Department of Mining Engineering and Metallurgical Engineering

WESTERN AUSTRALIAN SCHOOL OF MINES

PROCESS ENGINEERING
PRRE4001/6003

Process Engineering 451/661 S1 2015

MODULE 1: Do-it-Yourself
Flowsheets
Why would you do it yourself?

Flowsheet

Kidd Creek Copper and Zinc Mine (Canada), www.mining-technology.com

Metallurgical flowsheets

- Visual and quantitative; static or dynamic

- Process design and plant operation

Unit Processes
1. Mixing 2 or more input streams are combined to form a single
output stream
2. Splitting an input stream is divided into 2 or more output
streams of identical composition (or size distribution, for
solids)
3. Separation an input stream is divided into 2 or more output
streams of different composition (or size distribution for
solids)
4. Reaction refers to alteration of minerals and other materials
by chemical reaction
5. Material transfer mostly involves the movement of liquids,
gases and slurries through pipes, etc.
6. Energy transfer heating, cooling, heat recovery and recycling
4

Flowsheet Features

IMPORTANT TERMS:
Input stream
Feed stream
Product and waste streams tailings, concentrate
Recycle and bypass streams
5

Flowsheet

A process flowsheet summarising the steps taken in the treatment of bauxite ore to
6
produce aluminium metal (Hayes, P. , 1993, pp 9)

Numbering Unit Processes

First: Choose the Main Flow

Second: Identify Branches

Third: Number Unit Processes to Follow Main Flow

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Fourth: Number Streams to Follow Unit Processes

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Fourth: Number Streams to Follow Unit Processes

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Tutorials First: Choose the Main Flow

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Second: Identify Branches

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Tutorials Second: Identify Branches

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Third: Number Unit Processes to Follow Main Flow

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Tutorials Third: Number Unit Processes to Follow Main Flow

Tutorials Third: Number Unit Processes to Follow Main Flow

Fourth: Number Streams to Follow Unit Processes

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Tutorials Fourth: Number Streams to Follow Unit Processes

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Tutorials Fourth: Number Streams to Follow Unit Processes

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Numbered Flowsheet

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Stream
Characteristics

Stream Information:

Species
uniquely distinguishable
material entity within a
stream
Examples:
Furnace gas: SO2, O2, CO,
CO2, N2
Slurry: water, solids
Matte: Cu2S, FeS
Note: Stream unknowns; Assignment of stream unknowns (pp 11-12)

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MASS BALANCE: Unknown Stream Flows

Streams 1 and 3 contain relationships between total flow and

species flow
Stream 4 contains similar relationship as 1 and 3; modified
Stream 2 no useful equation; contains trivial information

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MASS BALANCE: Stream Equations

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Stream Equations: Gas Volume to Mass Conversion

Moles of SO2 = 0.065 (Total Moles in Gas)

Units:
Standard Cubic Metre, Nm3 a cubic metre of ideal gas at STP (O0C and 1
atmosphere pressure)
1 mole (STP) 22.4 x 10-3 Nm3 (22.4 L)
vol % = mol% for ideal gases

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MASS BALANCE EQUATIONS

Total Mass Balance:

Mass Flow for Input Streams = Mass Flow for Output Streams

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MOLE BALANCE: Unknown Stream Flows

Mole balance: more convenient to use when stoichiometry of

species within streams is well defined or when a number of gas
streams are involved
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MOLE BALANCE: Stream Equations

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MOLE BALANCE EQUATION

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Solve Linear Equations using Matrix Inversion

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Heat Balance Equation

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Heat Balance Equation Terms

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Sensible Heat

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Heat of Reaction

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Sensible Heat

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Sensible Heat Data FREED Database

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Sensible Heat Data FREED Database

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LABELS for SENSIBLE HEAT Data

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Thermodynamic Data FREED Database

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Heat Balance Data in Excel from FREED

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Simple Maths for Flowsheets

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Need Systematic Approach to:

Set up unknowns
Find all independent equations
between them through examining:
o
o
o
o

Stream Characteristics
Mass and Mole Balances
Heat Balances
Unit Process Characteristics

Analyse each unit process separately

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Analysis of Unit Processes

Important Definitions
o Process Components
o Common Stream Variables
o Active Components

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Process Components
Stream species represent all of the physically distinguishable
elements, compounds or materials which collectively constitute a
given stream.
Process components represent the minimum number of
independently distinguishable physical entities present amongst
the species of a unit process, from which all input and output species
can be assembled, taking into account all intrinsic relationships
which exist amongst the species, such as stoichiometric linkages
and chemical reactions.
Note: A determination of the number of components for a unit process is fundamentally
important knowledge for a material balance since one independent material balance can
be written for each component within the unit process.
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Species and Components

