Project Synopsis
Perform a front-end engineering and design (FEED) study for the expansion/debottlenecking of a specialty fiber dope preparation area for a major fiber spinning lines at a specialty fibers US manufacturing facility.
Project Summary
Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) was contracted by the client, a specialty fibers manufacturer, to perform a front-end engineering and design (FEED) study for the expansion/debottlenecking of a specialty fiber dope preparation area for one of their fiber spinning lines. PROCESS modeled the dope preparation operation using CHEMCAD and produced a heat and material balance (HMB) for the operation. The HMB was then used to identify bottlenecks with the existing equipment and determine process requirements for new equipment. As part of the project PROCESS evaluated system pumps, control valves, hydraulics, heat exchangers, storage tanks, and process vessels.
After system bottlenecks and requirements were identified, PROCESS made recommendations to the client to eliminate existing bottlenecks. Some of the recommendations included:
- Increase flexibility of their jacketed equipment hot water supply by installing new direct steam injection heaters (‘PICK Heaters’) and plate and frame style jacket water coolers.
- Eliminate hydraulic limitations on a gravity drain line between two vessels by modifying the drain line and tank dip tubes.
- Install a new inline static mixer to eliminate the bottleneck associated with an existing mixing vessel.
In addition to the above recommendations, new equipment process specifications were developed for various process equipment including storage tanks, plate and frame heat exchangers, progressive cavity pumps, inline mixers, control valves, and pressure relief valves. FEL-3 level P&IDs were also developed as part of the project.
Industry Type
Fibers Manufacturing
Utilized Skills
- Process debottlenecking
- FEL-3 / FEED package development.