Department of Chemical Engineering
PRODUCTION OF NITRIC ACID
Level of Study: Advanced Diploma
Lecturers: Dr Khalid Osman
Moderator: Prof Caleb Narasigadu (NWU)
February 2025
1
I. BACKGROUND
Nitric acid is an important industrial intermediate compound used in the manufacture of ammonium
nitrates, explosives, and in electrochemistry. It is also used as an oxidiser in liquid-fueled rockets.
Through the numerous products made using nitric acid, it is ultimately used in the production of
plastics, dyes, and fertiliser.
II. DESIGN PROJECT SCOPE
You are required to design a Nitric Acid production plant. This includes the following:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Conducting a feasibility analysis,
A process simulation
Equipment design of three distinct units: a reactor, a heat exchanger, and a separation
column.
Heat integration (pinch analysis and water pinch analysis)
Quantitative Economic analysis
Qualitative and Quantitative Safety and environmental risk assessment.
90000 + 10000x(P) Mt/Nitric acid per year from ammonia, where P is the last digit of your student
number.
Constraints and Duties:
No.
External
Constraints
Standards and
Codes
Government
Controls
Physical
Laws
Safety
Regulations
Instructions or
Guidelines
TBD by designers
5
6
1
2
3
4
TBD by designers
No Internal
Instructions or Guidelines
Constraints
7
Choice of
TBD by designers
Process
8
Methods
TBD by designers
TBD by designers
9
TBD by designers
10
Process
Conditions
Materials
Resources
Ammonia feedstock
11
Personnel
Economic
Constraints
Determine availability
of feedstocks and
Plant Profitability
12
Duration
TBD by designers
99 mol% Ammonia.
Nitric acid must be at
least 68 mol% purity.
Impurity must be none
other than water
TBD by designers
Design Completion:
29/10/2025
2
Tasks:
Task No.
1
Description
Market analysis;
Plant capacity;
Literature survey;
Material and product demand
Process selection (justification);
Project Management aspects.
Gantt Chart of project
PFD
Due Date
30 April
2025
Progress Presentation due
2
3
4
5
Material balances;
Energy balances;
Equipment design:
Reactors,
Heat exchangers,
Separation units, …
Aspen Simulations and Excel spreadsheets for optimised
equipment design:
Reactors,
Separation units,
Heat exchangers;
Sensitivity to operating conditions …
Heat integration analysis (Pinch analysis)
Water utilisation
Progress Report Due
Economics,
HAZOP,
PID and process
control
Environmental and Risk Assessment of proposed design (LCA).
Plant Layout
Final report
30 June
2025
15 August
2025
30 Sept
2025
29 Oct 2025
III. LIAISON
Dr Khalid Osman will meet you regularly to monitor your progress and discuss options and
problems. Feel free to communicate with him in class, via emails or during consultation times.
Announcements will be made via blackboard, which is attached to your university email address.
Ensure you check your university email regularly.
Class requests must be made as a collective via a class rep nominated by the class.
Note that the project is an individual project. Since a diversity of views is required for this project,
you must keep any collaboration with other students and engineers to an absolute minimum,
to avoid penalties. Where this is essential, you must always acknowledge specific sources in your
reports, just as you are required to acknowledge the origin of facts drawn from the literature, or
from elsewhere in your own reports.
3
IV. GRADUATE ATTRIBUTES COVERED BY THE COURSE
In addition to MUT standards of competency, module assessments will also assess compulsory ECSA
competency standards as described in the following Graduate Attributes (GAs):
Graduate Attribute 3: Engineering Design
Graduate Attribute 8: Impact of Engineering Activity
Graduate Attribute 10: Engineering professionalism
Graduate attributes 11: Engineering management
Upholding ECSA Graduate Attributes is essential to maintaining the quality and accreditation of
the Advanced Diploma programme at MUT. Note that failure to meet any part of the above GAs
will result in failure of the module despite whatever mark is obtained.
V. ASSESSMENT FORMS AND REPORT SUBMISSION
All submissions must be through Turnitin.
Advanced Dip Design IV 2025
Turnitin Class ID:
Enrolment Key:
• You are expected to submit electronic copies of your design reports;
• Electronic copies must be uploaded to Turnitin. Include your surname and student number when
naming soft copies. Example: Xulu_NM_21106342
• Ensure that you append the signed declaration page. Your report will be rejected if you fail to do
so;
• Refer to the score sheet made available to you, in order to present the design report in an acceptable
format;
• Refer to rubrics to comply with ECSA Graduate Attribute requirements
• Submission dates: to be posted on Blackboard
• Use Harvard referencing style;
• Late submission is a violation of ECSA GA 11 under the section on Time Management. Any late
submission will therefore be an immediate failure of the report. Reasons other than proven
hospitalisation will not be entertained.