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Common Stream Variables

Use one material balance equation for each
common stream variable assigned to the
process.
What is a common stream variable?
Note: When the flow of a species in two different streams can be
represented by the same unknown, the unknown is called a common
variable.
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Common Stream Variables in a Mixer

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Active Components
The number of components for which a
material balance equation can still be written
after the assignment of flow unknowns is the
number of active components

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Characteristic Equations for Unit

Processes
Mixers
Splitters
Separators
Reactors
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Unit Process Analysis

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MIXER

No reactions Number of components C is equal to the

number of neutral species S
C=S
Write one material balance for each Active Component
Example: Mixer material balance, pp 28

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SPLITTER

Operating Parameter: Split Fraction

SFj = 1, SF = OS-1
Write SE = Cactive(OS-1) splitter equations
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Splitter Equations

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Splitter Equations

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Splitter Analysis
C=S
Write one material balance for each Active
Component
(OS-1) independent split fractions
Create an unknown for each undefined split fraction
Write SE splitter equations where:
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SEPARATOR

Operating Parameter: Separation Coefficient

Total Independent SCs = S(OS-1)

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Independent Separation Coefficients

Independent SCs = S(OS-1) = 3(2-1)=3

SCA2 = 1

SCB2 = 0

SCC2 =0.15

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Independent Separator Equations

Write SCE independent separator equations:

Example: Cactive = 1

Equation: mC(2) = 0.15mC(1)

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Separator Analysis
C=S
Write one material balance for each Active Component
Total Independent Separation Coefficients SC = S(OS-1)
Use Common Variable for each SC = 1
Write SCE independent separator equations, where:

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REACTOR

Key Parameter:
R = Number of independent reactions
C = (SR R) + S
Write one material balance for each component
C<S
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Number of Independent Reactions

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Finding the Independent Reactions

See Appendix 4 for details

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Finding the Independent Reactions

Combine the reactions to eliminate elements not in the set:
Eliminate C
(1) (3)

CO + 2H2 CH4 + O

(1A)

Unchanged:

H 2 + O H 2O

(2)

Eliminate O
(1A) + (2)
(2) + (3A)

CO + 3H2 CH4 + H2O

CO2 + H2 CO + H2O

(1B)
(2B)

Or
(4)-(1)-2x(2)

CO2 + 4H2 CH4 + 2H2O for 1B

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Identifying Reaction Components

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Identifying Reaction Components

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Other Reaction Equations

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Example: Component Balance Method for a Reactor

Neutral Species:
N2 (S = 1)
Reaction Species:
H2, O2, H2O (SR = 3)
Independent Reactions:
H2 + 0.5O2 H2O (R = 1)
Neutral Components:
N2 (1)
Reaction Element Components:
C = (SR R) = (3-1) = 2
Example: pp 38

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So far

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Main Steps for Unit Process Analysis

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Method for Unit Process Analysis

1. Choose a mole or mass balance
2. Summarise the input/output diagram
3. Annotate the input/output diagram identify and name
streams, show known species, stream flow rates,
temperatures (if relevant pressures)
4. Analyse the unit process determine the number of unknowns,
active components, restrictions, DOF
5. Write out the equation set for the unit process component
balance equations, restriction equations, any heat balance
equation
6. Solve the equation set Matrix Inversion for linear; Solver for
non-linear
7. Summarise the final stream data
8. Verify the balances total mass balance, individual element
and neutral species balances for a mole balance within reactor
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Summarise Analysis Using Table

Example: pp 44

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Unit Process Analysis Examples

Linear Equations:
Example 1, pp 45 Gas Mixer
Example 2, pp 49 Reactor (Refine)
Example 3, pp 51- Reactor (Burner)
Non-Linear Equations:
Example 4, pp 60 Reactor (Equilibrium)
Example 5, pp 64 Reactor (Burner FT)
Heat Balance:
Example 7 Reactor (Burner FT)
Example 8 Reactor (Heat Loss)
Tutorials 7,8,9
63

Example 1 Gas Mixer

Natural gas containing 90.0% methane, 6.0% ethane and 4.0% nitrogen by mass is
mixed with normal air (79.0% N2, 21.0% O2 by volume) such that the availability of
oxygen is 15% in excess of that required to produce CO2 and H2O upon subsequent
combustion. Complete a material balance to determine (1) the appropriate flow of
air to mix with 100 kg/h of natural gas and (2) the flow rate and composition of the
mixed gas.

