
OPTIMIZER utility to determine the feed tray location that minimizes the reboiler
duty for the propane-propylene splitter flowsheet.

PRO/II Work Book

37

67.

Add an OPTIMIZER to the flowsheet you built for Part 1 of this problem.
Define the OPTIMIZER objective function to minimize the reboiler duty.
Set up the OPTIMIZER to search for the best feed tray location between
trays 7 and 30.
Change the following convergence tolerances on the COLUMN:
68.

(Double Click Column Icon and Click on column convergence data).

Relative tolerance for both column specifications to 1 x 10 -5

Bubble point tolerance to 0.001

Enthalpy balance tolerance to 0.001

Equilibrium K-value tolerance to 0.001

69.
70.
71.
72.
73.
74.
75.
PRO/II Work Book

38

76.
77.
78.
79.
80. Answer the following questions:
4. What is the new feed tray location? Is this what you expected based
on the separation factor plot?
5. What is the new reboiler duty?
6. Plot the separation factor. How has the new feed tray location affected the
separation factor profile?
81.
SOLUTION

82.

Remember to select Input/Restore Input Data from the menu bar between runs.
83.

The new feed tray location for Feed 1 is between 16 and 17

84.

The New feed tray location for Feed 2 is between 21 and 22

85.

The reboiler duty is now 1.1231 x 10^6 BTU/hr

86. Figure 24 shows the new plot. Notice that the flat spot is gone, indicating
an improvement in the feed tray location.
87.
88.
Figure
24:

89.
90.
91.
92.
93.
94.
95.
96.

Multiple-Feed Column

PRO/II Work Book

Part3: Changing the Optimizer Parameters

39

PROBLEM In Part 2 of this problem, you changed the COLUMN convergence

97.

tolerances which had a significant impact on the calculated optimum feed tray
location.
98.

In this part, change the following OPTIMIZER parameters:

Set the absolute maximum step size to 1.

Set the defined absolute step size to 1.
Set the minimum relative change for the objective function to 0.0001.
99. Rerun the problem with the new parameters and answer the following
questions:
2. What are the new feed tray locations?
33. How big an effect does changing the OPTIMIZER parameters have on
the feed tray location when compared to the effect of changing the
COLUMN convergence tolerances?

SOLUTION 1. The feed tray locations are now between 16 and 17

34.

for Feed 1 and 23 and 24 for Feed 2.

35.

2. The OPTIMIZER parameters had a smaller affect than the COLUMN

convergence tolerances. In flowsheets containing CONTROLLER and
OPTIMIZER loops, accuracy is often more strongly impacted by the tolerances of
the unit operations that make up the loop, rather than by the CONTROLLER or if
OPTIMIZER. A good rule thumb is to keep the unit operation tolerances an order
of magnitude lower than the CONTROLLER and OPTIMIZER tolerances.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.

45.
M

46.

ultiple-Feed Column
PRO/II Work Book

Part 4: Maximize Profit

40

TASK Use PRO/II's

47.

and OPTIMIZER units to evaluate and

maximize the profit for the propane-propylene splitter. Base the profit on the
economic data found as follows in the Tables.
48. Economic Data
CALCULATOR

49. Utility
51. LP Steam
52. Cooling
Water
55. Product

57. Ethane
58. Propane
59. n-Butane
60. n-Pentane
61. n-Hexane
67. In
this
par
t of
the

50. Cost ($/MM

Btu)
53. 3.6
54. 4.0
56. Product
Selling
Rate ($/LB)
62. 0.00124
63. 0.23
64. 0.196
65. 0.25
66. 0.30

exercise, vary the following parameters:

Feed tray locations between trays 16 & 17 for Feed 1 and 23 & 24 for Feed 2
Recovery of Propane in the bottoms product between 0.01 and 0.1. This
corresponds to COL1SPEC1 or COL1SPEC2 in the OPTIMIZER.

PRO/II Work Book

41

1. Result Summary of Calculator:

2. Calculator 'CA1'
3.

User

Input

Calculated

4. Parameter

N/A

1.1232E+00

5.

N/A

-8.2622E-01

6.

N/A

1.5614E+03

7.

N/A

4.1248E+03

8.

N/A

5.5555E-02

9.

N/A

9.4053E-01

10.

N/A

3.9194E-03

11.

N/A

2.3831E-08

12.

N/A

1.8520E-16

13.

10

N/A

3.1722E-07

14.

11

N/A

2.2085E-03

15.

12

N/A

5.9936E-01

16.

13

N/A

3.4375E-01

17.

14

N/A

5.4687E-02

18.

15-50

N/A

19. Result

N/A

4.3742E+00

20.

N/A

3.3907E+02

21.

N/A

9.0879E+02

22.

N/A

1.2479E+03

23.

N/A

2.4520E+02

24.

6-200

N/A