Specifications for

6” Sieve Plate Distillation Unit for

Continuous/Batch Operation

UTC is seeking quotations for one (1) 6” Sieve Plate Distillation Unit for Continuous/Batch Operation with the following requirements:

The unit would consist of a 6” sieve plate distillation column, a bottoms vessel with thermosiphon reboiler, an overhead condenser with reflux drum and reflux pump, a feed/receiver tank and a feed pump. The liquid holdup in the bottoms vessel and the reflux drum should be 25L and 3.3 L respectively.

The sieve plate column will have eight (8) stainless steel plates with each plate having a vapor and liquid sample valve. There will be a thermocouple in the vapor space above each plate and one (1) plate will have a thermocouple in the liquid. Feed can be introduced onto plates 3, 5 and 7 (top plate is number 1) for continuous operation. The column will be fabricated from glass components and will be designed to operate in the continuous mode with a feed rate of up to a maximum of approximately 300lb/hr of 10 weight% methanol. The column will be fully instrumented with 16 thermocouples, 3 feed valves with on/off limit switches, 5 control valves, 5flow transmitters, 2 liquid level transmitters, a steam pressure transmitter and differential pressure transmitter. The specific configuration of the instrumentation and distillation unit are given in the attached P&I diagram.

The column will have a computer control unit consisting of a completely wired cabinet that will include the computer, monitor, keyboard, mouse, software, I/O board and UPS. The distillation column will be controlled and monitored using National Instruments LabVIEW software. Creative Engineering will construct a process control and data acquisition program using National Instruments LabVIEW software as outlined on the attached P & I diagram. After the unit is assembled, the control cabinet will need to be wired to the instrumentation in the distillation unit structure by a UTC technician using parts and wiring diagrams of this distillation unit supplied by vendor.

Computer Control System:

Computer

17” Monitor

UPS

Pentium II, 300 MHz Processor or better

128 Meg Ram

4.3 Gig Hard Drive or larger

3.5” 1.44 MB drive

36 X Variable Speed CD-ROM or better

3 Com – 590 Ethernet card

Windows NT 4.0 Workstation

Lockable Computer Enclosure w/ slideout keyboard drawer and mouse tray.

Electrical and Mechanical drawings

Computer Control System(cont)

I/O Interface

Utilizing National Instruments Field Point Modules

Users manual and/or Standard Operation Procedures documents.

Software

Based on utilizing National Instruments LabVIEW

Based on approximately 5 different screens

Note-the license for the LabVIEW Full Development software will be supplied by the university and should not be included in the quoted price.

Staging and Testing.

Teaching Manuals for operating the column and performing distillation experiments will be provided by vendor.

The feed pump, reflux pump, flow transmitters, pressure transmitter and level transmitters are all explosion proof. The I/P converters on the control valves are rated as intrinsically safe. The thermocouples do not have explosion proof heads but have the standard quick connect plug.

The computer control system will have a manual and automatic mode so that the control valves can be controlled manually from the computer.

The overhead condenser should be able to operate at a minimum flow rate of 10 GPM using 80F cooling water to condense up to 300 lb/hr of 94wt.% methanol vapor. The liquid lines between the reflux drum and the top of the column will be insulated to minimize sub cooling of the condensate.

Please quote as follows:

  1. Unassembled components and hardware for a 6” sieve plate distillation unit as shown on attached P&I diagram and also including engineering and mechanical assembly drawings with itemized Parts List. Also includes QTS-2 or equivalent Teaching Manual. Include a footprint showing floor space required and height of tallest component.
  1. Computer control system as described above.
  1. Precut, unassembled, galvanized steel pipe and Kee-Klamp structure to support the above unit.
  1. Freight charges for shipping the above-unassembled unit to UTC.
  1. Up to ten (10) days of on-site assembly supervision by a vendor field Supervisor to assist with the erection and assembly of the above structure and unit. UTC will supply maintenance personnel or students during this time. Includes travel and living expenses.
  1. Up to three (3) days of on-site start-up and debug support of the software program by a technician at UTC. Includes travel and living expenses.

Performance Guarantee:

The distillation column and control system is to perform the following series of experiments within a period of 5 hours from starting the steam flow to the rebolier:

  1. Column start-up at total reflux.
  2. Steady-state column operation at total reflux.
  3. Steady-state column operation a 3 separate reflux ratio settings.

Steady state will be determined by a temperature profile on the column trays remaining within +/-2C for a period of 5 minutes. At one of these settings the distillate composition is to be greater than or equal to 94wt.% methanol while feeding the column with up to 300 lb/hr of 10 wt.% methanol in water using 27 psig steam and 16 GPM of cooling water to the overhead condenser.

Additional Specifications:

1)Wetted parts are to be glass, PTFE, 304 or 316 S.S.

2)Small diameter interconnecting tubing will be 316 SS and use Swagelok fittings.

3)Flowmeters should have at least an accuracy of +/-1% of reading.

4)Air Pressure Required:

Operators for Ball Valves:80 psig

Operators for Control Valves:30 psig

5)Positioners will be included on the control valves.

6)UTC should be able to witness the required control checkout of the computer system.

7)The reflux line will be insulated from the reflux drum to the column to minimize sub-cooling of the condensate.

8)The reflux pump is expected to be located at or near the floor level, not high in the structure.

9)Three (3) feed locations into the column. Plates 3,5&7 (top plate is No. 1).

10)The pumps are rated for up to 250 F max.

11)The following manufacturers should be utilized:

Part / Manufacturer
Pumps / March
Pressure transmitters / Dwyer or Barton
Flow Transmitters – process fluid / Hoffer MF series
Steam Flow Transmitter / Barton FCX-C series
Steam Control Valve with positioner / Cashco
Control Valves with positioners for process fluids / Badger or Fisher

12)A minimum of five computer screens are required and will be designed in consultation with UTC chemical engineering faculty. A suggested screen naming is:

a)Main overview of column: Top half screen and bottom half screen

b)P & I diagram control screen

c)Parameter Screen

d)Trending Screen

13)Each controller will be a PID loop in the LabVIEW software. These loops are specified on the P & I diagram

14)National Instruments FieldPoint Modular Distributed I/O System should be used for control and monitoring hardware. These I/O modules should employ 16 bit inputs and outputs. Room on the DIN rail should be provided for future expansion of 2 additional modules.

15)Location of Installation:

The installation unit will be installed UTC. Bidders are responsible for checking the site to be sure they will not encounter any delivery or installation problems.

Terms:

FOB destination. Include all costs in bid price.

Drawings:

Approx. 5 – 6 weeks after receipt of order.

Shipment:

Approx. 10-12 weeks after drawing approval.

  1. Delivery (date)
  2. Setup and achieved performance spec (date)

A $500.00 per day liquidated damage fee assessed for each day after (date) if the unit is not working.

Or approved equal. If equal is offered forward literature describing product with bid.

This is an Advertised Bid and must be accompanied by a Bid Bond in the amount of 10% of the bid. This is to be issued by an insurance or surety company authorized to do business in the State of Tennessee. A certified check for 10% of the amount bid will be accepted in place of the bond. The successful bidder will be required to submit a Performance Bond for the full amount of the Contract or Purchase Order placed as a result of this bid.