Chemical Engineering October 2015 - 27

Engineering's AspenPlus simulation
software, along with Aspen Energy
Analyzer (Figure 2), to minimize the
energy consumed. " From the energy
analysis, sixty potential energysaving
ideas were generated. Based
upon the operational feasibility, commercial
validity and available plant
space, twenty of these ideas were
selected for operational analysis, "
she says. " Application of the selected
ideas resulted in a reduction
in plant energy consumption of 3 to
4%, which provided an estimated
profit of $10 million. "
Among the tools offered for integration
with aspenONE Engineering
and Aspen Plus for modeling and
simulation are Aspen Energy Analyzer,
Aspen Economic Evaluation,
Aspen Equipment Design and rating
and Aspen Basic Engineering.
Computational fluid dynamics
Often, CFD simulations are used for
design and engineering of products
and equipment, but also are now
commonly being specialized for and
employed by chemical processors to
solve problems involving flow of fluids
or solids, heat transfer and stress
within the process, according to
ravindra Aglave, director of chemical
processing with CD-adapco (Melville,
N.y.; www.cd-adapco.com), which
provides STAr-CCM+ engineering
simulation products (Figure 3).
Ed Fontes, chief technology officer
with Comsol (Boston, Mass.;
www.comsol.com) agrees. " The
first benefit this type of software
provides is a quick understanding
of the process, " he says. " Without
simulation, you would need to run
a variety of time-consuming experiments
just to find out how the process
truly operates.
" Once you have the model that
describes the true reality, the next
step is to use that model in combination
with experiments to get
the actual parameters from the
process, including things like mixing
properties or transport properties, "
he explains. " Once you have
those, you can begin to experiment
using parameters that are outside
of these actual conditions and see
if you can optimize the equipment.
Perhaps you can design a reactor
with a different shape that will enhance
the process based upon the
models and conditions you've created, "
he says.
" using simulation in this way allows
equipment to be optimized for
specific conditions in the real process, "
he says. " It is no longer just
for general design purposes. "
Because chemical processors are
constantly challenged with improving
their processes and, therefore,
their equipment, Comsol now offers
packages specifically tailored for
chemical engineers within its Multiphysics
Software Product Suite.
Among them is the CFD Module,
which is a platform for simulating devices
and systems that involve fluid
flow models. The Chemical reaction
Engineering Module models mass
and energy balances and chemical
reactors to help optimize chemical
reactors, filtration equipment, mixers
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27
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Chemical Engineering October 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Chemical Engineering October 2015
