Week 2 Progress Report

Progress Report for Week 2 of Design of Cumene Production Facility

Team #: Mia Barrington, Jessica Blanding, Robert Duncanson

Goals for Week 1:

1. Evaluate alternate separation sequences.
   
   
2. Carry out flash and distillation column (shortcut and rigorous) simulations.
   
3. Optimize process units and include recycle.
   
   

Summary of Accomplishments for Week 1:

1. Team members decided on a final sequence of processes that would yield the correct amount of cumene
   
2. After running simulation in ASPEN is was determined that a flash separator to separate the propylene first would not be cost effective because of the low level of separation that would be achieved. Therefore, It was determined to just use a single distillation column to separate the benzene from the cumene.
   
3. Sensitivity analysis was run in ASPEN and the optimal process units were determined
   

Difficulties Encountered:

Aspen at times can be difficult to operate. Robert and Jessica spent an hours trying to get ASPEN to run the simulation. ASPEN had to be shut down and a new simulation started in order for the simulation to run.

CAPCOST is confusing. Jessica is having difficulty figuring out how to specify the equipment requirement in CAPCOST

Suggestion:

Extend the project a week and move the last test to final weeks to allow students to have more time to prepare a better report. Team Members expressed concern that the project is not feasible to complete in 3 weeks especially when the project description specifies that 4 weeks are necessary.

Team Activities in Week 12

Member (s)	Task	Time spent (h)
Robert and Jessica	ASPEN simulation on reactor and sensitivity analysis	4
Mia, Robert and Jessica	Final PFD	4
Jessica	CAPCOST simulation	5
Mia, Robert	ASPEN simulation on distillation column and sensitivity analysis	6
Total (h)		19

 

Goals for Week 3:

1. Finish Equipment Costing
   
2. Finish final report
   
3. Submit project
   

 

Project Timeline (listed tasks are for illustrative purpose only, modify and expand as necessary)

Task

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Preliminaries

Gross Profit and hand calculations of reactor sizing.

Consideration of Alternatives

Preliminary PFD

Recommended Design

Base case simulation

Sensitivity&Optimization

Heat Integration

Economic Analysis

Equipment Sizing &Costing

Profitability Analysis

Monte Carlo Analysis

Safety and Environmental

Hazard Identification

Waste Mitigation&Treatment

Preparation of Written Report