You are encouraged to use photos/drawings/graphs to illustrate data etc. Suitable use of these will count positively when your supervisor marks the assignment.
List references used at the end of your assignment, with an indication in the text (e.g. Ref. 1; or Reay et al, 2013). Similarly, web sites should be referenced in full and the access date given.
Read the questions carefully before answering them.
1. (a) Compact heat exchangers (CHEs) were among the first unit operations to be classified as ‘intensified'.
Describe the Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) and its merits and potential uses.
Where/when would you not use a CHE of any type, and why not? What alternatives would you consider in such cases?
DISCUSS how additive manufacturing might be used to make compact heat exchangers that are a challenge using ‘conventional' procedures. Give two examples.
(b) A chemical plant equipped with conventional exchangers is planning to upgrade its facilities to increase production capacity. The operators of the plant intend to use CHEs instead of conventional heat exchangers, and they expect that the flow rate of the working fluids in the heat exchanger will significantly increase after upgrading. If you are an engineer who is responsible for designing the new CHEs, what data / information will you need from the plant?
Give a brief explanation of why each piece of information is needed.
Describe briefly the procedure you will use for the design of the CHE.
2. (a) Discuss the ways in which process intensification could lead to energy savings/reductions in CO2 emissions.
NOTE: I expect you to base your answer upon data from papers, the additional literature on Blackboard/Vision, and web-based information (from reputable sources). Using only the data in the module document will result in a MAXIMUM MARK of 3.
(b) List three process intensification technologies and their applications outside the module document.
3. Separations (distillation, evaporation and drying) are major energy-consuming unit operations in sectors such as chemicals, food and drink etc.
Select three applications (one in distillation, one in evaporation and one involving drying) where separations are important and energy-intensive. Then for each, select an 'active' intensification method for improving it. For drying, I would expect you to choose an electrical enhancement technique.
Discuss the separation, the process intensification challenge, and the way in which you will carry out PI, in each case.
4. Based upon the steps outlined in Section 7.7.1 of the module documentation, select a process, possibly one in an industry with which you are familiar, or in a unit operation of interest to you. (NOTE: It need not be a chemical process if you are not a chemical engineer - email your tutor if you need suggestions).
Then discuss in detail the steps involved in the PI methodology, leading to the selection of a PI unit. Appropriate illustrations will gain extra marks.