Simulation of Drying Nonaqueous Systems- An Application of Simprosys Software

ZHEN-XIANG GONG

Simprotek Corporation, 7375 Rollingdell r!, S"ite #$, C"pertino, Cali%ornia, &SA '5($#
AR&N S! )&*&) AR

epartment o% )e+,ani+al Engineering - )ineral, )etal - )aterial. /e+,nolog0 Centre 1 )3/C2 , National &ni3er.it0 o% Singapore, ' Engineering ri3e $, Singapore $$7574 ABSTRACT Drying software, Simprosys, for nonaqueous systems is described briefly and applied to a case study. A closed-loop ethanol-nitrogen drying system is modeled with Simprosys 2.1. Simulation results including a parametric e aluation are presented and discussed. !ey words and phrases" Dryer Design# Drying Simulation# $thanol-Nitrogen Drying# Simprosys# %sychrometrics INTRODUCTION Drying of materials containing organic sol ents or liquids is frequently encountered in the pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries. &ased on the flash point of the organic liquid in ol ed, either air or an inert gas can be used as the drying medium. 'or an organic liquid that has a high flash or burning point air can be used. (owe er, an inert gas such as nitrogen has to be used for organic liquid of low burning point to pre ent possible e)plosion. *n some instances it may be possible to use flue gases with low o)ygen content or superheated steam or ery high humidity air to lower o)ygen concentration below the flash point of the nonaqueous sol ent +or sol ent mi)ture,. -iterature search leads to ery limited effort de oted to drying of nonaqueous systems. (andboo.s by /u0umdar 112 and %erry 122 contain only a few psychrometric charts for nonaqueous systems. 3ith these charts users must use a ruler to measure and read data on the charts and then plug the data into their calculations. *t is ob iously inadequate for engineers and uni ersity students to do their drying calculations this way in this electronic age. Simprosys, a 3indows-based software pac.age, de eloped by Simprote. 4orporation +www.simprote..com,, pro ides an integrated, powerful, yet highly user-friendly, contemporary tool for the design and simulation of dryer flowsheet as well as drying systems not only for aqueous, but also for the commonly encountered

nonaqueous drying systems. Since the release of its first ersion for 3ater-Air drying systems +5ong 162,, Simprosys has been de eloped into its ad anced ersion 2.1 to handle ele en additional other nonaqueous drying systems. 7he ele en other nonaqueous drying systems include" $thanol-Air, $thanol-Nitrogen, 4arbon 7etrachloride-Air, &en8ene-Air, 7oluene-Air, Acetone-Nitrogen, /ethanolNitrogen, N-%ropanol-Nitrogen, *sopropanol-Nitrogen, N-&utanol-Nitrogen and *sobutanol-Nitrogen. 'or the most common Air-3ater system, Simprosys 2.1 supports 19 unit operations +5ong and /u0umdar 1:2,. 'or its other ele en nonaqueous drying systems, Simprosys 2.1 supports 1; unit operations + i8 solids dryer, cyclone, air filter, bag filter, electro-static precipitator, scrubber<condenser, fan<blower, compressor, al e, heater, cooler, heat e)changer, mi)er, tee and pump, and a logical unit operation, recycle. 'or information about software or programs applicable to drying please refer to 5ong and /u0umdar 1:2, !emp 1;2, !emp et al. 1=2 and /enshatina and !udra 1>2. *t is worthwhile a mention that a software pac.age called DryS%$42 +D?@er System for %roperty and $nergy 4ontrol,, de eloped by N*AB food research +7he Netherlands,, is a ailable for modeling spray dryers +Straatsma et al. 1C2, Derdurmen, et al. 192,. Another effort worthwhile to mention is the application of /icrosoft $)cel combined with Disual &asic used to model and simulate dryer designs +/aroulis et al. 11E2,. *n the following sections a brief introduction is pro ided for the reader to understand the basic principles and application of this unique software. PRINCIPLES OF SIMPROSYS 2.1 'or the water-air system, the properties +including saturation pressure, of water are calculated according to the 19=> AS/$ Steam 7ables. 7he peroperties of the organic liquids supported in Simprosys 2.1 are based on %erry 122 +section 2, %hysical and 4hemical Data,, @aws 1112 and @aw and 5abbula 1122. 7he properties of dry air and nitrogen are also based on %erry 122 +section 2,. 7he drying flowsheet model and dryer model of Simprosys are based on comprehensi e studies of the worldFs most authoritati e handboo.s by /u0umdar 11, 162, /asters 11:2 and %erry 12, 1;2. 'or details about the material property model and other unit operation models in Simpsosys please refer to 5ong and /u0umdar 1:2. 7he calculations of absolute humidity, relati e humidity, wet bulb temperature, dew point temperature, humid olume, humid heat, and humid enthalpy are based on information found in %a.ows.i and /u0umdar 11=2. 'or a gas-liquid system, the go erning equation of wet bulb temperature is +!eey 11>2, %a.ows.i and /u0umdar 11=2,"
, t t78 = 3 ,78/ 5e 2 < 6 6 6. ,78/ +H