VI. REPORT RESUBMISSION
Students who do not meet one or more GA’s or do not meet the minimum pass mark may qualify for a
resubmission opportunity.
As per ECSA requirements stated in the rubric:
o
Student has achieved this attribute if he/she achieved no less than at level 2 in each of below
listed indicators
o
Students with achievements at level 1 will be allowed to resubmit this assessment.
o
Students with achievement at level 0 have failed and need to repeat the subject.
4
In order to qualify for a resubmission opportunity, the student must submit a report before the prescribed
submission deadline and each aspect of the report rubric must at least be partially achieved. Nonsubmission of reports on the due date or reports submitted with “Level 0” (non achievement) of GA’s
are not entitled to resubmission.
VI. PLAGIARISM
Plagiarism refers to the copying of others work in whole or in part or the use of information
obtained from others work without proper reference and in-text citation.
The ethical use of information is addressed by ECSA under GA 10: Engineering
Professionalism.
Refer to the table below for the consequences of plagiarism:
Action
Any of the following occurs in a submitted piece of work:
Direct quotation without referencing
Paraphrasing without referencing
Use of data or analysis without referencing
Any of the following occurs in a submitted piece of work
(Turnitin similarity of 15% or more):
Direct quotation without referencing
Paraphrasing without referencing
Use of data or analysis without referencing
Any of the following accounts for a substantial portion
(Turnitin similarity of 25 % or more) of the submitted work:
Direct quotation without referencing
Paraphrasing without referencing
Use of data or analysis without referencing
Any of the following occurs in a submitted piece of work (first
or repeat offence):
Copying of another student’s work
Passing off another person’s work as one’s own
Tampering/circumventing of functionality of plagiarism
software
Outcome
Referencing mark penalization.
Low mark incurred
Up to 10 marks deducted from
final mark for the submitted
work
Fail based on not meeting
GA10
Incident to be logged in a
database of plagiarism incidents
Awarded a mark of zero
Incident to be logged in a
database of plagiarism incidents
VII. FINAL MARK CALCULATION
The course is assessed through a project introduction presentation and a final report. The final
mark is calculated as follows:
Final Mark/% = 0.7 x (Written Final Design report mark/%) + 0.15 x (Presentation/%) + 0.15 x
(Progress Report)
In order to pass this course, a student is required to obtain an overall final mark of at least 50% AND
have proven competency in all ECSA graduate attributes assessed in this subject.
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CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DESIGN IV (CPDE471)
Internal Examiner: Dr K. Osman
External Examiner: Prof C. Narasigadu
Student Name:
Student No:
_________________________
Turnitin Score(%):________
DESIGN REPORT ASSESSMENT FORM
ASSESSMENT CRITERIA
__________________
Resubmission Turnitin (%):________
(if needed)
Due date: …29 October…… 2025
Max
Submin
Comments
Int.
Report
Mark
Ext.
Report
Mark
Int.
Resub
Mark
Ext
exam
Mark
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Submission
Resub (if needed):
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Succinctly presented information on the following:
• Scope of the work done;
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• Reason for work undertaken;
• Approach to execution of the project;
• Summary of important findings and their significance;
• Recommendations.
PART 1: INTRODUCTION, LITERATURE REVIEW, PROCESS SELECTION AND MATERIAL AND ENERGY BALANCES
INTRODUCTION
• Provides information on the following:
o Background information on the topic;
o Reasonable Gantt chart of key activities
o The purpose of the report and
significance;
o Structure of the report;
• Information presented is well structured and relevant
10
LITERATURE REVIEW
• Review of current processes addressing the design basis;
• Comparison of features characterising existing benzene
manufacturing processes: raw materials, operating
conditions, waste streams generated, advantages,
disadvantages, safety, operability, …
• Process selection for the new plant and justification.
