Overview

Process simulation, engineering simulation (equipment design, layout and P&ID design) and economic analysis can be combined in a single program. Runtime is measured in seconds or minutes according to the complexity of the task. The resulting cost estimate is inherently more accurate than conventional practice and largely eliminates design risk, a significant commercial loss to plant owners and a major contributor to project cost overruns.

The continuous updating of the design reports, cost estimate and economic model provides an immediate picture of the consequences of a design change, such as capacity, feed composition or process flowsheet, or a change in design policy or practice. The presentation will include a short demonstration of the program.

Speaker

Peter Kauders, CDE Projects Ltd

Peter read natural sciences and chemical engineering at Cambridge, and then worked in the UK chemical industry for five years. He embarked on a career in project engineering with Stone & Webster, but later moved to McDermott, where he led the process work for several offshore projects. He led the team updating process engineering practices and also helped implement an engineering database.

Peter then joined Bechtel, where he was for over 25 years. Amongst the challenges of large, complex projects: directing the process design for the Karachaganak gas condensate field, with its multiple facilities and interconnecting pipelines covering 400sq km of Kazakhstan, and leading the process design of the 3rd NGL fractionation train at Ruwais, Abu Dhabi, the largest of its type in the world.

In 2012, as one retirement hobby, Peter started developing conceptual design emulation (CDE), a two-part program which starts with stream data and then deploys mathematics, including expert systems and logic, to mimic the steps taken by an engineering team in process plant design. In the latest version with several inventive steps, and enhanced by abstract mathematics, every step bar one has now been automated, and the process simulation step is being upgraded.

The material presented in this webinar has not been peer-reviewed. Any opinions are the presenter's own and do not necessarily represent those of IChemE or the Computer Aided Process Engineering Special Interest Group. The information is given in good faith but without any liability on the part of IChemE.

Webinar slides