+1,

in which t and t78 are the dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures, respecti ely# 6 is the absolute humidity, 6.,78/ is the saturation humidity at wet bulb temperature# ,3 ,78/ is the latent heat of e aporation at wet bulb temperature# +H is the humid heat# 5e and are -ewis number and humidity-potential coefficient defined by g 5e = +2, +9 g A8 and
=
)A <)8 6 G 6 ln+ 1 + , 6 G 6 ) A < ) 8 +6

+6,

in which :g, +9 and ;g are the thermal conducti ity, specific heat, and density of the humid gas# )A and )8 are the molar mass of the moisture and dry gas# 6< is the saturation humidity# A8 is the binary diffusi ity between the moisture and the gas. 'or 3ater-Air system 5e 2 < 6 1 and it is well accepted 5e 2 < 6 =1 . 'or 4arbon 7etrachloride-Air, &en8ene-Air and 7oluen-Air systems, the alues of 5e 2 < 6 are from %erry 122 +section 12, %sychrometry, $ aporati e 4ooling, and Solids Drying,. 'or any other liquid-gas systems the alue of 5e 2 < 6 are calculated according to equations 2, 6. 7he alue of A8 in equation 2 is based on 'uller et al. 11C, 192 and %oling et al 12E2.

E.E1E16/
A8

1.>;

1 1 2 + + , )A )8
1 6 2

91+ A3i , + + 8 3i , 2

1 6

+:,

in which 7 and % are the temperature and pressure of the liquid-gas system. Hnits of / and 9 are ! and %a, respecti ely, with the resulting diffusi ity in m2<sec. All 3i are group contribution alues for the subscript component summed o er atoms, groups, and structural features gi en in 7able *** of 'uller et al. 1192 or 7able 11-1 of %oling et al. 12E2. %lease note that equation 2-1;2 in %erry 122 cited from 'uller et al. 11C2 has a wrong coefficient of E.1E1E6 which should be E.E1E16. A CLOSED-LOOP ETHANOL-NITROGEN SYSTEM Drying of materials containing nonaqueous sol ents is generally carried out in a closed-loop system so that the e)haust gas containing nonaqueous apors are not discharged unto the atmosphere to pollute the air. Simprosys 2.1 is applied to the drying of a solid material containing ethanol. Due to the low flash +burning, point, nitrogen is used as the drying gas to pre ent possible e)plosion ha8ard. *n order not to lose both the ethanol and the nitrogen drying gas in the e)haust, a closed-loop drying system as displayed in 'igure 1 is needed. 7he input and output conditions of the drying material and nitrogen drying gas are as follows" /aterial feed temperature I 2E o4# 'eed moisture content I E.EC