See Copy of EJG Flowsheeting Worksheet (Blackboard) for details

63

Example 2 Reactor (Refine)

100 tonnes of hard lead (97.5 wt% Pb, 2.5 wt% Sb) are melted in a steel
kettle and treated with 5.0 tonnes of lead oxide in an attempt to reduce the
antimony in lead. The PbO reacts with the Sb to produce a slag consisting of PbO
and Sb2O3, assaying 23.0 wt% Sb, plus a Pb-Sb alloy with negligible oxygen.
Perform a material balance to calculate the final wt% Sb in the alloy.

See Copy of EJG Flowsheeting Worksheet (Blackboard) for details

63

Example 3 Reactor (Burner)

See Copy of EJG Flowsheeting Worksheet (Blackboard) for details

63

Method for Solving Coupled Linear and Non-Linear Equations

1. Guess initial values for an appropriate number of unknowns within the linear
set to give a DOF = 0;
2. Also guess initial values for any flow unknowns present in the non-linear
equation set, which are not present in the linear equation set;
3. Use matrix inversion to provide a placeholder solution for the linear set;
4. Create placeholder solutions for each of the non-linear equations by writing
each into a separate cell from the matrix inversion calculation;
5. Initiate the solution, by selecting a cell containing a non-linear equation
placeholder solution as the Set Objective cell within Solver, with the
objective value set to the correct equation solution; others as Constraints
within Solver;
6. Finally, select all cells containing initial guesses for unknowns in the By
Changing Cells box within Solver, and use Solver to vary their values until
the Objective and all Constraints achieve their required values.

Study Example 4, pp 60 Reactor (Equilibrium)

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Example 7 Reactor (Burner FT)

Solution of Equation Set (from Example 3)

nN2 0.79NAir = 0.143
nCO2 = 6.010
2nH2O = 23.641
0.20NOffgas + 2nCO2 + nH2O 0.42NAir = 0
0.90NOffgas nN2 nCO2 nH2O = 0

(R1)
(R2)
(R3)
(R4)
(R5)

Soln
113.869
Nair
NOffGas 119.922
nN2
90.100
nCO2
6.010
nH2O

11.821

See Copy of EJG Flowsheeting Worksheet (Blackboard) for details

Do Example 8, pp 66
63

Flowsheet Analysis
Method for Flowsheet Analysis:
1. Sketch and annotate an input/output diagram for
the flowsheet
2. Analyse each unit process separately within the
flowsheet, using the established method
3. Summarise the number of unknowns, active
components, restrictions, DOF, and other
operating parameters
4. Solve the total flowsheet
5. Finally, verify the flowsheet balance (total mass
balance, element and neutral species balances)
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Simple Flowsheet Analysis Example

Hematite Reduction
Linear Equations

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Simple Flowsheet Analysis Example

A Direct Iron Reduction (DRI) plant employs hydrogen to reduce
2000 kg/h of Fe2O3 through the reaction Fe2O3(s) + 3H2(g)
3H2O(g) + 2Fe(s). The reduction gas is obtained by mixing recycle
gas with fresh gas containing 99.0% H2 and 1.0%N2 by volume.
Upon leaving the furnace, the exit gas is passed through a
condenser to remove all water vapour. A portion is then bled to
control N2 build up before being mixed with fresh furnace reduction
gas and recycled to the reactor.
Analyse and complete a material balance for the total flowsheet to
determine the %N2 entering the reactor when 8% of the gas exits
the bleed. Also determine the recycle/feed ratio necessary to
maintain a H2O/H2 ratio of 0.26 in the reactor off-gas, which is
required to ensure complete reduction of iron oxide.
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Simple Flowsheet Analysis Example

Hematite Reduction
Non-Linear Equations

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Solve Non-Linear Equations Using Solver

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Solve Non-Linear Equations Using Solver

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Solve Non-Linear Equations Using Solver

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Solve Linear Equations Separately

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Write non-linear equations in separate cells

85

Run Solver with Matrix Inversion to Solve

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Sensitivity Analysis

87

Simple Flowsheet Analysis Example

NiO Reduction
mole and heat balance

88

NiO Reduction with Hydrogen

Mole and Heat Balance
Basis 1 kg mol NiO
89

Flowsheet Annotation
Solve mole and heat balances
to find T, T4 and all flows.
Basis 1 kg mol NiO
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5 linear equations, 3 non-linear heat balances

96

Solve Linear Equations with Matrix Inversion

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Thermodynamic Table

100

Heat Balance
Fluid Bed
Reactor

101

Heat Balance
Fluid Bed
Reactor
1 Equation
4 Unknowns
nH2, nH2(5), T, T4

102

Placeholder Heat Balance Solution

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