Value simulation and chemical processes

economic performance simulator using HYSYS

Abstract
Getting relationships to determine the optimal capacity of the chemical or petrochemical installations
in order to maximize profit. To obtain results Aspen HYSYS will be used simulatoul aspen V.8.3- one.
It will seek to obtain function - net profit - the process by varying the flow of raw material. For each
process will determine the optimal capacity corresponding maximum profit. These solutions will be
correlated in order to obtain empirical relationships aprovimativ valid for classes of processes
studied. As a result it turns simulates a series of processes.

The process of obtaining biodiesel processes of esterification and transesterification

Biodiesel term was coined originally to describe unmodified vegetable oils or alkyl ester derivatives of
vegetable oils or animal fats that could replace diesel. However, most oils and fats bioderivate can
not be used directly in place of diesel fuel, due to their high viscosity and propensity to incomplete
combustion and coking. Thus, the term is used to describe diesel substitutes consisting of alkyl
esters of fatty acids prepared from lipid raw materials such as vegetable oils and animal fats.
Compared with diesel, biodiesel - modern, (which is made up of smaller molecular species) shows no
big problems in terms of viscosity and can be burned more easily, reducing the problems of
combustion and formation of gums. In addition, Biodiesel - can be used in diesel engines without
engine modification, with an efficiency comparable to that of diesel.
Two of the biggest advantages of Biodiesel are the provenance of renewable and non-aggressive
character towards the environment. Synthesis Biodieselu of biomass provides a method of producing
transport fuel is biodegradable and provides a way to reduce emissions of carbon monoxide, thus
greatly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Biodiesel shows some features that make it much better
than traditional diesel: higher cetane number, no flavor, almost no sulfur, and oxygen mass content of
10-11%.
Although in the world there are commercial processes for converting vegetable oils and animal fats
into biodiesel, these processes are not very competitive in terms of cost of current technologies for
production of diesel from crude oil. Consequently, current trends aimed at developing technologies
for biodiesel production with high productivity (preferably continuous) using catalysts efficient and
flexible, able to process a wide range of raw materials that can tolerate high levels of impurities
(possibly heterogeneous catalysts) .

Synthesis reactions
Esterification
The esterification (FIG. 1) involves the reaction of free fatty acid with an alcohol (typically a low
molecular weight alcohol, such as MeOH, EtOH, PrOH, BuOH) to produce an alkyl ester (biodiesel)
and water. To increase the reaction rate can be used both acidic and basic catalysts. However, basic
catalysts can be used only at high temperatures (soap formation leads to deactivation). Typically,
acid catalysts such as sulfuric acid, are used to carry out the esterification reaction in mild conditions.

Fig. 1 Esterification reaction of fatty acids with methanol

Transesterification
The reaction of transesterification shown in Fig. 2, involving triglycerides (TG) that react with an
alcohol (usually alcohols are used simply linear such as MeOH, EtOH, PrOH and BuOH) to form
glycerol and mono alkyl esters which are biodiesel fuel. In the reaction, the TG molecule reacts with
three molecules of alcohol in a row in the presence of a catalyst (acid or base) to produce a first
diglyceride (DG), and a monoglyceride (MG), and finally glycerol (GL) and three molecules
monoester. All steps are reversible equilibrium reaction net, favoring the formation of reaction
products. The reaction can either use an alkaline catalyst or one acid, alkaline catalysts are preferred
because they give a higher reaction rate moderate reaction conditions.

Fig.2 Transesterification reaction of triglycerides with methanol

RAW MATERIALS
-Vegetable oils and animal fatsFats and oils are chemically equivalent; their differences come from variations in fatty acid
composition modules. Fats have a higher content of saturated fatty acids as training units, while
unsaturated oils have more units. The largest amount of Biodiesel is produced in batch reactors.
Currently, most production facilities are located in Europe continue where demand for biodiesel is
higher.