.g<.g wet basis# 3et material mass flow rate I 2EEE .g<hr# %roduct temperature I ;E o 4# %roduct moisture content I E.EE2 .g<.g wet basis. Nitrogen pressure at dryer inlet I 1E2.: .%a# 7emperature at dryer inlet I 12E o4# /ass flow rate wet basis at dryer inlet I 6EEE .g<hr. %ressure drop of the dryer is 1.2 .%a. Dryer gas outlet stream goes through a fan to gain 1.; .%a static pressure. $fficiency of the fan is E.>;. $)haust air coming from the fan goes through a scrubber<condenser to collect the dusts and remo e the moisture carried in the e)haust air. 7emperature of the e)haust air from the scrubber<condenser is 6; o4. Air pressure drop in scrubber<condenser is 1.E .%a. 4ollection efficiency and liquid gas ratio of the scrubber<condenser are 99J and 1.E respecti ely. -iquid inlet pressure and temperature of the scrubber<condenser are 1E1.6 .%a and 2E o4. 7he air coming out of the scrubber<condenser goes through a fan to gain some static pressure and then go through a heater to be heated to the required dryer inlet temperature +12E o4,. 7he efficiency of the fan is set at E.>;. 7he pressure drop of air in the heater is E.= .%a. 7he flowsheet is constructed as shown in 'igure 1. 7he simulation results produced using Simprosys 2.1 are displayed in 'igure 2.

'igure 1 'lowsheet of a 4losed--oop Nitrogen-$thanol System

'igure 2 Simulation ?esults of the Nitrogen-$thanol System %lease be noted that one can use the (eating Duty of the heater, in stead of the Dry-bulb 7emperature of the dryer gas inlet# and<or the Dry-bulb 7emperature of the dryer gas outlet, instead of the /oisture 4ontent of the material inlet, as input parameter to simulate the operation of an e)isting drying system. %arametric studies are carried out to in estigate the effects of se eral ma0or operational parameters on other process parameters such scrubber<condenser cooling duty, heater heating duty and dryer e)haust gas temperature and relati e humidity. Effects of Scrubber/Condenser Gas Outlet Temperature All input parameter alues are .ept the same in the flowsheet +'igure 2, e)cept for changing scrubber<condenser gas outlet temperature to see how it affects other process parameters. 7he simulation results are displayed in 7able 1. 7able 1 $ffects of Scrubber<4ondenser 5as Butlet 7emperature
Scrubber<4ondense r 5as Butlet 7emperature +o4, Scrubber<4ondens er 4ooling Duty +.3, (eater (eating Duty +.3, Dryer 5as Butlet 7emperature +o4, Dryer $)haust 5as ?elati e (umidity

2; 6; :;

=9.E6 =2.E1 ;;.2>

C=.C2 C1.E2 >;.C=

;1.66 ;6.E; ;;.:E

E.6:; E.:CC E.=>=

'rom 7able 1 one can see that with an increase of the scrubber<condenser gas outlet temperature, both the scrubber<condenser cooling duty and the heater heating duty decrease# but the dryer e)haust gas relati e humidity and temperature increase. 3hen the scrubber<condenser gas outlet temperature is increased, the saturation moisture content of the gas increases. 7his leads to increased dryer gas inlet moisture content. *ncreased gas moisture content results in decreased mass transfer for the dryer, which means an increased dryer si8e for a design, which means increased equipment cost. 7herefore, for the same e aporation duty in the design of such a closed-loop drying system, a larger dryer is required if a higher scrubber<condenser gas outlet temperature is adopted, with the consequence of increased equipment cost but decreased operating cost due to less energy consumption. 7o the contrary, a smaller dryer is required if a lower scrubber<condenser gas outlet temperature is adopted, which means lower equipment cost but increased operating cost due to higher energy consumption. Effects of Material Inlet Moisture Content All input parameter alues +including the material outlet /oisture 4ontent 3et &asis, E.EE2, are .ept the same in the flowsheet +'igure 2, e)cept for changing the material inlet moisture content to see how it affects other process parameters. 7he simulation results are displayed in 7able 2. 7able 2 $ffects of /aterial *nlet /oisture 4ontent
/aterial *nlet /oisture 4ontent +.g<.g wet basis, E.E> E.EC E.E9 Scrubber<4ondense r 4ooling Duty +.3, =1.C1 =2.E1 =2.26 (eater (eating Duty +.3, C1.E2 C1.E2 C1.E2 Dryer 5as Butlet 7emperature +o4, ;C.:2 ;6.E; :>.>> Dryer 5as Butlet ?elati e (umidity E.6>6 E.:CC E.=:1