10
6
6
PROPOSED PROCESS
•
•
•
•
•
•
Process description from raw materials to final products
Computer-generated Process Flow Diagram (PFD)
Labelling of all streams and equipment
Appropriate symbols and notations
Strategies to treat or dispose of waste streams
Strategies to minimise water and energy usage
10
MATERIAL AND ENERGY BALANCES
• Plant capacity calculations
• Basis for calculations
• Sample calculation for each type of unit operation;
• Statement and justification of assumptions for material
balances;
• Numbering of equations;
• Clear and methodological presentation of material
balances;
• Consistent use of SI units;
• Referencing of equations and charts used for streams’
properties;
• Spreadsheet showing energy balance iterative procedures;
• Statement and justification of assumptions for energy
balances;
• Clear and methodological presentation of energy balances;
• Stream table including operating conditions and stream
conditions;
• Correct material and energy balance calculations
PART 2: EQUIPMENT DESIGN
10
DESIGN OF UNIT 1 (Reactor)
• Contribution of the designed unit to the process;
• Stream table associated with this unit;
• Equipment Design calculations for all necessary
dimensions
• Specification sheet including all dimensions
5
2.5
7
DESIGN OF UNIT 2 (Heat transfer unit)
• Contribution of the designed unit to the process;
• Stream table associated with this unit;
• Equipment Design calculations for all necessary
dimensions
• Specification sheet including all dimensions
DESIGN OF UNIT 3 (Separation unit)
• Contribution of the designed unit to the process;
• Stream table associated with this unit;
• Equipment Design calculations for all necessary
dimensions
• Specification sheet including all dimensions
5
2.5
5
2.5
PART 3: HEAT INTEGRATION USING ASPEN ENERGY ANALYSER
HEAT INTEGRATION
• Presentation of cold and hot streams;
• Presentation of composite curves and grand composite
5
3
curves;
• Determination of cold and hot pinch temperatures, heat
recovery, minimum cold and hot utility requirements using
software
PART 4: PROCESS ECONOMICS, ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC IMPACTS AND HAZOP STUDY
ECONOMIC EVALUATION
• Major equipment costing
• Capital and operating costs;
• Presentation of cash flow table
• Determination of the payback period
• Nitric acid overall production cost in ZAR/litre
5
3
5
3
ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC
IMPACTS ASSESSMENT
• Identified and quantified all emissions, their CO2
equivalents, and effluents, and discussed their impact on the
environment;
• Identification of posts providing opportunities for carbon
footprint reduction;
• Identifying social and economic impacts.
8
HAZOP STUDY
• Table summarising the undertaken hazard and operability
study, in correct format
• Changes to the process informed by potential hazards that
have been identified.
• Process and Instrumentation diagram (PID)
• Control strategies whenever necessary
DISCUSSION
• Critical analysis and interpretation of the results;
• Consistency between statements and findings;
• Provision of sufficient and logical explanation for each
statement made;
• Addressing other issues pertinent to the work.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
• Recap of major findings/ observations and their significance;
• Description of what has been learned through this design
problem;
REFERENCES
Up-to date and relevant references
Recommended format/ style in all sections (Harvard)
Acceptable number of references (At least 10 ref.)
OVERALL PRESENTATION
5
5
2.5
5
5
• Coherence: Sentences in paragraphs relate to one another in a
logical way; relationships between paragraphs are discernible;
• Report well structured to move logically forward;
• Tailoring communication: the writing style and vocabulary is
professional for the genre and the target technical audience;
• Mechanics: no grammar, punctuation and spelling errors
• Graphs, tables, figures and diagrams are professionally
presented;
5
Turnitin Penalty
0
%
100
9
Graduate Attribute 3: Engineering design
Perform procedural and non-procedural design of broadly defined components, systems, works, products or processes to meet desired needs normally within applicable standards,
codes of practice and legislation
Student has achieved this attribute if he/she achieved no less than at level 2 in each of below listed indicators Students with
achievements at level 1 will be allowed to resubmit this assessment. Students with achievement at level 0 have failed and
need to repeat the subject.
Indicators
Achieved at a high level (3)
Understanding the design scope:
Project objectives are identified
and analysed and criteria for an
acceptable design solution are
formulated
The student demonstrates skillful The student demonstrates
ability to analyse the design
ability to analyse the design
problem and formulate the
problem and formulate the
criteria for an acceptable
criteria for an acceptable
solution.
solution.
Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □
External □
External □
Numerous approaches are
Numerous approaches to
considered; a logical and
solving the design problem
consistent plan is developed;
are considered and
consequences are taken into
consequences are taken into
account and reasons for
account
selecting the final solution are
clearly explained.
Design problem solving:
A correct approach to solution of
the problem is developed
Achieved (2)
Partially achieved (1)
Not achieved (0)
Assessed section
The student demonstrates some ability The student demonstrates
to analyse the design problem and
minimal or no ability to analyse
formulate the criteria for an
the design problem and formulate
acceptable solution.
the criteria for an acceptable
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ solution.
