Chemical Production Facility Preliminary Process Design and Cost Estimates

Project Synopsis

Project Summary

The client, a producer of agricultural, industrial, and feed chemicals located in North America, contracted Process Engineering International, LLC (PROCESS) to execute a Class V (FEL-1) level preliminary process design project for a major production unit expansion. The following units were a part of the design / cost estimating project:

• Acid feed preheater
• Reactors
• HCl scrubber
• Caustic scrubber
• Liquid ring vacuum pump
• Crystallizer
• Belt filter
• Dissolution tank
• Dust collection system
• Rotary dryer.

PROCESS also evaluated the economics of an alternative crystallization system and ultimately found that the project economics for such a system were almost identical to the desired process that was under consideration.

PROCESS used its licensed commercial simulation software to prepare a model of the process and to obtain relevant heat and material balance information.  Process Flow Diagram (PFD) was prepared to show the main process flows with mass and energy balance information from the simulation.  A preliminary equipment list was developed that included major equipment that would be required for the process as well as basic process design information for each piece of equipment (size, duties, capacities, temperatures, pressures, etc.).  A factored preliminary cost estimate for capital expenditures (CAPEX) as well as for operating expenses (OPEX) were prepared using the equipment information and software estimating programs.

Project deliverables that were submitted to the client consisted of:

• Project process design basis
• Preliminary PFD with heat and material balance data
• Preliminary major equipment list with preliminary process design information
• AACE Class 5 CAPEX and OPEX estimates.

Industry Type

Utilized Skills

• Preliminary process design, FEL-1
• Process simulation
• Process equipment sizing
• Cost estimating