Project Synopsis

Generate a process simulation for a scaled up version of an existing plant that recovers and purifies a valuable specialty metal.

Project Summary

SPECIALTY METAL RECOVERY AND PURIFICATION PLANT PROCESS SIMULATION

The client owns and operates a specialty metals recovery and purification plant and contracted Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) to perform a process simulation of a scaled up version of their existing plant and to create a heat and material balance (HMB) for the larger commercial sized plant.  PROCESS had previously performed a pilot plant design/operational review for the client on a different process.

The client provided a Process Flow Diagram (PFD) with HMB from the existing facility along with basic information regarding the PFD and feed rate for the planned facility, along with target conditions for each unit operation, including pressure, temperature, and composition.  Unit operations included dispersion, reaction, absorption, decantation, filtration, precipitation, absorption regeneration, and gas recycle.  The goal of the simulation effort was to determine the preliminary design (versus target) operating conditions for each unit operation necessary to achieve the desired purified product concentration.

PROCESS‘ licensed commercial computer process simulation software, CHEMCAD, was utilized to model system operation.  Operating conditions determined included: product concentration; preliminary design pressure and temperature for each unit operation; recirculation rates; and cooling water consumption.  Simulation software generated PFDs with HMB information were sent to the client as the final project deliverables.

Industry Type

  • Specialty Metals

Utilized Skills

  • Process simulation
  • Process scale-up engineering

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