CHE4173 Sustainable Processing II Nov.

2010

Office Use Only

Monash University

Semester 2 Examination Period

Department of Chemical Engineering
Faculty of Engineering

EXAM CODES: CHE 4173

TITLE OF PAPER: Sustainable Processing II

EXAM DURATION: 3 hours writing time

READING TIME: 10 minutes

THIS PAPER IS FOR STUDENTS STUDYING AT:( tick where applicable)

Berwick Clayton Malaysia Off Campus Learning Open Learning
Caulfield Gippsland Peninsula Enhancement Studies Sth Africa
Pharmacy Other (specify)

During an exam, you must not have in your possession, a book, notes, paper, calculator, pencil case, mobile
phone or other material/item which has not been authorised for the exam or specifically permitted as noted
below. Any material or item on your desk, chair or person will be deemed to be in your possession. You are
reminded that possession of unauthorised materials in an exam is a discipline offence under Monash Statute 4.1.

No examination papers are to be removed from the room.

AUTHORISED MATERIALS

CALCULATORS YES NO

OPEN BOOK YES NO

SPECIFICALLY PERMITTED ITEMS YES NO

if yes, items permitted are:

ATTEMPT ONLY FIVE OF THE SIX QUESTIONS ON THE PAPER

Candidates must complete this section if required to write answers within this paper

STUDENT ID __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ DESK NUMBER __ __ __ __

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CHE4173 Sustainable Processing II Nov. 2010

ATTEMPT ONLY FIVE OF THE SIX QUESTIONS ON THE PAPER

ALL QUESTIONS ARE WORTH 20%

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CHE4173 Sustainable Processing II Nov. 2010

Q1 (20 marks)

The stream data for process are given in the following table.

Stream Stream TS TT Heat CP

Duty
Number Type (C) (C) (MW) MW/(C)

1 Hot 250 40 3150 15

2 Hot 200 80 3000 25
3 Cold 20 180 3200 20
4 Cold 140 230 2700 30

(a) Using the problem table algorithm determine the Pinch Temperature for a Tmin = 10 C.
[10 Marks]
(b) State the hot and cold utility target.
[2 Marks]
(c) Sketch the composite curves for Tmin = 10 C
[6 Marks]
(d) Using your sketch in part c, estimate the absolute minimum hot utility requirement, for this
process.
[1 Mark]
(e) Comment in general terms on the effect of Tmin on the hot and cold utility requirements for a
pinched heat integration process.
[1 Mark]

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CHE4173 Sustainable Processing II Nov. 2010

Question 2 (20 marks)

The process stream data for a heat recovery network problem are given as follows:
Stream Stream TS TT Heat Duty CP

Number Type (C) (C) (MW) (MW/C)

1 Hot 450 60 117 0.3
2 Hot 220 40 90 0.5
3 Cold 20 180 64 0.4
4 Cold 100 320 132 0.6

An analysis of this data reveals that for a minimum temperature difference of 20 C, the minimum
hot and cold utility requirement is 15 MW and 26 MW, respectively. This analysis also shows that
the pinch is located at a temperature of 120 C for hot streams and 100 C for cold streams.

a) Draw the grid diagram, label each stream and show the pinch. [5 Marks]
b) Design a heat exchanger network for maximum energy recovery. Apply the tick-off
heuristic. [11 Marks]
c) The Grand Composite Curve for the process is shown in Figure 2.1. Based on the Grand
Composite Curve, determine the lowest hot utility cost from the available utilities listed:
LP steam 120oC - $4/tonne,
MP steam 190oC - $8/tonne,
HP steam 240oC - $12/tonne
Gas turbine exhaust 500oC - $15/tonne [3 Marks]
d) Comment on whether this/these utilities is compatible with your HEN from part (b) and
if it is not compatible, provide an explanation for this. [1 Marks]
500
450
400
Temperature (oC)

350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Heat Load (MW)
Figure 2.1 Grand Composite Curve (Tmin = 20oC)
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CHE4173 Sustainable Processing II Nov. 2010

Question 3 (20 marks)

Consider a water network associated with a mechanical pulping operation in a paper making
process. The dominant contaminant is the suspended solids and the limiting data for the problem are
given in Table 3.1.

