Operating cost considerations

Table 15.1 Operating costs considerations for sodium softeners and antisealant feed systems.

Jung et al. [81] reported a variant of this approach that used the multiplicative factor of zero for the SS component and 1.3 for the OS component. This calculation, SOS-MP2 (scaled opposite-spin MP2), can be performed with only an 0(n4) operation cost when combined with Almlof s Laplace transform technique [82], The SOS approximation can be applied to CIS(D) [69], A similar simplification was often adopted in the GW method under the name COHSEX approximation [32] also partly from an operation cost consideration. 

Cross-flow filtration as a processing alternative for separation and concentration of soluble or dissolved components competes with traditional equipment such as dead end cartridge filtration, pre-coat filtration and centrifugation. The specific merits and weaknesses of each of these filtration alternatives are summarized in Table 3. In addition to the ability to handle wide variations in processing conditions, other considerations may need to be addressed for economical viability of cross-flow filtration. These are briefly discussed below. A more detailed discussion on process design aspects, capital and operating cost considerations is presented in Sec. 6.7. 

Economic Considerations. The principal economic consideration is, of course, total installed system cost, including the initial cost of the flow primary, flow secondary, and related ancillary equipment as well as material and labor required for installation. Other typical considerations are operating costs and the requirements for scheduled maintenance. An economic factor of increasing importance is the cost of disposal at the end of normal flow meter service life. This may involve meter decontamination if hazardous fluids have been measured. 

The fuels Hsted in Table 2 are generally representative of fuels to be encountered over the range of industrial furnaces and, depending on the type (cooled or refractory wall), exhibit operating temperatures considerably different from adiabatic values. The choice of fuel is dependent upon a number of factors including cost, availabiUty, cleanliness, emissions, reflabiUty, and operations. Small furnaces tend to bum cleaner, easier to use fuels. Large furnaces can more effectively use coal. 

In electrolytic processes, the anode is the positive terminal through which electrons pass from the electrolyte. Anode design and selection of anode materials of constmction have traditionally been the result of an optimisation of anode cost and operating economics, in addition to being dependent on the requirements of the process. Most materials used in metal anode fabrication are characteristically expensive use has, however, been justified by enhanced performance and reduced operating cost. An additional consideration that has had increasing influence on selection of the appropriate anode is concern for the environment (see Electrochemical processing). 

Air coolers almost invariably add considerably to plant cost, but they are competitive in operating cost based on direct once-through use of water that requites no treatment. If the alternative to air coolers is the use of water that requites substantial treatment or pumping costs, the air coolers will cost less to operate. 

Absence of moving parts and simphcity of construction have frequently justified the use of jets and eductors. However, they are relatively inefficient devices. When air or steam is the motivating fluid, operating costs may be several times the cost of alternative types of fluid-transport equipment. In addition, environmental considerations in todays cnemical plants often inhibit their use. 

Costs Because sink-float processing is applied to relatively coarse particles and is a single-pass operation, capital and operating costs are usually considerably lower than would be required for a flotation or a gravity mill of the same capacity. A large flow of water is required for feed preparation and for media recovery, but almost total recoveiy for recirculation is possible. A minimum of two job-trained operators per shift is generally required by law, but these would be able to attend several separators at almost any feed rate. 

The annualized capital cost (ACC) is the product of the CRF and TCC and represents the total instaUed equipment cost distributed over the lifetime of the project. The ACC reflects the cost associated with the initial capital outlay over the depreciable life of the system. Although investment and operating costs can be accounted for in other ways such as present-worth analysis, the capital recovery method is preferred because of its simplicity and versatUity. This is especiaUy true when comparing somewhat similar systems having different depreciable lives. In such decisions, there are usuaUy other considerations besides economic, but if all other factors are equal, the alternative with the lowest total annualized cost should be the most viable. 

Within these basic principles there are many types of electric motors. Each has its own individual operating characteristics peculiarly suited to specific drive applications. Equations (29-1) through (29-9), presented in Table 29-1, describe the general operating characteristics of alternating-current motors. When several types are suitable, selection is based on initial installed cost and operating costs (including maintenance and consideration of rehability). 

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