INTRODUCTION:

Vessels are containers designed to hold gases or liquids. An

acidification vessel was used for the precipitation of casein during the
addition of 025M Nitric Acid and skim milk from the effluent of the centrifuge.
Given the process constituent and process conditions. The purpose of the
report is to design an acidification vessel suitable for the given process.

GENERAL PROCESS:

Figure 1Block Flow Diagram of Prodution of Caseinate Films

The three of us designed the three equipment for the processes

namely mixer 1, precipitation, and washing. Sheena Bayeta and Leonard
Sagaral were assigned to design the equipment for mixer 1 and washing
respectively. The remaining equipment for precipitation, an acidification
vessel, was assigned to John Paulo Tumala. The effluent from the separation
of fats through centrifugation amounts to 208883 kg/d which is the influent
of the acidification vessel. Given that the volume ratio of the nitric acid to
skim milk is 55:250, the obtained value for the influent nitric acid is 4536.5
kg/d. The process runs at atmospheric pressure and temperature is
maintained at 55 oC (131 oF).

DESIGN SELECTION PROCESS:

a. Design consideration
1. Vessel Orientation

Vessel orientation can either be horizontal or vertical. The chosen

orientation will be the orientation in which it is most beneficial for the design.

2. Detention Time
The detention time is an important parameter to be considered in the
design to ensure that there will be complete reaction of acid to casein in
order to have high yield of acid casein precipitate in the design of the
acidification vessel.
3. Volume
The precipitation vessel should have a volume that has a capacity
according to the given flow rate for a given detention time. The vessel will
shall have an allowance to avoid overfilling.
4. Vessel Head
The vessel head depends on the operating pressure to ensure an
economical acidification vessel.
Design alternatives
1. Closed Vessel
Pressure vessel is a container designed to hold gases or liquids at a
pressure substantially different from the ambient pressure.
2. Open Tank Reactor
Since the pressure operates at atmospheric pressure a tank can suffice
but acidic fumes are exposed to open air and can cause harm.
c. Recommended Design of Equipment
The objective is to design an acidification vessel with long life years
and an economical equipment. First consideration for design was the vessel
configuration which is either vertical or horizontal. Horizontal vessel are
preferred for gas-liquid separation while vertical vessels are preferred for
liquid-liquid separation. Also, horizontal vessels have difficulties in handling
solids (Jack, 2009) which in this case, precipitated casein forms upon the
addition of acid to milk. Thus it was decided to use vertical vessel for this
particular design.
Next consideration was the vessel head. The main concerned for the
design of the head was economics. Normally, torispherical heads with
pressure ratings much above 10 bar are uneconomic. For pressures over 10
bar, ellipsoidal heads are often used. Hemispherical heads are the strongest
formed head for a given metal thickness. However, as they are the most
expensive to manufacture they are reserved for high pressure applications
(myChemE, 2013). Given this criteria, it was concluded that the vessel head
should be a torispherical head.
Another concerned was materials selection for construction of the
vessel. Nitric acid is high corrosive. Carbon and low alloy steels are not

suitable materials of construction for nitric acid service. The standard

material of construction for nitric acid service is SA -240 Type 304L, a high
alloy steel, can be used for temperatures up to 250 oF (Hansen & Puyear,
1996).
The Length to Diameter Ratio (L/D) is another consideration. This was
based on the guidelines of Svrcek & Monnery 1993 that at operating
pressures between 0 to 250 psig, the L/D is at a range of 1.5 3.0. For design
basis for the acidification vessel, L/D = 3 was used as basis.
Design Objectives
The acidification vessel will be designed to allow complete reaction of
acid to casein to precipitate acid casein for film production. The flowrate to
the vessel is 1023L/day with a detention time of 1 hr. The vessel has vertical
orientation. The skim milk will be fed to the vessel from the centrifuge via a
pump while the 0.25M nitiric acid will be fed to the vessel from the mixing
tank to the vessel via pump. The material for construction is SA 240 Grade
304L high alloy steel. The vessel is jacketed with coil that allows steam to
pass through to maintain the reaction temperature of 55oC.
e. Computations
1. Volume of Vessel
Assumptions:
L/D = 3
80% of the Vessel is filled
1hr Detention Time
Vol. of Head=0.0778 D
Vol. of Shell=