Table 3.1

Operation Cin [ppm] Cout [ppm] Limiting Flowrate loss

flowrate [t/h] [t/h]

1 0 100 30 0

(Paper
machine)

2 25 100 50 0

(Process
water)

3 50 200 40 0

(Pulping)

4 70 10

(Cooling
tower make-
up)

a) Draw the limiting water composite curve without operation 4, using Figure 3.1
[4 marks]

b) Target the minimum freshwater and wastewater flowrates for all four operations and plot the
water supply lines on Figure 1.1
[4 marks]

c) Design a water network that achieves the minimum flowrate from part (b). In the desgn, there is
one constraint. Only water from operation one can be reused by the other operations. Show
each of the design steps as well as the final design as a conventional block diagram.
[10 marks]

d) The water for operation 4 is make-up for a cooling tower. There are several process changes
that could reduce the water requirements for cooling tower operations. Suggest four possible
process changes.
[2 marks]

(End of Question 3)

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CHE4173 Sustainable Processing II Nov. 2010

Question 4 (20 marks)

The data for a wastewater treatment problem are given in Table 4.1. For an environmental discharge
limit of 20 ppm:

Table 4.1

Stream Wastewater flowrate [t/h] BODin Concentration [ppm]

1 40 250
2 25 100
3 10 40

a) What is the total treatment flowrate if centralized treatment is used?

[1 marks]

b) By drawing an effluent composite curve and a suitable treatment line on the graph paper,
determine the minimum treatment flowrate for a process with a fixed outlet concentration of
10 ppm.
[6 marks]

c) By using calculations of mass balance, determine the minimum treatment flowrate for a
treatment process with a removal ratio of 95%.
[6 marks]

d) Explain how aerobic and anaerobic biological processes are used to breakdown BOD and
give two distinct differences in their operation.
[5 marks]

e) Provide a sketch of a suitable primary treatment process that could be used to treat
wastewater which contains dispersed oil.
[2 marks]

(End of Question 4)

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CHE4173 Sustainable Processing II Nov. 2010

Question 5 (20 marks)

(a) A gas turbine exhaust is currently operating with a flowrate of 41.6kg/s and a temperature of
180oC after a heat recovery steam generator. The exhaust contains 200ppmv NOX to be
reduced to 60mg/m3 (expressed as NO2) at STP.

The NOX is to be treated in the exhaust using low temperature selective catalytic reduction.
Ammonia slippage must be restricted to be less than 10mg/m3 and a design basis of 5mg/m3
will be taken. Aqueous ammonia is to be used at a cost of $300/t (dry NH3 basis).

Assume all concentrations are expressed for standard conditions (STP) and the exhaust gas
composition is similar to air. (MWs: air=28.9, NO2=46, NH3=17).

(i) Calculate the amount of NOx to be removed.

[3 marks]
(ii) Estimate the cost of ammonia if the plant operates for 8000hr/yr.
[5 marks]
(b) Describe another method to reduce NOx produced by a gas turbine and and compare this
method to NH3 catalytic reduction.
[4 marks]

(c) Define, the meaning of Environmental Lapse Rate (ELR) and Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate
(DALR).
[2 marks]

(d) Explain in detail with sketches, two only of the following atmospheric conditions for stack
emission: Looping, Coning, Fanning, Lofting or Fumigation
[6 marks]

(End of Question 5)

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CHE4173 Sustainable Processing II Nov. 2010

Question 6 (20 marks)

Natural gas containing 7.1mol% CO2 and 1mol% H2S has been discovered in Bass Strait. You have
been given the task of developing flowsheet options for the treatment of the gas in an onshore plant,
to produce a 95mol% CO2 stream which will be used for enhanced oil recovery and elemental
sulphur from the H2S.

a) Compare physical and chemical absorption processes for the removal of contaminants from
any gaseous stream and list three relative advantages of each type of process.
[3 marks]
b) The natural gas stream is available at the inlet to your process at 70bar(abs). Sketch a
process for the removal of CO2 and H2S, labelling the major equipment items, using either
physical or chemical absorption
[3 marks]
c) You are considering using the chemical solvent MDEA, because of its ability to remove both
CO2 and H2S. If your feed flowrate is 1000kmol/hr of natural gas at 40oC, use the data
below for a 4.28kmol.m-3 MDEA solution to calculate:
i. Equilibrium concentration of CO2 if the solvent is regenerated at 100kPa abs and
120oC. [2 marks]
ii. The minimum circulation rate of 4.28kmol.m-3 MDEA solution based on the
equilibrium data. [6 marks]
iii. Explain why in practice equilibrium is not achieved for chemical absorption
processes [2 marks]

d) If instead sulphur was present in a low pressure vent stream as SO2, describe one process for
the removal of SOx. By comparison with H2S in natural gas, discuss why the removal of
sulphur is more difficult under these circumstances.
[4marks]
(End of Question 6)

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