Flowsheet alternative flowsheets

Also, if there are two separators, the order of separation can change. The tradeoffs for these two alternative flowsheets will be different. The choice between different separation sequences can be made using the methods described in Chap. 5. However, we should be on guard to the fact that as the reactor conversion changes, the most appropriate sequence also can change. In other words, different separation system structures become appropriate for different reactor conversions. 

Rossiter and Douglas (1986) state that the first step in process design is to generate a basic structure for the flowsheet i.e. the choice of unit operations and interconnections which can be analysed, refined and costed, and then compared to alternatives. Thus, the generation of an industrial crystallization flowsheet gives rise to a number of optimization problems for which a systematic hierarchical decision process for particulate systems was proposed ... 

The initial aim of the procedure is to generate a reasonable base case design that can be used for preliminary economic evaluation of the process. This can subsequently be optimized and/or compared with any process alternatives that are identified. The complete process is always considered at each decision level, but additional fine detail is added to the structure of the flowsheet at any stage. Established heuristics and equipment selection procedures are used together with new process synthesis insights to guide each flowsheet decision. 

The graphioal output from the computer shows the process flowsheet, with several separation units and projeoted equipment and operating costs. It also flags information that is uncertain because it had to use thermodynamio data extrapolated from measured values. At the engineer s request, the oomputer shows several alternative flowsheets it had considered, indicates their projected costs, and tells why it eliminated eaoh of them. Some of the flowsheets were eliminated because of high cost, others beoause they were oonsidered unsafe, others because the startup procedures would be difficult, and still others because they were based on uncertain extrapolation of experimental data. 

Normally, a number of stages of extraction work in a countercurrent cascade, with mixer-settlers. A generalized flowsheet for the Am ex process is shown in Figure 5.34. Stripping may be implemented by any one of the reagents, as indicated in the figure. Alternatively,... 

In Chapter 1, two alternative ways were discussed that can be used to develop the structure of a flowsheet. In the first way, an irreducible structure is built by successively adding new features if these can be justified technically and economically. The second way to develop the structure of a flowsheet is to first create a superstructure. This superstructure involves redundant features but includes the structural options that should be considered. This superstructure is then subjected to optimization. The optimization varies the settings of the process parameters (e.g. temperature, flowrate) and also optimizes the structural features. Thus to adopt this approach, both structural and parameter optimization must be carried out. So far, the discussion of optimization has been restricted to parameter optimization. Consider now how structural optimization can be carried out. 

The separation in Figure 12.21 can be carried out in an alternative sequence. Sketch the mass balance for the alternative sequence in a triangular diagram and the resulting flowsheet. 

Acylpyrazolones (24) also form neutral /3-diketonate-type complexes suitable for extraction of a range of metals into organic solvents and have been considered171 as alternatives to LIX 54 for use in ammoniacal leach circuits. Although they are stronger extractants than LIX 54,4,172 the low solubility of their metal complexes has limited their usefulness in Cu recovery.171 The structurally related diazopyrazolones (25) have pHi/2 values, ca. 3.7, and their chemical stability on contact with ammoniacal feeds meets the requirements of the flowsheet outlined above, but their very intense colors may restrict their use as commercial extractants.173,174 The bulk of the arylazo... 

Development work conducted over the past 3 years has identified a treatment process that will produce a high-grade rutile concentrate. The initial flowsheet is similar to that used for the Guadalajara ore. However, using this flowsheet, only a portion of the calcite was recovered and an appreciable amount of the rutile was lost in the gangue concentrate. An alternative, effective treatment process has been developed that produces excellent results. 

Although, as explained in Chapter 9, many optimization problems can be naturally formulated as mixed-integer programming problems, in this chapter we will consider only steady-state nonlinear programming problems in which the variables are continuous. In some cases it may be feasible to use binary variables (on-off) to include or exclude specific stream flows, alternative flowsheet topography, or different parameters. In the economic evaluation of processes, in design, or in control, usually only a few (5-50) variables are decision, or independent, variables amid a multitude of dependent variables (hundreds or thousands). The number of dependent variables in principle (but not necessarily in practice) is equivalent to the number of independent equality constraints plus the active inequality constraints in a process. The number of independent (decision) variables comprises the remaining set of variables whose values are unknown. Introduction into the model of a specification of the value of a variable, such as T = 400°C, is equivalent to the solution of an independent equation and reduces the total number of variables whose values are unknown by one. 

