Flowsheeting

Lab Report
Complex Flow sheeting on Aspen plus

1: Cyclohexane Production:
Objective:
 Successfully make a basic flowsheet simulation.
 Recognize the way of making a process simulation in Aspen plus.
Problem statement:
Design a process simulation for cyclohexane production.
Theory:
Cyclohexane is a relatively stable cycloalkane, present in crude oils in concentrations of 0.1–
1.0%. This cycloparaffin is a colorless, flammable liquid, widely used as an intermediate in
nylon manufacturing. On a commercial scale, cyclohexane production is almost entirely based on
the catalytic hydrogenation of benzene, which can be conducted in the liquid or vapor phase in
the presence of hydrogen.Most of the benzene feed is converted in this step. The top gaseous
product stream is directed to a fixed-bed reactor, where the remaining benzene content is
converted to cyclohexane. The finishing hydrogenation reaction is conducted in the presence of a
solid nickel-based catalyst supported on alumina.
Hydrogen recovery: The product stream is fed to a knock-out drum operated at high pressure.
Most of the cyclohexane in the feed condenses, producing two streams: one gaseous hydrogen-
rich stream and a liquid cyclohexane-rich stream. The hydrogen stream is routed to the recycle
compressor, where it is compressed to the pressure of the primary reactor and recycled.
Purification: In a distillation column, the liquid cyclohexane-rich stream that is recovered is

stripped of lighter contaminants, such as methane, ethane and soluble hydrogen. Light-ends
recovered from column’s top are used for fuel, while a cyclohexane stream with a residual
benzene content lower than 100 ppm is obtained from column’s bottom.
Component Selection:
Property Method:
Simulation (Flow sheet):

Stream results:
Conclusion:
Cyclohexane production process is gaining importance and so the process needs to be studied
and better ideas suggested that the production cost is reduced. We can easily calculate the
complete properties like mass/mole flow, energy/heat duty, composition of multiple equipment
by using aspen plus in few minutes or hours.
2: Cumene Production:
Objective:
 Successfully make a basic flowsheet simulation.
 Recognize the way of making a process simulation in Aspen plus.
Problem statement:
Design a process simulation for cumene production.
Theory:
Cumene production process is gaining importance and so the process needs to be studied and
better ideas suggested that the production cost is reduced. With the advent of computers and
simulating software like ASPEN PLUS, it is possible to design and optimize a particular process.
Proper design can significantly reduce the production cost as well as provide make the process
safe and reduce environmental hazards. It has been identified from previous research papers that
the cost of the materials used is much higher than the cost of energy needed for the process
In the present study, the materials, unit operations and processes involved are identified. Steady
state simulation is done in the present study. Each unit is taken into consideration and the various
variables are optimized. The units are sequentially optimized in the order in which they appear in
the rough flow sheet. Use of newer equipments in the process is also suggested.
The reactor system is optimized by an equilibrium-based approach which gives the operating
temperature as 36℃ and a benzene to propylene ratio in the feed should be 6. The distillation
columns were also optimized and the number of trays for benzene column was found to be 20 by
8 and that for cumene column to be 20 by 10. The reflux ratio values were found to be 0.5 and
0.8 respectively for the columns. The optimized temperature for flashing was identified as
92.5℃. The modified flowsheet of the optimized process is prepared which gives the values of
all the optimized variables in details.
Component Selection:
 BENZENE
 PROPANE
 PROPYLENE
 ISOPROPYLBENZENE
 P-DIISOPROPYLBENZENE
Property Method:
Simulation (Flow sheet):