2
3 3
D L=
D
4
4

Vol. of Liq .=[4546.5 kg /d (1 m3 /1020 kg)+20883 kg /d (1 m3 /1033 kg)](1 d /24 hr )(1 hr )

Vol. of Liq=1.023 m

Vol. of Vessel=1.023/0.80=1.27875 m3
2. Dimensions
Assumptions:
Only the bottom torispherical head is filled.
Operating at P = 14.7 psig, T = 131 oF thus S = 14887psi
Welds Spot Radiographed E = 0.85
Minimum Corrosion allowance = 3.2 mm

Vol. of Head=0.0778 D
Vol. of Shell=

2
3 3
D L=
D
4
4

Vol. of Vessel=Vol. of Shell +Vol. of Head

1.27875 m3 =

3 3
D +0.0778 D3
4

Diameter , D=0.80 m

Length , L=3 ( 0.80 m )=2.4 m

t shell=

14.7(0.4)
PR
=
=0.46 mm
SE0.6 P 14887 ( 0.85 )0.6(14.7)

t head=

0.885(14.7)(0.80)
0.885 PD
=
=0.82 mm
SE0.1 P 148887 ( 0.85 ) 0.1(14.7)

With Corrosion Allowance

t shell=3.2+ 0.46=3.66 mm
t head=3.2+0.82=4.02 mm
Heat added to Maintain 55oC (131oF)
Assumptions:
Mol. Wt. of Casein = 1083.95 kg/kmol
Specific Heat of Water =4.184 kJ/kg K
Heat Capacity of Casein 1320.43 kJ/kmol K
Q=Heat of Formationat 298 K + Sensible Heat
Heat of Formation of Casein=

1697829 kJ
(VanKrevelinClermin Method )
kmol

Mass production of casein=323.43 kg /d (

Mass flow of water =18910 kg/d (

Q=

)(

1d
1 hr
)(
)=3.743 x 103 kg /s
24 hrs 3600 s

1d
1 hr
)(
)=0.219 kg/s
24 hrs 3600 s

1697829 kJ
103 kg
3.743 x
kmol
s

)(

)(

)(

1 kmol
1 03 kg 1320.43 kJ
+ 3.743 x
1083 kg
s
kmol K

1kmol
0.21
( 5525 ) K + (
)( 1083.95
kg )
s

Q=21.74 kW

SCOPE OF THE EQUIPMENT DESIGN

a. Specification Sheet
C

Value

Vessel Volume
Operating Pressure
Operating Temperature
Detention Time
Length
Diameter
Thickness (Shell)
Thickness (Head)
Heat Added (Q)

1.28 m3
1 atm (14.7 psi)
55oC (131oF)
1 hr
2.40 m
0.80 m
3.66 mm
4.02 mm
21.74 kW

b. Diagram and Layout

Figure 3 Front View

Figure 2 Isometric View

REFERENCES:
1. Jack,
2009,
Two
Phase
Oil
and
Gas
Separation,
http://www.oilngasprocess.com/oil-handling-surfacefacilities/two-phaseoil-and-gas-separation/horizontal-vs-vertical-vessel-selection.html
Retrieved: Oct 4, 2016
2. 2013, Type of Vessel Head, http://www.mycheme.com/types-of-vesselhead/ Retrieved: Oct. 4, 2016
3. Hansen D. A., Puyear, R.B., 1996, Materials Selection for Hydrocarbon
and Chemical Plants, Marcel Dekker, Inc.
4. Svrcek W.Y., Monnery W.D., 1993, Design Two-Phase Separators within
the Right Limits, CEP
5. Ahmad Z., 2006, Principles of Corrosion Engineering and Corrosion
Control, Elsevier Ltd.