Project Synopsis
Provide implementation support for a new pilot-scale mol-sieve saturation system, as well as develop a full scale process design and implementation support for a similar production scale system.Project Summary
FOOD/DRINK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS PROCESS ENGINEERING, DESIGN, and STARTUP SUPPORT
The client, a food and drink production company, hired Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) to perform engineering and design services in the preparation of process design packages for two new production scale molecular sieve zeolite saturation systems. One system was to be located at their Production Center (PC), a pilot-scale packed bed system (Site 1), and a second larger full-scale production system was to be located at a U.S. manufacturing site (Site 2). PROCESS had previously completed a Phase 1 Technology Evaluation and started on the design effort for the PC system. The client requested that PROCESS supplement the existing PC design effort to include additional commissioning and startup support and also generate a complete process design package for the Site 2 system based on results of the completed technology evaluation and process development work.
Project tasks included:
Site 1 Pilot-Unit
- PC pilot-scale system fabrication/installation oversight, which involved providing time to answer the vendor /fabricator’s questions and resolve issues during detail design and construction of the system.
- PC pilot-scale system commissioning and startup support, which involved providing services on-site at the end of construction. In preparation for this task, PROCESS generated preliminary operating procedures for the new system to be incorporated into the client’s standard procedures. These procedures included normal startup, operating, and normal shutdown procedures as well as emergency shutdown procedures.
Site 2 Production Scale Unit
- Process Design Basis update, which involved using the information generated during previous tasks and new throughput targets provided to the client to update the design basis document for the Site 2 full-scale manufacturing system.
- Heat and Material Balance (HMB) preparation, which involved the development of a comprehensive, detailed mass and energy balance for the Site 2 scale saturation system. This included major, minor, and utility streams flow rates, compositions, temperatures, pressures, and physical/chemical properties.
- Process Flow Diagram (PFD) and Process Description preparation
- Equipment Duty Specifications preparation, which included: equipment name, number, description, capacity requirements, performance requirements, temperature and pressure requirements, primary materials of construction, operating range, primary instrumentation and controls requirements, and any ancillary equipment requirements.
- Capital Cost Estimate preparation, which involved preparation of a budget level installed capital cost for one full-scale system. PROCESS obtained vendor budget pricing for major pieces of equipment and used a factored method to estimate a budget level installed capital cost for the full-scale system.
- Preliminary P&IDs preparation. As part of this task, PROCESS also generated a brief detailed process controls description (functional specification). The document described in words the functionality of all major process controls, monitoring points, alarms, and interlocks set forth in the P&IDs for the zeolite saturation system and will be used as the basis for the programming logic.
- Preliminary General Arrangement Drawing preparation, which involved generation of a schematic that depicts the full-scale system in plan and elevation views to scale.
- Process Hazards Analysis (PHA), which involved participation in a detailed process hazards analysis for the full-scale system. PROCESS also led and documented the PHA. The PHA for the PC system was used as a reference during this task.
- Valve/Instrument Duty Specifications preparation for all major valves and instruments. These specifications contained the process engineering requirements such that detailed specifications (as needed) could be generated by the electrical designer.
- Vendor/Fabricator Bid Package preparation, which involved preparation of a bid package that was submitted by the client to potential skid package fabricators.
- Full-Scale System Fabrication/Installation oversight, which involved providing time to answer the fabricators’ questions and resolving issues during detail design and construction of the system.
- Commissioning and Startup support, which involved providing time on site during installation and startup of the skid at the client manufacturing facility. As part of this task, PROCESS generated preliminary operating procedures for the full-scale system, to be integrated into the client’s standard operating procedures. These procedures included normal startup, operating, and normal shutdown procedures as well as emergency shutdown procedures.
- Developed process simulations utilizing CHEMCAD to evaluate CO2 loss due to venting of process inert gas from the reactor at multiple production rates.
- Developed and participated in multiple vendor trials to evaluate the heat transfer rates of the potential reactors.
- Developed a spreadsheet heat transfer reaction model used to predict the necessary size of the reactor needed for the multiple levels of production that were evaluated for the production unit.
- Participated in vendor trials of material handling equipment and dust removal systems to evaluate the possible degradation of the material.
- Evaluated analytical equipment for the process.
Industry Type
- Food & Beverage Manufacturing
Utilized Skills
- Skid system process design
- Equipment vendor test plan development and support
- Fabrication / installation oversight
- System commissioning and startup support.