Unit_Operations.pptVIP

Unit Operations and Unit Process Equipment Lets look at the overall process flow of a modern oil refinery: The overall process is broken down into individual subsets: With their own flow arrangement: We notice….. The number of individual processes is large, each one can be broken down into a series of steps that appear in process after process The individual “steps” have common techniques and are based upon the same scientific principles Fluid dynamics: a study of the behaviour of fluids In Chemical processes fluid streams flow from one process to another through pipes and ducts. Process fluids are moved by pumps and compressors Fluid flowrates must be monitored by meters and are controlled by valves. Heat Transfer: process fluids may need to be heated up to a certain temperature heat from a process stream may be recovered This can be done by contacting two streams in a heat exchanger. Evaporation: A special case of heat transfer, where a phase change takes place. Concentrate a solution consisting of a nonvolatile solute and a volatile solvent The volatile solute evaporates leaving a more concentrated solution. Humidification: Transfer of material between a pure liquid phase and a fixed gas phase that is nearly insoluble in the liquid Example: Water vapour is added to a air, cooling tower to decrease water temperature Gas absorption Also known as stripping or desorption a mass transfer operation A soluble vapour is absorbed from its mixture with an inert gas by means of a liquid in which the solute gas is more soluble. Example: the removal of CO2 and H2S from natural gas or syngas by adsorption into amines or alkaline salts Leaching or Liquid extraction Solid extraction involves the dissolving of soluble matter from its mixture with an insoluble solid Liquid extraction is the separation of two miscible liquids by the use of a solvent that preferentially dissolves one of them. LE an alternative to distillation for difficult separations Example: penicillin is