Finally the design project had come to an end. From last Tuesday to this Thursday, from 9am to 5pm everyday apart from Wednesday and Friday, and a quiz on Friday required much brainwork and we all felt exhausted at the end of the day.
We were required to design and build a plant to produce benzoic acid. I was in a huge group with 15 people initially. Then 3 were told to join other groups as 12 people was the maximum. New worksheets given everyday, papers started piling up on the desks, people began to complain, tired faces started to appear....
We had to design reactors, cooler condenser, condenser, reboiler, cooler, solidification drum, decanter, reflux drum. From mass balance to energy balance, from the dimensions to the cost of every single item, to the pipes, pumps, cost of building the plant, facilities, contractor fee, security, wage.............................. We were all so astonished to see even one reactor would cost 170000 pounds.
Finally, it's done. And the break even point is between 9 to 10 years.. We would be 'seriously in debt' for the first 4 years. They told us that was normal.
picture taken during the design project
We were required to design and build a plant to produce benzoic acid. I was in a huge group with 15 people initially. Then 3 were told to join other groups as 12 people was the maximum. New worksheets given everyday, papers started piling up on the desks, people began to complain, tired faces started to appear....
We had to design reactors, cooler condenser, condenser, reboiler, cooler, solidification drum, decanter, reflux drum. From mass balance to energy balance, from the dimensions to the cost of every single item, to the pipes, pumps, cost of building the plant, facilities, contractor fee, security, wage.............................. We were all so astonished to see even one reactor would cost 170000 pounds.
Finally, it's done. And the break even point is between 9 to 10 years.. We would be 'seriously in debt' for the first 4 years. They told us that was normal.
picture taken during the design projectWhat's next? Exam!
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