Sarawak Campus

Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Science

Higher Education Division

CEE30006 Process Modelling and Optimisation

Semester 1, 2024

Project 2
Due date: (i) Policy Memo: Week 12 – Thursday, 23 May 2024, by 9:00 am MYT (in
softcopy via Canvas)
(ii) Peer Assessment: Week 11 – Thursday, 16 May 2024, by 9:00 am MYT
(in Google Forms via Canvas)
Weightage: 40% of the total subject’s mark
Submission Softcopy GROUP submission via Canvas
Format: • Aspen HYSYS simulation file (.hsc)
• Policy memo (.pdf)
Group Task: 2 persons per group

Unit Learning Outcomes

The Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) assessed in this Project are:
• ULO (1): Identify the key mathematical modelling concepts.
• ULO (2): Explain types of processes and simulations relevant to various chemical
engineering systems.
• ULO (5): Use computational tools relevant to the developed model.
• ULO (6): Obtain analytical or numerical solution of steady-state and unsteady-state
problems related to chemical engineering systems.

Instructions
• Project 2 consists of THREE components, i.e. Policy Memo (one memo per group), Oral
Interview (individual), and Self and Peer Evaluation (individual).
• Policy Memo must be submitted in a single PDF file named Project 2_Group #.pdf where
“Group #” should be replaced with your “group number”.
• A working set of HYSYS (.hsc) files must be submitted. All files must be compressed into
a single ZIP file named Project 2_Group #.zip where “Group #” should be replaced with
your “group number”.
• The link to access the Google Form for Self and Peer Evaluation will be announced on
Canvas in due course. Please use the designated link to evaluate you and your groupmates
performances in the Project 2. Not submitting the form or incomplete form submission will
receive a 0 point for the Self and Peer Evaluation score.
• Keep a backup of your submission. If your assessment goes astray, whether your fault or
not, you will be required to reproduce it.

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Project Description:
Through this project, you will demonstrate your skills to apply systematic thinking to design a
chemical process flowsheet and simulate the process with Aspen HYSYS. You will also
demonstrate your skills to analyse and interpret the results from a process engineering software.

Group Assignments
Group # Product Reactant Production Rate Purity
-1
1 Methanol Biomass 50,000 tons yr ≥ 85%
-1
2 Ethylene Biomass 50,000 tons yr ≥ 85%
-1
3 Ethanol Biomass 50,000 tons yr ≥ 85%
-1
4 Propylene Biomass 50,000 tons yr ≥ 85%

Assessment Tasks
The following tasks should be completed:

1. Base Case Development. In this section, you will need to do a literature search on the
process description of the selected process then perform the following tasks:
1.1. Review the typical process conditions for manufacture of your product.
1.2. Explore the major companies produce your product, quantity produced each year in
the world, and the market price of feedstock and product.
1.3. Describe major uses of your feedstock and product.
1.4. Calculate the hourly feed rate (kg h-1) of the feedstock for the plant to produce the
product assigned to your group with the required production rate and purity. You can
assume the plant is operating 300 days per year with 24 hours per day.
1.5. Draw detailed process flow diagram for the process with the help of a software.
(Remark: Each stream and unit operation in the process flow diagram should be
labeled with a standard symbol and its name.)

2. HYSYS Model
2.1. In this section, you are required to develop a complete and working set of simulation
with Aspen HYSYS.
(Remark: The simulation should include any peripheral equipment such as heat
exchangers, utility heaters or coolers, pumps, pressure reduction valves, and flow
splitters or mixers.)
2.2. Indicate and explain the essential modifications that have been made to the process flow
diagram in the Task 1.5.
2.3. Identify and evaluate all assumptions made in the simulation.
2.4. Justify your choice of materials (including the materials unavailable in HYSYS
library, if any), fluid packages, equipment, and reaction information with credible
references for the set-up of simulation.
2.5. Discuss any steps needed to improve flowsheet convergence in HYSYS simulation.
2.6. Compare and comment on mass and energy balance results of HYSYS simulation with
manual calculation for all streams in the flowsheet.

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3. Sensitivity Analysis
Use the input conditions from your HYSYS model in Task 2 to do sensitivity analysis and
perform the following tasks:
3.1. Conduct not less than two sensitivity studies and justify the rationale of your selection.
3.2. Display plots of relationships with clear graphical visualisations and appropriate titles
and captions.
(Remark: Supporting results can be tabulated in Annexes section with proper titles
and captions.)
3.3. Discuss the significance of these results as well as the impact of the sensitivity analysis
on the overall process and limitations.