Resubmitted □
External □ Sub. Internal □
External □
A few approaches to solving the
A single approach to solving the
design problem are considered but
design problem is considered and
consequences are not always taken
consequences are not taken into
into account
account
Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
External □
Sub. Internal □
Heat exchanger
design
Reactor modelling
and optimisation
Aspen simulations
Resubmitted □
External □
Resubmitted □
Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □
External □
External □
The student demonstrates some
The student demonstrates
Design strategy implementation: A The student demonstrates an
The student demonstrates
solution to an open-ended
insightful and innovative ability ability to execute a solution to ability to execute a solution to the
minimal or no ability to execute a
problem, but does not incorporate
solution; design performance is
problem is undertaken within
to execute a solution to the
the problem, taking into
either poor or not shown.
constrains of relevant
problem, taking into account
account design requirements as some design requirements as well as
some contextual aspects
requirements and contextual
design requirements as well as
well as some contextual
aspects
some contextual aspects
aspects
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
External □
External □
External □
External □
Final Design Evaluation:
The final Design is evaluated and
analysed to confirm its
functionality
Introduction
The student demonstrates an
The student demonstrates
The student demonstrates some
The student demonstrates
insightful and innovative ability ability to evaluate the
ability to evaluate the functionality of minimal or no ability to evaluate
to evaluate the functionality of
functionality of the final
the final design. However, the
the functionality of the final
the final design; the evaluation
design
design; the evaluation is
evaluation is either incomplete or
is complete and further
complete and has acceptable
superficial.
improvements are suggested.
depth.
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
External □
External □
External □
External □
Equipment design
(Heat exchanger,
distillation column,
reactor)
Discussion
(Students can
provide a
discussion for
each major part of
the report )
10
Graduate Attribute 7: Impact of engineering activity
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the impact of engineering activity on the society, economy, industrial and physical environment, and address issues by analysis and
evaluation.
Student has achieved this attribute if he/she achieved no less than at level 2 in each of below listed indicators Students with
achievements at level 1 will be allowed to resubmit this assessment. Students with achievement at level 0 have failed and
need to repeat the subject.
Indicators
Achieved at a high level (3)
Achieved (2)
The student demonstrates
Awareness of societal The student demonstrates increased
awareness of societal and environmental awareness of societal and
and environmental
challenges
environmental challenges
challenges:
Challenges are
identified and their
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
causes are explained;
External □
Resubmitted □
possible solutions are Sub. Internal □
External □
discussed
Environmental
The student demonstrates outstanding
The student demonstrates ability to
ability to identify, characterise and
identify, characterise and
impact evaluation: EI
quantitatively evaluate the environmental quantitatively evaluate the
is identified,
impact of the plant on which the design
environmental impact of the plant
characterised,
project is centred; indepth analysis is
on which the design project is
quantified and
undertaken to identify the most polluting centred; data are analysed to identify
analysed
sections of the plant;
the most polluting sections of the
plant
Resubmitted □
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
External □
External □
Partially achieved (1)
Not achieved (0)
The student demonstrates some
awareness of societal and
environmental
The student demonstrates
minimal or no awareness of
societal and environmental
challenges.
Sub. Internal □
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
External □
The student demonstrates some
ability to identify, characterise and
quantitatively evaluate the
environmental impact of the plant
on which the design project is
centred. However, in-depth analysis
is lacking.
Resubmitted □
External □
Environmental
Impact
Assessment
(Life Cycle
Resubmitted □ Analysis)
External □
The student demonstrates
minimal or no ability to identify,
characterise and quantitatively
evaluate the environmental
impact of the plant on which the
design project is centred.
Sub. Internal □
Sub. Internal □
Assessed section
Environmental
Impact
Assessment
Resubmitted □
External □
11
Graduate Attributes 10: Engineering professionalism
Comprehend and apply ethical principles and commit to professional ethics, responsibilities and norms of engineering technology practice Student has
achieved this attribute if he/she achieved no less than at level 2 in each of below listed indicators; Students with achievements at level 1 will be allowed to
resubmit this assessment. Students with achievement at level 0 have failed and need to repeat the subject.
Indicators
Achieved at a high level (3)
Achieved (2)
Professional responsibility:
Professional responsibility
towards society and environment
is demonstrated
The student demonstrates skillful The student demonstrates
ability to responsibly handle
ability to responsibly handle
adverse impacts towards society adverse impacts towards
and environment from Chemical society and environment from
Engineering perspectives
Chemical Engineering
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ perspectives.