Heuristic based approaches are more relevant for structured products. The most well known heuristic based approach is the hierarchical decomposition method developed by Douglas (Douglas, 1988). In the first level of this method one only looks at the input-output structure of the process. In subsequent levels more detail is added, finally ending with the entire flowsheet. Design decisions are made by using heuristics and short-cut models. An alternative method is due to Siirola (1996) means end analysis. In this method the properties of the feedstock and the desired products are compared. Tasks are defined to eliminate the property differences between the feedstock and the desired product. 

Fig. 1. Schematic flowsheet of uranium processing (acid leach and ion exchange) operation. Numbers refer to the numbers that appear in the boxes on the flowsheet. Operations (3), (6), (9), and (11) may be done by thickening or filtration. Most often, thickeners are used, followed by filters. The pH of the leach slurry <4) is elevated to reduce its corrosive effect and to improve the ion-exchange operation on the uranium liquor subsequently separated, In tile ion exchange operation (7), resin contained in closed columns is alternately loaded with uranium and then eluted. The resin adsorbs the complex anions, such as UC fSO 4-. in which the uranium is present in the leach solution. Ammonium nitrate is nsed for elution, obtained by recycling the uranium filtrate liquor after pH adjustment. Iron adsoibed with the uranium is eluted with it. Iron separation operation (8) is needed inasmuch as the iron hydroxide slurry is heavily contaminated with calcium sulfate and coprecipitated uranium salts. Therefore, the slurry is recycled to the watering stage (3). Washed solids from 1,6). the waste barren liquor from (7), and the uranium filtrate from (11) are combined. The pH is elevated to 7.5 by adding lime slurry before the mixture is pumped to the tailings disposal area. (Rio Algom Mines Limited, Toronto)...

Many variants of the Purex (Plutonium Uranium Reduction Extraction) process23S based on TBP extraction have been developed but a basic outline flowsheet is illustrated in Figure 38. This shows the so-called early split flowsheet most commonly used in existing plants. It involves the separation of the uranium and plutonium using two different back-extractant streams during the first solvent extraction cycle. Additional solvent extraction cycles are then carried out independently on the uranium and plutonium streams to effect further purification. An alternative arrangement is the iate split flowsheet used at the Cap La Hague plant in France, and the... 

More recently a flowsheet has been developed which employs 30% TBP/OK as the solvent.349-446 447 This involves the use of an acid feed to the first cycle to assist in zirconium decontamination and suppress hydrolysis. An acid-deficient partition cycle then follows in which the U-Th separation is effected. A pilot plant (JUPITER) has been constructed at Julich in Germany to process Th02/U02 fuel using this flowsheet. Although a complete separation of thorium, uranium and FPs is possible using TBP in the Thorex process,448 alternative approaches... 

Note also that Ql involves discrete decision making while Q2 and Q3 make selections among continuous alternatives. As a result, the determination of the optimal process flowsheets) can be viewed conceptually as a problem in the mixed discrete-continuous optimization domain. 

In (i), rales of thumb based on engineering experience are applied so as to generate good initial process flowsheets which are subsequently improved via a set of evolutionary rales applied in a systematic fashion. The principle advantage of (i) is that near optimal process flowsheets can be developed quickly at the expense, however, of not being able to evaluate the quality of the solution. An additional drawback of (i) is the potential conflicting rales which imply arbitrary weighting schemes for the considered alternatives. 

Step 1 Representation of Alternatives A superstructure is postulated in which all process alternative structures of interest are embedded and hence are candidates for feasible or optimal process flowsheet(s). The superstructure features a number of different process units and their interconnections. 

The development of the appropriate superstructure is of major importance since the optimal process flowsheet(s) sought will be as good as the postulated representation of alternative structures. 

Conceptually, the representation of alternative process flowsheet(s) is based on elementary graph theory ideas. By representing each unit of the superstructure as a node, each input and output as a node, the interconnections among the process units as two-way arcs, the interconnections between the inputs and the process units as one-way arcs, the interconnections between the process units and the outputs as one-way arcs, and the interconnections between the inputs and the outputs as one-way arcs, then we have a bipartite planar graph that represents all options of the superstructure. 

As an illustration let us consider the representation of alternative flowsheets that have one input, two outputs, and three process units. The complete superstructure is shown in Figure 7.5. 

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