The “Case Studies” featured in Aspen HYSYS software could assist you to complete the task,
in addition with the aid of professional literature sources and your knowledge of chemical
engineering process.

Assessment Components
Deliverable Assessment Method
1 Technical (25%) – This assessment component seeks to evaluate:
Group (i) Task 1: Base Case Development
(ii) Task 2: HYSYS Model (the working set of HYSYS
(.hsc) files)
(iii) Task 3: Sensitivity Analysis
2 Policy Memo (5%) – This assessment component requires you to submit policy
Group memo written in an acceptable and professional style and
should not exceed 10 typed pages (excluding any
annexes). Memo must be essentially free from spelling,
grammatical, and formatting mistakes, well referenced
and in Swinburne Harvard style.

Policy memo is a document used to inform and guide a

decision-maker on a specific issue. It summarizes the
key findings and recommendation with aim to answer
the question about a particular policy problem.

Each policy memo should be written in a way where the

flow and communication of the results are narrative and
clear to the reader. It is worth assuming that the person
reading your memo wants to know the details of your
study but in a concise yet informative way.

Therefore, in this Project, the policy memo should

combine your responses to the three tasks and present in
the structure as follows (please amend the section titles
as necessary):

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- Header (i.e. To (receiver), From (sender), Date,
and Subject)

- Executive summary
In this section, you will briefly summarize your main
findings as answer to your client’s questions, as well
as your recommendation. You will explain why you
recommending the client to take those action(s). You
will end this section with a brief statement of what
will happen if the client implements your
recommendation.

- Background & Methodology

In this section, you will provide important contextual
background information (any historical and technical
information) the reader may need to understand your
findings. Clearly define the policy problems (i.e.
client’s questions) and explain what issues are being
covered in the memo. You may also need to briefly
explain where your data comes from and how they
were analyzed.

- Key Finding(s)
In this section, you will answer your client’s question
directly. You will need to provide evidence and your
analysis of the evidence in support of your descriptive,
evaluation, or prescriptive answer. You may need to
include information on any limitations associated with
your findings and rebut alternative options (if
necessary).

- Recommendations
Your recommendations should link the root causes of
the client’s problem, which you should have identified
in your key findings section, with what needs to be
done by whom. Recommendations should be feasible,
cost effective, and specific without being too narrow.

- Conclusion
Your conclusion should place your key findings in a
broader context that reminds the reader of the issue’s
importance. Highlight the importance of that action be
taken immediately. A good conclusion will weigh loss
aversion against hope for the future as motivating
factors.
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 - Annexes
(i) Detailed calculation of feedstock needed for
production (Responses to Task 1.4)
(ii) Complete and annotated PFD with full detail
(Responses to Task 1.5)
(iii) Comparison between mass and energy balance
results of HYSYS simulation with manual
calculation (Responses to Task 2.6)
(iv) Manual calculation of mass and energy balance for
all streams
4 Oral Interview (10%) – This assessment component aims to assess your
Individual understanding of the project you have completed. Each
student should be prepared to answer questions verbally.
Individual session slots will be announced on Canvas.
5 Peer and Self- This assessment component requires you to evaluate you
Assessment – and your groupmates performance in the group. A link to
Individual access the Google Form will be announced on Canvas in
due course to complete this task.

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 Grading Criteria
This Project is worth 40% and will be graded as follows:
Criteria Weight Poor Unsatisfactory Average Good Excellent
(0-0.19) (0.20 – 0.39) (0.40 – 0.59) (0.60 – 0.79) (0.80 – 1.00)
A) Technical (25%) – Group (ULOs 5, 6)
Mathematical 3% Unable to define, link, and Some attempts to apply Attempts to apply and Able to apply and analyse Able to combine relevant
formulation apply relevant knowledge relevant knowledge of analyse relevant knowledge relevant knowledge of knowledge of engineering
(ULO 6) of engineering engineering specialisation of engineering engineering specialization specialisation to formulate
specialisation in solving in solving basic specialization to obtain to obtain analytical or analytical or numerical
(Task 1.4) basic engineering problem. engineering problem. analytical or numerical numerical solution in solution in solving complex
solution in solving solving complex engineering problem.
complex engineering engineering problems.
problems.
Annotated 5% Unable to present a Some attempts to present Attempts to present the Able to use visual elements Excellent drawing of the
process flow complete and correct PFD. the PFD but numerous PFD but few minor errors to illustrate the connection PFD with professional
diagram errors are found. are found. between plant processes impression. Connection
(PFD) Annotation is not or and equipment. between plant processes
(ULO 5) incorrectly presented. Some attempts to present Attempts to present and equipment are
annotation but most of the annotations but some of the Annotation is present with comprehensive and
(Task 1.5) important parameters are important parameters are few minor errors are found. persuasive by material and
not presented. not presented. energy balances.

