23-Chem-A5 Chemical Plant Design and Economics
Worked solutions to 14 past sittings (2013–2019), 85 questions. Pick a sitting, or start from a topic below.
- December 2019
- December 2018
- May 2018
- December 2017
- May 2017
- December 2016
- May 2016
- December 2015
- May 2015
- December 2014
- May 2014
- December 2013
- May 2013
- Undated paper
Topics across the sittings
Topics that come up in more than one sitting, taken from the headings of our worked solutions. A topic counts once per sitting.
- Cost Estimation (5 sittings): December 2015 Q2 · May 2015 Q2 · December 2014 Q2 · May 2014 Q2 · December 2013 Q2
- Depreciation (5 sittings): December 2014 Q3 · May 2014 Q3 · December 2013 Q5 · May 2013 Q2 · Undated paper Q4
- Process Design (5 sittings): May 2018 Q3 · December 2015 Q1 · December 2014 Q1 · May 2014 Q1 · December 2013 Q1
- Environmental Issues (4 sittings): December 2014 Q6 · May 2014 Q6 · December 2013 Q6 · May 2013 Q5
- Health (4 sittings): December 2014 Q6 · May 2014 Q6 · December 2013 Q6 · May 2013 Q5
- Safety (4 sittings): December 2014 Q6 · May 2014 Q6 · December 2013 Q6 · May 2013 Q5
- Interest (3 sittings): December 2014 Q4 · May 2014 Q4 · December 2013 Q4
- Investment Costs (3 sittings): December 2014 Q4 · May 2014 Q4 · December 2013 Q4
- Selection of Materials of Construction (3 sittings): May 2016 Q4 · December 2015 Q4 · May 2015 Q4
- Equipment-Selection Factors (2 sittings): December 2016 Q6 · May 2016 Q6
- Inherently Safer Design (2 sittings): December 2017 Q3 · December 2016 Q5
- Project Risk Assessment (2 sittings): May 2014 Q5 · December 2013 Q3
- Rate of Return (2 sittings): December 2015 Q3 · May 2015 Q3
Questions by sitting
December 2019
- Question 1: Uncertainties in Reactor Scale-up — Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous Systems
- Question 2: The Ten Essential Elements of a Process Flow Diagram
- Question 3: Choosing Between Two Projects by the Internal-Rate-of-Return Method
- Question 4: Most Economical Particulate-Control Device by EUAR Analysis
- Question 5: Categories of Plant Storage Facilities
- Question 6: Ten Steps in a Process Study for Expanding an Existing Configuration
December 2018
- Question 1: Flowsheet for Catalytic Propane Dehydrogenation
- Question 2: Minimum Selling Price by DCFROR
- Question 3: Top Five Items in a Pilot-Plant Investigation
- Question 4: Top Six Technical Factors in Commercial-Plant Design
- Question 5: Top Four Economic Factors in Commercial-Plant Design
- Question 6: Abatement Scheme for Acetone in Dryer Off-Gas
May 2018
- Question 1: Flowsheet Synthesis for the Solvay (Ammonia-Soda) Production of Na 2 CO 3
- Question 2: Choosing a Separation Sequence on Lowest Depreciation
- Question 3: Process Design & Development Items; Batch-Reactor Procedures
- Question 4: Distillation Column Design Steps; Tray vs. Packed Selection
- Question 5: Protective Linings for Chemical Plant Equipment
- Question 6: Pollution-Prevention Considerations in Unit-Operation Design
December 2017
- Question 1: Process Synthesis — Cleaning Air of SO₂ and NO₂ with a Regenerable Mg(OH)₂ Scrubber
- Question 2: Minimum Selling Price for a 20% Return on Investment
- Question 3: Inherently Safer Design (ISD) and Inherently Safer Predesign (ISPD)
- Question 4: Overall Procedure for Chemical Reactor Design
- Question 5: Sections of a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS / SDS)
- Question 6: Treatment and Disposal of Process Wastes
May 2017
- Question 1: Propane-Pyrolysis Plant — Flowsheet and Material Balance
- Question 2: Discounted-Cash-Flow Rate of Return on Two Projects
- Question 3: Scope of Information for a Chemical Process Design
- Question 4: Pumps — Types, Materials, and Selection Data
- Question 5: Safety Considerations in Chemical Industries
- Question 6: Factors in Chemical-Plant Site Location
December 2016
- Question 1: Monochlorodecane Process — Recycle Structure and Minimum Selectivity
- Question 2: Cost of a Distillation-Column Retrofit
- Question 3: Design Procedures — Heat Exchanger and Cyclone
- Question 4: Plastics as Materials of Construction
- Question 5: Inherently Safer Design
- Question 6: Equipment-Selection Factors
May 2016
- Question 1: Distillation Column Heat Integration
- Question 2: Net Present Worth of Competing Projects
- Question 3: Coagulant Dosage — Minimum-Cost Optimisation
- Question 4: Selection of Materials of Construction
- Question 5: Startup and Shutdown Safety
- Question 6: Equipment-Selection Factors
December 2015
- Question 1: Process Design
- Question 2: Cost Estimation
- Question 3: Rate of Return
- Question 4: Selection of Materials of Construction
- Question 5: Process Hazards
- Question 6: Evaporator Heat-Transfer Area
May 2015
- Question 1: Process Flowsheet Diagram
- Question 2: Cost Estimation
- Question 3: Rate of Return
- Question 4: Selection of Materials of Construction
- Question 5: Equipment Design — Decanter/Settler
- Question 6: Process Design Safety
December 2014
- Question 1: Process Design
- Question 2: Cost Estimation
- Question 3: Depreciation
- Question 4: Interest and Investment Costs
- Question 5: Project Risk and Profitability Assessment
- Question 6: Health and Safety and Environmental Issues
May 2014
- Question 1: Process Design
- Question 2: Cost Estimation
- Question 3: Depreciation
- Question 4: Interest and Investment Costs
- Question 5: Project Risk Assessment
- Question 6: Health and Safety and Environmental Issues
December 2013
- Question 1: Process Design
- Question 2: Cost Estimation
- Question 3: Project Risk Assessment
- Question 4: Interest and Investment Costs
- Question 5: Depreciation
- Question 6: Health & Safety and Environmental Issues
May 2013
- Question 1: Estimation of Total Product Cost
- Question 2: Depreciation
- Question 3: Risk Assessment in Project Economic Assessment
- Question 4: Process Selection
- Question 5: Health, Safety, Loss Protection and Environmental Issues
- Question 6: Software in Process Development and Design
- Question 7: Separation Equipment Design
Undated paper
- Question 1: Vinyl-Chloride Reaction-Path Selection by Economic Potential
- Question 2: Supercritical Extraction versus Conventional Liquid–Liquid Separation
- Question 3: Production Cost per Kilogram of Total Product
- Question 4: Depreciation, Tax and After-Tax Cash Flow — Straight-Line vs MACRS
- Question 5: Ten Hierarchical Elements Intrinsic to a Chemical Process
- Question 6: VOC-Emission-Control Scheme for a Fluidized-Bed Dryer