KEMBAR78
Thumb Rule For Process Engineer | PDF | Chemical Reactor | Pump
Scribd
Upload
89 views4 pages

Thumb Rule For Process Engineer

The document outlines essential thumb rules for process engineers, covering key areas such as piping and flow, heat exchangers, reactor design, pumps, storage, and utilities. It provides specific velocity ranges for liquid and gas lines, overall heat transfer coefficients for heat exchangers, sizing rules for reactors and pumps, and guidelines for storage tank dimensions. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of efficiency and safety margins in various process engineering applications.

Uploaded by

rh6332429
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
89 views4 pages

Thumb Rule For Process Engineer

The document outlines essential thumb rules for process engineers, covering key areas such as piping and flow, heat exchangers, reactor design, pumps, storage, and utilities. It provides specific velocity ranges for liquid and gas lines, overall heat transfer coefficients for heat exchangers, sizing rules for reactors and pumps, and guidelines for storage tank dimensions. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of efficiency and safety margins in various process engineering applications.

Uploaded by

rh6332429
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 4

Thumb Rules for Process Engineer

1. Piping & Flow


Piping is the lifeline of any process plant. Proper velocity control ensures we avoid erosion,
vibration, cavitation, and excessive pressure drop.

Liquid Lines

Service Velocity (m/s) Reason


General process liquids 1–3 Economic pipe sizing + low erosion
Pump suction <2 Prevents cavitation
Pump discharge 2–3 Balanced head & cost

Rule of Thumb:
For water at 20°C: 1 bar pressure drop ≈ 10 m head

Example Check:
If a cooling water line is 50 m long, you can expect ~0.5 bar drop for normal velocity.

Gas & Vapour Lines

Service Velocity (m/s) Remarks


Process gas 10–15 Avoids noise/vibration
Steam (dry) 15–25 Avoids condensation shock
Compressed air 6–10 Reduces pressure loss

� Pressure Drop Quick Check:


For gases, pressure drop is more complex due to compressibility — but for short runs at low
velocities, you can approximate using Darcy-Weisbach or the Crane charts.
2. Heat Exchangers
Heat exchangers are a backbone of process heat recovery and energy integration. Thumb
rules help in quick heat duty and size checks.

Overall Heat Transfer Coefficient (U)

Service U (W/m²·K)
Steam → liquid 800–1500
Liquid → liquid 300–600
Gas → liquid 100–300

Basic Sizing Formula:

Q=U*A*ΔTlm

Where:

 Q = heat load (W)


 U = overall heat transfer coefficient (W/m²·K)
 A = surface area (m²)
 ΔTlm = Log mean temperature difference (°C)

Quick Tip: LMTD correction factor (F) should be > 0.8 for an efficient exchanger.

Example:

 Steam to heat 10 m³/hr of water from 30°C to 80°C.


 ΔTlm ≈ 50°C, U = 1000 W/m²·K.
 Heat load Q=ρ*Cp*Qflow*ΔT.
= (1000*4.18*2.78*50) ≈ 580 kW

 Required area = Q/(U* ΔTlm) = 580,000 / (1000*50) = 11.6 m².

3. Reactor Design
Reactors are the heart of the process — where transformation happens.

CSTR Sizing Rule

For a first-order reaction:

V≈Fin*X/rA.

Where:
 Fin = molar feed rate

 X = desired conversion

 rA = rate of reaction at reactor conditions

Mixing Time: 1–5 min for most liquid systems.


Agitator Tip Speed: 2–7 m/s for liquids; < 2 m/s for slurries.

Example:
Feed: 100 mol/hr A, rate of reaction rA=2 mol/L, desired conversion = 0.5.
V = (100*0.5) / 2 = 25 L.

4. Pumps
Pumps keep the plant alive. Quick power checks ensure motor sizing is in the right range.

Hydraulic Power Formula:

PkW≈ (Q*H*SG)/(367* η).

Where:

 Q = m³/hr
 H = head in m
 SG = specific gravity
 η = pump efficiency (decimal)

Example:

 Flow = 50 m³/hr, Head = 40 m, SG = 1, η = 0.7


 P = (50*40*1) / (367*0.7) ≈ 7.8 kW.

# NPSH Rule: NPSH Available (NPSH’a) should be ≥ NPSHr + 1 m safety margin.


5. Storage & Vessels
Storage sizing is vital for buffering fluctuations.

Rules:

 Freeboard: 200–300 mm for small tanks; ≥ 500 mm for large tanks.


 Working Volume: 70–80% of total volume.
 Surge Tank Residence: 3–5 min minimum at peak flow.

Example:
If a process peaks at 20 m³/hr, surge tank volume = (20*5) / 60 = 1.67 m³.

6. Utilities (Cooling, Heating, Steam)


 Cooling Water ΔT: 5–10°C
 Chilled Water ΔT: 4–6°C
 Steam Condensate Recovery: Target > 80%
 Boiler Efficiency Quick Check:
o Coal fired: 65–80%
o Oil/gas fired: 75–90%

You might also like