'rom 7able 2 one can see that with an increase of the material inlet moisture content, the scrubber<condenser cooling duty and the heater heating duty .eep almost the same# the dryer e)haust gas relati e humidity increases# but the dryer e)haust gas temperature decreases. 3ith an increase in the material inlet moisture content the e aporation duty increases since the specified material outlet moisture content .eeps the same. 7his results in more heat to be spent to e aporate the increased ethanol liquid. 7herefore, the dryer gas outlet temperature decreases, which results in the increase of the dryer gas outlet relati e humidity.

Bne may e)pect the scrubber<condenser cooling duty and the heater heating duty to increase due to the increased material inlet moisture content. As no e)tra heat is added into the system in spite of the increased e aporation duty, it results in the decrease of the dryer gas outlet temperature. *f the drying .inetics +which is to be de eloped in the future ersion of Simprosys, is ta.en into consideration for an e)isting system, when there is an increase in the material inlet moisture content, the dryer gas inlet temperature has to be increased to increase the heat and mass transfer to satisfy the material outlet moisture content requirement. *n that case, the scrubber<condenser cooling duty and the heater heating duty will ha e to increase to balance the increases heat input in the system. Effects of Dyer Gas Inlet Temperature All input parameter alues are .ept the same in the flowsheet +'igure 2, e)cept for changing the dryer gas inlet temperature to see how it affects other process parameters. 7he simulation results are displayed in 7able 6. 7able 6 $ffects of Dryer 5as *nlet 7emperature
Dryer 5as *nlet 7emperature +o4, 11E 12E 16E Scrubber<4ondense r 4ooling Duty +.3, ;2.;E =2.E1 >1.;9 (eater (eating Duty +.3, >1.1; C1.E2 9E.9= Dryer 5as Butlet 7emperature +o4, :6.=> ;6.E; =2.:: Dryer $)haust 5as ?elati e (umidity E.>=9 E.:CC E.61C

'rom 7able 6, one can see, as is e)pected, with an increase of the dryer gas inlet temperature, the scrubber<condenser cooling duty, the heater heating duty and the dryer gas outlet temperature increase# but the dryer e)haust gas relati e humidity decreases due to the increased dryer gas outlet temperature. CLOSING REMARKS Simprosys pro ides an integrated, powerful, highly user-friendly, contemporary, but cost-effecti e tool for the design and simulation of dryer and drying systems in ol ing not only aqueous systems, but also ele en commonly encountered nonaqueous systems. $)tension of Simprosys 2.1 to other nonaqueous systems is simple and easy on demand. Simprosys ma.es tedious complicated thermal calculations simple for the design and simulation of dryers and drying systems. 7ypical calculations of a process that may ta.e one s.illed engineer wee.s to carry out can now be accomplished in hours with Simprosys. 7his software can be used to e)amine +optimi8e and<or trouble

