Capital cost pressure

In the case of a liquid recycle, the cost of this pressure increase is usually small. Pumps usually have low capital and operating costs relative to other plant items. On the other hand, to increase the pressure of material in the vapor phase for recycle requires a compressor. Compressors tend to have a high capital cost and large power requirements giving higher operating costs. 

If the problem is dominated by equipment with a single specification (i.e., a single material of construction, equipment type, and pressure rating), then the capital cost target can be calculated from Eq. (7.21) with the appropriate cost coefficients. However, if there is a mix of specifications, such as different streams requiring different materials of construction, then the approach must be modified. 

Hall, S. G., Ahmad, S., and Smith, R., Capital Cost Target for Heat Exchanger Networks Comprising Mixed Materials of Construction, Pressure Ratings and Exchanger Types, Computers Chem. Eng., 14 319, 1990. 

The main advantage of HGMS is high efficiency of separation even at relatively high dow rates and minimum pressure drops across the filter. The capital cost is very high, and only large installations are attractive economically because capacity increases with the square of the diameter of the canister while the weight of copper conductor increases linearly with diameter. 

The relatively low capital cost of the simple batch reactor is its most enticing feature. The inabiUty to operate under pressure typically limits the simple batch reactor to use with the higher alkenes ie, octenes, nonenes, and dodecenes. For mainly economic reasons, these reactors are usually mn at phenol to alkene mole ratios of between 0.9 and 1.1 to 1. 

The same four operating steps are used with the complex batch reactor as with the simple batch reactor. The powerhil capabiUties of the complex batch reactor offset their relatively high capital cost. These reactors can operate at phenol to alkene mole ratios from 0.3 to 1 and up. This abiUty is achieved by designing for positive pressure operation, typically 200 to 2000 kPa (30 to 300 psig), and for the use of highly selective catalysts. Because these reactors can operate at low phenol to alkene mole ratios, they are ideal for production of di- and trialkylphenols. 

Optimum Pressure Drop. For most heat exchangers there is an optimum pressure drop. This results from the balance of capital costs against the pumping (or compression) costs. A common prejudice is that the power costs are trivial compared to the capital costs. The total cost curve is fairly flat within 50% of the optimum (see Fig. lb), but the incremental costs of power are roughly one third of those for capital on an aimualized basis. This simple relationship can be extremely useful in quick design checks. 

Because of the low efficiency of steam-ejector vacuum systems, there is a range of vacuum above 13 kPa (100 mm Hg) where mechanical vacuum pumps are usually more economical. The capital cost of the vacuum pump goes up roughly as (suction volume) or (l/P). This means that as pressure falls, the capital cost of the vacuum pump rises more swiftly than the energy cost of the steam ejector, which iacreases as (1 /P). Usually below 1.3 kPa (10 mm Hg), the steam ejector is more cost-effective. 

Overall comparison between amine and carbonate at elevated pressures shows that the amine usually removes carbon dioxide to a lower concentration at a lower capital cost but requires more maintenance and heat. The impact of the higher heat requirement depends on the individual situation. In many appHcations, heat used for regeneration is from low temperature process gas, suitable only for boiler feed water heating or low pressure steam generation, and it may not be usefiil in the overall plant heat balance. 

This quantity is minimised when the stage is operated at a pressure ratio across the barrier corresponding to r = 0.285. Furthermore, if power were the only economic consideration, the stage would be operated at this pressure ratio. However, as the value of ris decreased from this optimum, although the cost of power is increased, the number of stages required and hence the capital cost of the plant is decreased. Thus, ia practice a compromise between these factors is made. 

As an example, the battery-limits capital cost can be estimated for the production of 10,000 t/yr of ethylene (qv) from ethanol (11). Seven processing blocks, ie, vaporizer, reactor, water quench, compressor, dryer, distillation, and energy recovery, can be identified. The highest temperature is 350°C (reactor), and the highest pressure is about 1.7 MPa (17 atm) (compressor, two towers). If a materials-pressure factor, + of 1.03 is assumed, then for N = 7 0 = 0.87 1/0 = 1 64 and f =0 K = 6.3. This gives the 1981 cost as 4.4 X 10 . The 1991 battery-Hmits investment can be obtained, by updating with the CE Plant Cost Index, as 5.3 x 10 . ... 

Another way to raise the power/heat ratio is by raising the pressure of the steam system. An increase in pressure from 4.2 to 10.1 MPa (600 to 1500 psi) almost doubles the power associated with a given steam load. (Power/heat ratio increases from 0.12 to 0.20). This, however, comes at appreciable capital cost for alloy materials of constmction in the boiler, piping, and turbines. It also requires... 

The filter press has the advantage of simplicity, low capital cost, flexibility, and ability to operate at high pressure in either a cake-filter or a clarifying-filter application. Floor-space and headroom needs per unit of filter area are small, and capacity can be adjusted by adding or removing plates and frames. Filter presses are cleaned easily, and the filter medium is easily replaced. With proper operation a denser, drier cake compared with that of most other filters is obtained. 

Economics Power-recoveiy units have no operating costs in essence, the energy is available free. Furthermore, there is no incremental capital cost for energy supply. Incremental installed energy-system costs for a steam-turbine driver and supply system amount to about 800 per kilowatt, and the incremental cost of an electric-motor driver plus supply system is about 80 per kilowatt. By contrast, even the highest-inlet-pressure, largest-flow power-recoveiy machines will seldom have an equipment cost of more than 140 per kilowatt, and costs frequently are as low as 64 per kilowatt. However, at bare driver costs (not including power supply) of 64 to 140 per kilowatt for the power-recovery driver versus about 30 to 80 per Idlowatt for... 

Both thermoplastics and thermosets can be formed by compression moulding (Fig. 24.5). The polymer, or mixture of resin and hardener, is heated and compressed between dies. The method is well suited to the forming of thermosets (casings for appliances, for instance) and of composites with a thermosetting matrix (car bumpers, for example). Since a thermoset can be removed while it is still hot, the cycle time is as short as 10 seconds for small components, 10 minutes for large tliick-walled mouldings. Pressures are lower than for injection mouldings, so the capital cost of the equipment is much less. 

The guidelines are quite general, but will at least act as introduction to the types of turbines available to the process designer. Sometimes the decision on which type turbine to select is not obvious. The back pressure turbine is most frequently selected. It has lower capital cost, simple construction, is the most suitable turbine for high speeds, and is generally more reliable. 

The disadvantages are that the condensing turbine has a high capital cost because it is larger than a back-pressure type. It develops high specif-... 

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