Achieve the best algal fuel design with process simulation

Today's blog post on Biofuel is the fourth in a series of post by Alevinia Wang, an intern at Invensys. Alevinia studied biofuels at Washington State University.

Process Simulation: 

An Essential Tool for the Algal Fuel Industry

         

Model simulation of chemical engineering processes begins with an initial flowsheet. This flowsheet represents, in simple terms, the fundamental steps required to go from raw material to end product. Flow-sheets will, in theory, lead to a workable, but typically inefficient system. The difference between simply a workable system and a fully optimized one is where modeling comes into play. In order to achieve a properly optimized system an accurate virtual representation (a numerical model) is needed.

Modeling allows the level of complexity of the initial flow-sheet to be greatly expanded in an efficient manner. Expanding upon the initial flow-sheet allows for the introduction of additional variables that that will not only be analyzed, but will also be optimized.

For model outputs to be accurate, input data and model parameters must have a strong correlation with actual plant data. To acquire actual plant data and analyze its correlation to model data requires additional effort but this effort more than pays for itself. Modeling not only provides accurate estimates of plant costs but can provide solutions to controlling and reducing capital and operating expenditures.

There are hundreds, or even thousands, of variables functioning within a highly developed systematic production flowsheet that can all be quickly altered so that the model provides the most mathematically efficient plant operation.

The output of some models is very sensitive to even minor alterations to key variables. Specifically, in petroleum/ bio-fuel engineering simulations, temperature, pressure, and flow rate are crucial variables which, with minor alteration, can drastically alter model output. Taking advantage of parametric sweeping in PRO/II in conjunction with other compatible programming, a sensitivity analysis of objective parameters can be identified and determined. Then, optimizer in PRO/II assists with multiple variable optimization, expediting the best options modern programs can achieve. Particularly, in alga-fuel production, the composition of biomass feedstock is subject to time dependence due to the intensity of daytime and nighttime photosynthesis or even seasonal changes. Under such circumstances, system robustness would need to be taken into consideration.

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About PRO/II: PRO/II is the major product in the Process Engineering Suite (PES). This process simulation software optimizes plant performance by improving process design, operational analysis, and performing engineering studies. It is designed to perform rigorous heat and material balance calculations for a wide range of chemical processes. PRO/II allows users to evaluate the use of heat integration with case studies, rigorously evaluate process improvements with the help of a process flow diagram (PFD), or model crude distillation units. PRO/II offers a wide variety of thermodynamic models to virtually every industry and is incredibly cost effective, decreasing both capital and operating costs.

Technical Support: As always, feel free to reach out to your local technical support team for more information.