Table 1 The composition of vegetable oils and fats feature common animals.
Fatty acid composition, %gr
Long C (nr.=
links)
Rapeseed oil
Crude olive oil

Myristic

Palmitic

Palmitol
eic

Stearic

Oleic

Linoleic

Linolenic

14:00

16:00

16:01

18:00

18:01

18:02

18:03

0,8

0,9
3,4

64,4
80,4

22,3
4,5

8,2
0,6

3,5
9,2

Sat.
(%)

4,4
12,6

Sunflower oil
6,1
3,3
16,9
73,7
9,4
Soybean oil
0,1
10,6
4,8
22,5
52,3
8,2
15,5
Palm oil
35,0
7,0
44,0
14,0
42,0
Fat white
23,3
3,5
11,0
47,1
11
1,0
37,8
Poultry fat
22,2
8,4
5,1
42,3
19,3
1,0
35,7
Lard
1,7
17,3
1,9
15,6
42,5
9,2
0,4
34,6
Tallow
4,8
28,4
14,8
44,6
2,7
52,0
Yellow fat
2,4
23,2
3,8
13,0
44,3
7,0
0,7
38,6
(Tallow)
Brown Fat
1,7
22,8
3,1
12,5
42,4
12,1
0,8
37,0
Some continuous processes for the production of biodiesel - site have been described in the
literature. The production of biodiesel is expected to skyrocket in the near future due to current
companies that deliver long-term conventional hydrocarbon fuels and increasing demand for
renewable fuels. Significant production of Biodiesel is obtained only by using a continuous flow
processing.
Although continuous flow production facilities can obtain larger amounts of Biodiesel throughput and
are cheaper as investment, batch plants are cheaper to build and can be easily adapted to change.
However, the current trend is for building manufacturing facilities continue, with higher production
capacities and lower operating costs, in line with current demand for biodiesel.

The process for obtaining biodiesel basic

catalyst
In this study we chose obtain base-catalyzed biodiesel. At present, biodiesel - the commercially
available since it is largely produced by base-catalyzed processes such as NaOH, due to its low cost.
A particular advantage of the use of alkali catalysts is that they ensure high-speed response. In
general, alkali-catalyzed processes occurring at low pressures and temperatures (60-65C and 1.4 to
4.2 bar) catalysts with low concentrations (0.5-2 %gr). In Table 2 are presented the typical reaction
conditions for alkali-catalyzed transesterification process.
Table 2 Typical reaction conditions for the synthesis of biodiesel using alkaline homogeneous
catalysis
Synthesis of biodiesel catalyzed by bases
Raw materials

Mixtures of triglycerides with low FFA

content (<0.5%), eg., Refined vegetable
oil + anhydrous alcohol (usually
methanol)

Oil molar ratio alcohol

6:1

Temperature

60-65C

Pressure

1,4-4,1 bar

Catalyst

NaOH

Catalyst concentration (%gr relative to 0,5-2%gr

the oil)
Conversions 95% can be expected after 1 h of reaction
Even for a potential producer of base-catalyzed process appears to be acceptable for performance
and economically feasible, it suffers from a major restriction: can only be used refined oils and fats
pretreated with low concentrations of free fatty acids. Free fatty acids can react with soaps generating
basic catalysts (alkali salts of fatty acids) (Fig. 4). This soap cause the formation of emulsions, which
complicates the process of separating glycerine / esters and subsequent purifications. Water also
contributes to the production of soap because it can react with the mono ester product to form free
fatty acids (Fig. 4b).

Figure 4. a) The reaction of free fatty acids basic catalyst to produce soap and water, undesirable byproducts
b) hydrolysis of the ester from the reactions with water, forming free fatty acid
For these reasons, ideally, the raw material used in the transesterification catalyzed oily base must
not exceed 0.5% weight content of free fatty acid and both alcohol and catalyst must be Anhydrous.
Otherwise, production yields are affected in proportion and major operating problems. In Fig. 5 shows
a simplified block diagram of the technological process for a typical process for producing Biodiesel
using basic catalysts.