shoot, e)isting drying systems, modifying e)isting systems and also to e aluate new systems before they are installed. Simprosys has ery intuiti e user interfaces with ma)imum protection to pre ent users from ma.ing simple mista.es. *t also has an effecti e tutorial to teach users step by step how to use the software to simulate typical drying and e aporation related systems. Hsers of Simprosys will require minimal self-training and effort to use it effecti ely. *nterested readers may isit www.simprote..com to download a free trial ersion to e)plore the capability of Simprosys for their own applications. REFERENCES 1. /u0umdar, A.S. Hand=ook o% Ind".trial r0ing, 1st $dition, /arcel De..er, 19C>. 2. %erry, ?. 9err0>. C,emi+al Engineer.> Hand=ook, >th edition, /c5raw-(ill, 199>. 6. 5ong, A. Drying Software K Simprosys" /oti ation, De elopment, Applications and %otential ?ole in %ractice, 7he %roceedings of the ; th Asia-%acific Drying 4onference, 4hen, 5. $ditor, 2EE>, 129;-16E1. :. 5ong, A.# and /u0umdar A. S. Software for Design and Analysis of Drying Systems, Drying 7echnology, 2EEC, 2= +>,, CC:-C9:. ;. !emp, *.4. Drying Software" %ast, %resent and 'uture, Drying 7echnology, 2EE>, 2;, 12:9-12=6. =. !emp, *.4.# (allas, N.L.# Ba.ley, D.$. De elopments in Aspen 7echnology Drying Software. %roceedings of 1:th *ntl Drying Symposium +*DS,, Sao %aulo, August, 2EE:, Dolume &, >=>->>:. >. /enshutina, N.D.# !udra, 7. 4omputer Aided Drying 7echnologies, Drying 7echnology, 2EE1, 19, 1C2;-1C;E. C. Straatsma, L.# Dan (ouwelingen, 5.# /eulman, A. %.# Steenbergen, A. $. Dryspec2" A 4omputer /odel of a 7wo-stage Dryer, *nternational Lournal of Dairy 7echnology, 2EE>, ::, 1E>-111. 9. Derdurmen, ?. $. /.# Straatsma, (.# Derschueren, /.# an (aren, L.L.# Smith, $.# &argeman, 5. and De Long, %., /odeling Spray Drying %rocesses for Dairy %roducts, -ait C2, 2EE2, :;6-:=6. 1E. /aroulis, A.&.# Sara acos, 5.D.# /u0umdar, A.S. Spreadsheet-Aided Dryer Design, 4hapter ;, in Hand=ook o% Ind".trial r0ing, 6rd $dition, /u0umdar, A.S. $ds.# 4?4 %ress, 2EE>. 11. @aws, 4.-. C,emi+al 9ropertie. Hand=ook, /c5raw-(ill, 1999. 12. @aws, 4.-.# 5abbula, 4. 6a?>. Hand=ook o% /,ermod0nami+ and 9,0.i+al 9ropertie. o% C,emi+al Compo"nd., !no el +e&oo.,, 2EE6. 16. /u0umdar, A.S. Hand=ook o% Ind".trial r0ing, 6rd $dition, 4?4 %ress, 2EE>. 1:. /asters, !. Spra0 r0ing Hand=ook, :th $dition, Lohn 3iley M Sons, 19C;. 1;. 5reen, D.# %erry, ?. 9err0>. C,emi+al Engineer.> Hand=ook, Cth edition, /c5raw-(ill %rofessional, 2EE>.

1=. %a.ows.i, A.# /u0umdar, A.S. &asic %rocess 4alculations and Simulations in Drying, 4hapter 6, in Hand=ook o% Ind".trial r0ing, 6rd $dition, /u0umdar, A.S. $d.# 4?4 %ress, 2EE>. 1>. !eey, ?.&. Introd"+tion to Ind".trial r0ing Operation. , %ergamon %ress, B)ford, 19>C. 1C. 'uller, $. N.# Shettler, %. D.# 5iddings, L. 4. A New /ethod for %rediction of &inary 5as-%hase Diffusion 4oefficients, *ndustrial and $ngineering 4hemistry, 19==, ;C +;,, 19-2>. 19. 'uller, $. N.# $nsley, !.# 5iddings L.4. L. Diffusion of (alogenated (ydrocarbons in (elium-7he $ffect of Structure on 4ollision 4ross Sections, 7he Lournal of %hysical 4hemistry, 19=9, >6 +11,, 6=>9-6=C;. 2E. %oling, &.$.# %rausnit8, L./.# BF4onnell, L.%. /,e 9ropertie. o% Ga.e. and 5i@"id., >th edition, /c5raw-(ill, 2EE1.