Stream results:
Material
Stream Name Units H1-OUT R1-OUT EX1-OUT
Description
From B4 B5 B3
To B5 B3 B4
Stream Class CONVEN CONVEN CONVEN
Maximum Relative
Error
Cost Flow $/hr
MIXED Substream
Phase Vapor Phase Vapor Phase Vapor Phase
Temperature C 345 390.000308 330
Pressure bar 25 25 25
Molar Vapor Fraction 1 1 1
Molar Liquid Fraction 0 0 0
Molar Solid Fraction 0 0 0
Mass Vapor Fraction 1 1 1
Mass Liquid Fraction 0 0 0
Mass Solid Fraction 0 0 0
Molar Enthalpy cal/mol 8283.33523 8022.016989 7805.756312
Mass Enthalpy cal/gm 151.6534609 129.9311802 142.9098216
Molar Entropy cal/mol- - - -32.01750471
K 31.23540922 36.21432058
Mass Entropy cal/gm- - -0.5865569 -0.586184823
K 0.571866015
Molar Density mol/cc 0.000486428 0.00045342 0.000498526
Mass Density gm/cc 0.026568791 0.027994387 0.027229542
Enthalpy Flow cal/sec 726517.5275 622453.8446 684629.8765
Average MW 54.62015295 61.74050737 54.62015295
Mole Flows kmol/hr 315.75 279.3354643 315.75
B kmol/hr 104.2 68.06465497 104.2
C3 kmol/hr 101.55 101.55 101.55
C3-2 kmol/hr 110 73.58546432 110
CU kmol/hr 0 35.85615438 0
P kmol/hr 0 0.279190652 0
Mole Fractions
B 0.330007918 0.243666357 0.330007918
C3 0.321615202 0.363541379 0.321615202
C3-2 0.34837688 0.26343044 0.34837688
CU 0 0.128362342 0
P 0 0.000999482 0
Mass Flows kg/hr 17246.31329 17246.31329 17246.31329
B kg/hr 8139.441288 5316.777955 8139.441288
C3 kg/hr 4478.001606 4478.001606 4478.001606
C3-2 kg/hr 4628.8704 3096.523433 4628.8704
CU kg/hr 0 4309.704659 0
P kg/hr 0 45.30564069 0
Mass Fractions
B 0.471952536 0.308284899 0.471952536
C3 0.259649789 0.259649789 0.259649789
C3-2 0.268397676 0.179546978 0.268397676
CU 0 0.249891359 0
P 0 0.002626975 0
Volume Flow l/min 10818.654 10267.72082 10556.12903
Vapor Phase
Molar Enthalpy cal/mol 8283.33523 8022.016989 7805.756312
Mass Enthalpy cal/gm 151.6534609 129.9311802 142.9098216
Molar Entropy cal/mol- - - -32.01750471
K 31.23540922 36.21432058
Mass Entropy cal/gm- - -0.5865569 -0.586184823
K 0.571866015
Molar Density mol/cc 0.000486428 0.00045342 0.000498526
Mass Density gm/cc 0.026568791 0.027994387 0.027229542
Enthalpy Flow cal/sec 726517.5275 622453.8445 684629.8765
Average MW 54.62015295 61.74050737 54.62015295
Mole Flows kmol/hr 315.75 279.3354643 315.75
B kmol/hr 104.2 68.06465497 104.2
C3 kmol/hr 101.55 101.55 101.55
C3-2 kmol/hr 110 73.58546432 110
CU kmol/hr 0 35.85615438 0
P kmol/hr 0 0.279190652 0
Mole Fractions
B 0.330007918 0.243666357 0.330007918
C3 0.321615202 0.363541379 0.321615202
C3-2 0.34837688 0.26343044 0.34837688
CU 0 0.128362342 0
P 0 0.000999482 0
Mass Flows kg/hr 17246.31329 17246.31329 17246.31329
B kg/hr 8139.441288 5316.777955 8139.441288
C3 kg/hr 4478.001606 4478.001606 4478.001606
C3-2 kg/hr 4628.8704 3096.523433 4628.8704
CU kg/hr 0 4309.704659 0
P kg/hr 0 45.30564069 0
Mass Fractions
B 0.471952536 0.308284899 0.471952536
Conclusion:
Cumene production process is gaining importance and so the process needs to be studied and
better ideas suggested that the production cost is reduced. We can easily calculate the complete
properties like mass/mole flow, energy/heat duty, composition of multiple equipment.

Flowsheeting

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Lab Report

Complex Flow sheeting on Aspen plus

Purification: In a distillation column, the liquid cyclohexane-rich stream that is recovered is

Simulation (Flow sheet):

Simulation (Flow sheet):

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