The Challenge

• The company was installing two new multi-product reactor facilities to operate 4 processes
• It was envisaged that the facility would be used in the future for further processes and toll manufacture
• Extensive operating range was required: steam heating, water cooling and glycol-chilling systems
• The company elected to use simulation to assist the design process

Approach

• Accurate models of heat-transfer and control systems for each reactor were developed from manufacturers’ specifications.
• Each chemical system was modelled in terms of chemistry, kinetics, thermodynamics and physical properties.
• Chemical and reactor models were combined to produce process models for simulation study.
• Simulations of the proposed operating conditions for each process were analysed in terms of heat transfer, operability and control actions
• The simulations also allowed the performance of each process to be assessed with a view to reducing batch time.

Customer Benefits:

• Our work provided a clear insight into the range of processes that might be successfully and safely operated in the planned facility
• Our work also provided a method for rapid and accurate assessment of any process submitted for toll contract work.

Time needed:

• Kinetic modelling of the four planned processes was completed in 4 days.
• Models of the production processes were completed in a further 3 days
• 25+ further scenarios for heat transfer loadings were modelled and simulated rapidly to give a working guideline of future processes that may be safely operated.

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