1. Introduction to Chemical Process Design

2. Process Design Basics
A chemical process can be defined as a set of unit operations that are needed in a manufacturing or processing facility.
The design process involves determining what equipment is needed to accomplish a set of processing objectives and the associated cost of purchasing and operating the equipment.

3. Process Design Basics
Chemical process design requires knowledge and integration of various areas of study including:
Material Balances
Energy Balances
Thermodynamic Data and Correlations
Kinetic Data & Reactor Design
Fluid Mechanics
Heat Transfer
Mass Transfer
Staged Separations
Process Control
Material Science
Engineering Economics

4. Process Design Basics
Process simulators such as Aspen Plus and Hysys are tools which can be used to help design the chemical process.
Not all process equipment can be designed with the simulator. It is likely that some aspects of the process design will require information from the literature.

5. Common Process Equipment
Pumps
Compressors and Turbines
Heat Exchangers and Interchangers
Furnaces / Fired Heaters
Process Vessels
Reactors
Packed Bed
Stirred Tanks
Fluid Beds
Columns
Distillation
Absorption & Stripping
Extraction
Storage Tanks

6. Conceiving and Defining a Project
Understand the processes under consideration
Literature review
Define Conditions and Capacities
Project statement
Use common sense, intuition and previous experience where possible

7. Basic Steps in the Feasibility Evaluation of a Process Design
Develop the conceptual flowsheet for the process to be developed including production rate required.
Design the individual equipment required to operate the process including mass and energy balances.
Calculate the capital and operational investment needed to build and run the plant.
Perform an economic analysis and calculate the return on investment.
Compare the rate of return (ROR) on the investment with other investment options
Perform a sensitivity analysis of key economic parameters