All streams in PFD are

labelled and identified with
a number. All utility
streams that supply energy
to major equipment are
presented. A summary of
the streams and their
numbers are detailed on a
separate table.
Aspen HYSYS 7% Submitted simulation file is Submitted simulation file is Submitted simulation file is Submitted simulation file is Submitted simulation file is
simulation not complete or not complete but not complete but partially complete but partially complete and converged
(ULO 5) converged. converged. converged. Few major converged. Few minor without any error are
errors are detected. errors are detected. detected.
(Task 2.1 to Descriptions on the Some attempts to describe
2.5) simulation setting is not the simulation setting but Attempts to describe the Descriptions (assumptions, Descriptions (assumptions,
presented. most of the input are simulation setting but some materials input, fluid materials input, fluid
incorrect. of the input are incorrect. package selection, reaction package selection, reaction
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 Unable to identify the information, equipment information, equipment
modification necessary to Some attempts made to Attempts to identify the selection) on the simulation selection) on the simulation
be done to achieve identify the essential essential modification to be setting is presented. Few setting is clearly presented
convergence in the HYSYS modification to be done to done to achieve minor inputs are incorrect. and supported by literature.
simulation. achieve convergence in convergence in the HYSYS
HYSYS simulation but the simulation but the Able to identify the Justification and related
Strategies to improve justification is weak. justification is basic. essential modification to be change of the simulation
flowsheet convergence is done. Justification is flowsheet reflect students’
not discussed. Strategies to improve Strategies to improve logically drawn and critical evaluation of the
flowsheet convergence is flowsheet convergence is bounded by simulation- plant process. Modification
vaguely discussed. presented but basic. related factors. is made and completely
justified by the HYSYS
Strategies to improve simulation-related factors.
flowsheet convergence is
clearly presented. Strategies to improve
flowsheet convergence is
clearly presented with
literature references.
Checking of 3% No comparison between Mass and energy balance Mass and energy balance Mass and energy balance Mass and energy balance
simulation results simulation results and across most of the streams across some of the streams across few of the streams of all the streams are not
(ULO 5) manual calculation. are not compared. are not compared. are not compared. compared.