External □ Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □
External □
Ethical use of information:
Other’s work and data are used
appropriately
A Turnitin similarity report is
attached; sources are properly
acknowledged in most parts of
the report; the similarity index
is below 10%
Sub. Internal □
Partially achieved (1)
Not achieved (0)
Assessed section
The student demonstrates some
ability to responsibly handle adverse
impacts towards society and
environment from Chemical
Engineering perspectives.
The student demonstrates
minimal or no ability to
responsibly handle adverse
impacts towards society and
environment from Chemical
Engineering perspectives.
Environmental
Impact
Assessment
Sub. Internal □
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
External □
A Turnitin similarity report is
attached; sources are improperly
acknowledged in some sections; the
similarity index is between 25% and
40%
A Turnitin similarity report is
attached; sources are
improperly acknowledged in a
few parts of the report; the
similarity index is between
10% and 25 %
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal□ Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
External □
External □
Resubmitted □
External □
A Turnitin similarity report is not
attached or if attached, sources
are improperly quoted in most of
the sections; the similarity index
is greater than 40%
Resubmitted □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
External □
External □
Standards and codes are
Standards (understood as
Standards (understood as delineation
Standards (understood as
Compliance with relevant
skillfully considered during
delineation of procedures and
of procedures and specification of
delineation of procedures and
standards and/or norms:
specification of dimensions) and
specification of dimensions)
dimensions) and codes are somewhat
Established norms/ standards are design; there is compliance in
many respects.
codes are systematically ignored in
and codes are mostly
considered in the design process;
taken into account in the design
the design process.
considered during design; there there is somewhat compliance with
process
is compliance in some
codes and standards.
respects.
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
External □
External □
External □
External □
TurnitinTM
similarity report
Equipment design
Environmental
Impact
Assessment
12
Graduate Attributes 11: Engineering management
Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of engineering management principles and economic decision-making. Student has
achieved this attribute if he/she achieved no less than at level 2 in each of below listed indicators; Students with achievements at level 1
will be allowed to resubmit this assessment. Students with achievement at level 0 have failed and need to repeat the subject.
Indicators
Achieved at a high level (3)
Project risk analysis
demonstrates skilful ability to
demonstrates ability to produce a demonstrates some ability to
demonstrate minimal or no ability
produce a comprehensive risk
comprehensive risk matrix: most produce a comprehensive risk
to produce a comprehensive risk
matrix: all potential risks are
potential risks are identified,
matrix: few potential risks are
matrix
identified, their likelihood is well their likelihood is well estimated identified; suggested responses are
estimated and adequate responses and adequate responses are
mere palliatives.
are proposed.
proposed.
Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
External □
External □
External □
External □
Introduction
Budgeting
demonstrates a skilful ability to
create a comprehensive budget.
Economic Evaluation
Time management
Project monitoring (QA)
Project evaluation
Achieved (2)
Partially achieved (1)
Not achieved (0)
demonstrates an ability to create a demonstrates some ability to
Demonstrates minimal or no
comprehensive budget.
ability to create a budget
create a budget. Budget covers
most applicable areas.
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
External □
External □
External □
External □
demonstrate ability to skilfully
demonstrate ability to manage
demonstrates some ability to
demonstrates minimal or no ability
manage time allocated to the
to manage time allocated to the
time
manage
project
project
allocated to the project
time allocated to the project
Sub.
Internal □
Resubmitted □
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
External □
External □
External □
External □
demonstrates skilful ability to put demonstrates ability to put in
demonstrates some ability to put
demonstrates minimal or no ability
in place strategies for monitoring place strategies for monitoring in place strategies for monitoring
to put in place strategies for
timelines and progress towards
timelines and progress towards timelines and progress towards
monitoring timelines and progress
project goals
project goals
project goals
towards project goals
Resubmitted □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
External □
External □
External □
External □
demonstrates full understanding
demonstrates understanding of
demonstrates some understanding demonstrates minimal or no
of project evaluation; Evaluation
project evaluation; Evaluation is of project evaluation; Evaluation is understanding of project
is still skilfully addressed in the
sufficiently addressed in the
somewhat addressed in the project evaluation; No mention is made to
project proposal.
project proposal.
proposal.
evaluation in the project proposal.
Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □ Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □ Sub. Internal □
Resubmitted □
External □
External □
External □
External □
Assessed section
Introduction, submission before
deadline
Introduction
Discussion
13
Final Assessment result
Examiner
Assignment mark
GA3 Y/N
GA7 Y/N
GA10 Y/N
GA11 Y/N
Signature
Date
Internal
Submission
Internal
Resubmission
External
Submission
External
Resubmission
14