Notes on SuperPro Designer Lecture

Overview

• SuperPro Designer is a software package for simulating processes and setting up complete plans.
• Not educational software, but implemented in study courses.
• Goal: Students build a company using SuperPro Designer in one semester.
• Complexity: Software can be challenging to learn.

Target Audience

• Tailored for students in Bioengineering (Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology, 5th semester).

First Example: Simple Process Setup

• Objective: Learn the software by setting up a basic unit.
• Example Process: Neutralization of acetic acid with sodium carbonate.
  • Reactants: 20 units acetic acid, 15 units sodium carbonate.
  • Products: Sodium acetate, carbon dioxide, and water.

Initial Steps in SuperPro Designer

1. Start a New Process File: Choose to start a new process file.
2. Select Process Operation Mode: Most will be batch processes; continuous processes for plants like wastewater treatment.
3. Register Components:
   • Input pure components into the software.
   • Components database accessed: acetic acid, sodium carbonate, sodium acetate, carbon dioxide.
4. Registration Issues:
   • Missing physical properties (e.g., eccentric factor, heat capacity).
   • Register components but verify physical properties (not critical for basic setups).

Process Design Steps

• Add Unit Operations: Batch vessel procedure.
• Add Streams: Initialize streams for reactants and products.
  • Example: Stream 101 for acetic acid and water; Stream 102 for sodium carbonate and water.
• Initialize Streams:
  • Set mass flow rates and composition (e.g., 20% acetic acid, 80% water).

Operations Setup

• Vessel Operations: Right-click on the vessel to add/remove operations.
• Charge Operations: Required for each reactant.
• Reaction Operations: Set to stoichiometric reactions for neutralization.
• Transfer Out Operation: To remove products post-reaction.

Mass and Energy Balances

• Perform mass and energy balances to ensure proper setup.
• Handle errors in setup by checking ports, streams, and operations.
• Example Error: Invalid port usage leading to mass balance failure.

Equipment Content Analysis

• Track contents during the process to adjust operations.
• Evaluate pressure conditions to ensure safety (e.g., high pressure from produced CO2).
• Implement venting to manage pressure during the reaction.

Refining the Process

• Adjusting Mass Flows: Ensure complete neutralization by calculating required inputs based on stoichiometry.
• Use of Stock Mixtures: Instead of pure components, register and use stock mixtures for acetic acid and sodium carbonate.
• Error Handling: Ensure all streams and operations are correctly re-associated after changes.

Labeling and Visualization

• Add descriptive labels for streams and units to enhance clarity.
• Apply styles to visualize flow rates and compositions efficiently.

Conclusion

• The first part of the example focused on setting up a neutralization process using SuperPro Designer.
• Students encouraged to practice the setup independently to enhance learning.
• Next video will cover economic aspects of the process.