Figure 5. Simplified block diagram of obtaining base-catalyzed biodiesel

The alcohol, the catalyst and the oil were combined in a stirred reactor where it is stirred for one hour
at 600C. Small capacity plants generally use descontinue reactors, but most large capacity plants
(more than 4 million liters / year) using continuous processes - mixing autoclave or tubular reactors.
After reaction, glycerin is separated from the methyl esters. Due to the low solubility of glycerol
esters, separation is generally faster and can be performed with a decanter or a centrifuge. Excess
methanol tends to act as agent miscibilizare and slow separation. However, this excess is not
separated from the reaction product until it separates glycerin methyl ester transesterification due to
reversible reaction.
The crude biodiesel is initially purified by thorough washing phase with water or by neutralizing the
acid with a polyprotic mineral acid to remove basic catalyst residues. Further, in a settling tank are
separate an aqueous phase precipitates of salt and Biodiesel. Finally, Biodiesel - is distilled in high
vacuum at moderate temperatures (approx. 190-270C) to be in accordance with ASTM
specifications (or 99.6% pure).

Experimental installation
In the following was analyzed Biodiesel production plant in HYSYS process simulator.

Description of the experimental setup. For biodiesel production plant consists of:
- Mixed - in which methanol is fed with NaOH catalyst.
- Reactor -where with a pump and a heat exchanger are added three system components (triolein,
methanol and catalyst).
- Rectificare- column in which is the reaction product to remove excess unreacted methanol which is
then recycled.
- Extractie- column in which water is added to the reaction-product extraction gricerina.
- Splitter - which separates the upper and lower catalyst exits the reaction product.
- The rectification column - which separates the main product of triolein in excess biodiesel.

The catalyst with 50% glycerol was added to a mixer where the mixture obtained passes in a reactor
in which energisation H3PO4. This reactor is separate upper and lower methanol 85% crude glycerin.
The working - consisted of the following steps:
- Analysis of simulation facility for obtaining's biodieselu with HYSYS simulator and literature data.
- Economic evaluation process using Aspen HYSYS program economic analysis and economic data
V 8.3 Market raw material and product.
The process of maximizing capacity was achieved by increasing the feed rate continues up to 25% of
the initial flow. After each step of increasing the production capacity of the plant, economic evaluation
was performed using Aspen HYSYS evaluator V 8.3.

ACTIVATION OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS ASPEN

HYSYS simulator V 8.3
Enabling economic analysis is the latest innovation made by those from Aspen Tech for efficient
industrial processes. Also used for Optimization of energy costs without the use of other economic
calculation programs (eg ICARUS). Enabling economic analysis is a concept left in version 8.0 of the
simulation program Aspen Plus or Aspen HYSYS. With economic analysis is now possible to run
additional cost evaluation during the realization process model using Aspen HYSYS and Aspen Plus.
With activated economic analysis with simulation while adapting analysis is done each time the
model is changed. They allow the user to observe immediate impact design changes to achieve a
simulation as fast and efficient.Enabling Economic analysis provides insight into process engineers
operating and capital costs associated with their models during the design process.Using Economic
Analysis during design, process engineers have the knowledge to their cost models before sending
them to other departments for a detailed analysis - thus minimizing time spent on simulation of
expensive equipment and inefficient. Enabling economic analysis is Aspen Process Economic
Analyzer using to generate the estimated capital cost of utilities and with continued simulation
processes.

Presentation evaluation results and their

interpretation
Evaluation results can be presented in the form of reports, but in this case took the form of graphics
and comparisons. The most important aspect of an economic industrial investment, is the profit
obtained after their installation. In this case, the gross profit is calculated as follows:
PB = Incomes - Construction Cost * 0,1 - Operating Cost - Cost Utilities Cost Raw Material
When determining profit remained the same cost of acquisition of raw meter of $ 5.91 / kg and the
same final product sale price of $ 1.5 / kg. Graphical representation of profit is shown in figure below.

From the graphical representation shows that the optimal profit production capacity is 10529 tons /
year. At this value of the production capacity is achieved a profit of $ 1.69 million / year biodiesel
plant for obtaining presented.

References
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