(Task 2.6) No justifications are given Justifications are given for Justifications are given for Clear justifications are
for the appearance of high the appearance of high the appearance of high given for the appearance of
error percentage between error percentage between error percentage between high error percentage
manual and simulation manual and simulation manual and simulation between manual and
results (if any). results (if any) but in results (if any). simulation results (if any).
superficial way. Recommendation is given
to resolve the issue.
Scope and 2% Less than 2 sensitivity 2 sensitivity studies are 2 sensitivity studies are More than 2 sensitivity More than 4 sensitivity
Significance studies are conducted. conducted. conducted. studies are conducted. studies are conducted.
(ULO 6)
Choice of parameters is not Some attempts to explain Basic description on the Choice of parameters is Choice of parameters is
(Task 3.1) discussed. the choice of parameters choice of parameters is justified. clearly justified with
but contain some gaps. presented. literature support.
Scope and significance of Scope and significance of
the sensitivity study are not Major aspects of the Scope and significance of the study are defined in Scope and significance of
defined. sensitivity study scope are the study are logically tied logical context and the sensitivity study are
vaguely defined. to the results presented but consistent with the results explicitly defined in clear
Significance of the study is may contain few gaps. presented. context and completely
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 limited and overly broad. justified by the results
presented. Contribution
and impact of the study are
clearly presented.
Results and 5% Results and discussion for Some attempts to present Basic results are presented All essential results are Results of the sensitivity
discussion the sensitivity analysis are results but contains some but few important items are presented with no gap in analysis are clearly
(ULO 6) not presented. gaps or some important missing. Connections logic. A reasonable and presented and realistic. No
items are missing. between findings and study clear chain of logic from formatting mistake is found
(Task 3.2 to 3.3) Connections between scope are basic. Few study scope to findings. on the plot.
findings and study scope formatting mistakes are Few formatting mistakes
are weak. Significant found on the plot. are found on the plot. Insightful discussion is
formatting mistakes are supported with evidence,
found on the plot. Basic discussion with Appropriate insightful while impact on process is
minimal insightful discussion is presented. clearly described.
Discussion repeats results meaning.
with no insightful meaning. Impact on process is briefly Recommendation is given
considered. to resolve the issue.
B) Policy Memo (5%) – Group (ULO 2)
Writing quality 5% Process background is Missing some important Missing few important Sufficient information Process background is
(ULO 2) limited or incorrectly information on the process information on the process provided on the process clearly surveyed.
provided. background. background. background.
(Task 1.1 to 1.3, Conclusions and related
and Conclusion) Conclusion is limited and Conclusion is logically Conclusion is logically Conclusion is logically outcomes are logical and
inconsistently tied to some tied to information tied to information drawn from and bounded reflect students’ informed
of the information discussed but may contain discussed but may contain by the findings in the evaluation of the project.
discussed. Connections some gaps or are overly few gaps. Connections project with no gaps in Conclusions are clearly
between findings and broad. Connections between findings and logic. A reasonable and made and completely
conclusions are vague with between findings and conclusions are present but clear chain of logic from justified by data.
little or no connections to conclusions are present but basic. theory to data to conclusion Connections between
the findings in the project. weak. is made. theory, data, and
The writing is basic. Few conclusions are
The writing is weak. Many The writing is basic. Some errors in grammar and The writing is clear. Few comprehensive and
errors in grammar and errors in grammar and spelling. errors in grammar and persuasive.
spelling. spelling. spelling.
Memo structure is in order The writing is very clear.
Memo structure is difficult Memo structure is in order and formatting is Memo structure is in order Essentially free from
to follow, incomplete or but formatting is rough acceptable. The memo is and formatting generally grammar and spelling
missing sections or and hard to read. The complete but few sections well with few conceptual mistakes.
information. memo is incomplete and are lacking the required errors. The memo includes

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 some sections are lacking detail. required sections and Memo structure is in order
Literature references are the required details. elements but could be still and well-formatted. The
not included or missing. Attempts to provide improved. memo very readable with
Wrong referencing style Literature references are adequate literature complete all required
used. References in text limited. Citations are at references. Citations are Literature references are section and elements with
and reference list do not least partially correctly correctly formatted with no more extensive and used minimal conceptual error.
match. formatted with no missing missing references. Some primarily to provide
references. Minor attempt attempt to relate literature background information Literature references
to relate literature to the to the study. and context for indicate an extensive
study. conclusions. Referencing literature search was
style is mostly appropriate performed. Literature
and correct. references are used in
discussion to connect the
study to knowledge in the
field. Literature references
are properly and accurately
cited.
C) Oral Interview (10%) – Individual (ULO 1)
Simulation 2% Unable to demonstrate the Limited demonstration of Attempts to solve the given Substantial evidence of Demonstrate excellent
troubleshooting HYSYS troubleshooting HYSYS troubleshooting simulation problem but troubleshooting skills on HYSYS troubleshooting
skills skills on request. skills on request. incomplete. the given simulation skills on request.
(ULO 1) problem. Recommendation is given
to resolve the issue.
Simulation 6% Unable to understand the Limited or incomplete Attempts to present Substantial evidence of Excellent understanding on
understanding simulated process flow understanding on the evidence of understanding understanding on the the simulated process flow
(ULO 1) diagram and sensitivity simulated process flow on the simulated process simulated process flow diagram and sensitivity
analysis. diagram and sensitivity flow diagram and diagram and sensitivity analysis.
analysis. sensitivity analysis. analysis.
Response to 2% Unable to response or do Minor attempt to respond Attempts to respond but in Respond to most questions Respond to all questions in
questions not contribute to the but most of the comments general and superficial way. and made relevant insightful way.
(ULO 1) discussion. are irrelevant. comments.

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