Vent Stack

COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS REPORT
Pressure Drop Calculation Process Report for System GDSE-Fan / CSE Fan to GV Stack
Index
1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 2
2. Reference Data and Assumptions ............................................................................................ 3
3. Simulation.................................................................................................................................... 5
3.1. Setup ........................................................................................................................................ 5
3.2. Results ..................................................................................................................................... 6
3.2.1. Actual Layout ....................................................................................................................... 6
3.2.2. Comparison between Original and Actual Layout .......................................................... 9
3.2.3. Pressure Drop Evaluation ................................................................................................ 11
4. Conclusions .............................................................................................................................. 11
page 1 of 11
Saipem Classification - General Use

1. Introduction
The present document refers to the granulation unit of a typical fertilizer project.
The Granulation Unit has been designed for a production capacity of about 4000 MTPD of Urea.
The aim of the current document is to analyse the pressure profile for the system composed by:
- Granulation Vent (GV) Stack
- Granulator Dust Scrubber Exhaust (GDSE) Fan
- Duct D1, designed for GDSE-Fan side and installed on CSE Fan side
- Cooler Scrubber Exhaust (CSE) Fan
- Duct D2, designed for CSE Fan side and installed on GDSE-Fan side
The analysis has been required due to an incorrect installation of GV Stack, which has been rotated by
180° on its vertical axes with respect to the intended design.
The current installation leads to a reduction in the cross-sectional area at GDSE-Fan discharge with
respect to the original design, whilst on CSE Fan discharge, the cross-sectional area is increased with
respect to the original design.
It shall be clarified that the design of the systems composed by ducts and fans have been performed by
Saipem in agreement with the guidelines provided by the Granulation Unit Licensor in its process design
package and it is based on assumptions made in the early stages of engineering and hereafter verified
once the assumptions have been superseded by actual data.
To confirm results of analysis performed as per ASHRAE methodology for pressure drop, numerical
simulations based on computational fluid dynamics have been performed on actual layout.
page 2 of 11

2. Reference Data and Assumptions

In the current paragraph are reported the main data and assumption relevant to the examined system.
Air properties:
The thermodynamic properties of humid air are calculated from a virial equation of state. Humid air is
considered as binary mixture of two real gasses, dry air, and water vapour.
Air viscosity assumed equal to 0.015cP.
Stainless steel Roughness for pressure drop calculation: 0.045mm
Data and assumptions:
➢ Atmospheric data for calculation
Ambient Air
Temperature °C 34
Pressure mmH2O (abs) 10330
Relative Humidity RH - 80%
➢ Air from GDSE-Fan
Exh. Air GDSE-Fan Disch.
Temperature °C 49
DryAir Flowrate (normal/rated) kg/h 697737 / 767511
Humidity ratio kgH2O/kgDryAir 0.0604
Ammonia content is neglected.
Urea dust presence is neglected.
➢ Air flowrate from CSE Fan
Exh. Air CSE Fan Disch.
Temperature °C 38
DryAir Flowrate (normal/rated) kg/h 641984 / 721182
Humidity ratio kgH2O/kgDryAir 0.0326
Urea dust presence is neglected.
➢ GDSE-Fan
outlet flange dimensions: (WxH) 2300 x 2800 mm
➢ CSE Fan
outlet flange dimensions: (WxH) 2300 x 2800 mm
➢ GV Stack and ducts D1 and D2
Stack (referenced as per design)
Stack diameter: mm 4800
Stack Height from ground: mm 44300
GDSE-Fan side inlet duct center line from ground: mm 10580
CSE Fan side inlet duct center line from ground: mm 10480
Stack Inlet Duct GDSE-Fan side length (referred to CL): mm ~4500
Stack Inlet Duct CSE Fan side length (referred to CL): mm ~4800
Duct D2 inlet flange (WxH): mm 2800 x 9000
page 3 of 11

Duct D1 inlet flange (WxH): mm 2800 x 8190

➢ Duct D2 (CSE Fan side according to design)
Inlet flange dimension: ref. to CSE Fan outlet flange dimensions
Outlet flange dimension (WxH): mm 2800 x 3100
Length: mm 1635
➢ Duct D1 (GDSE-Fan side according to design)
Inlet flange dimension: ref. to GDSE-Fan outlet flange dimensions
Outlet flange dimension (WxH): mm 2800 x 3600
Length: mm 1635
page 4 of 11

3. Simulation
3.1. Setup
The simulation is based on computational fluid-dynamics that numerically solve the Navier–Stokes
equations governing fluid flows.
The system is described as a steady turbulent flow of as an ideal gas through rough walls channels;
pressure drop values are calculated as difference between section integral values of pressure, refer to
Figure 1. Values of flow rate are imposed at inlets and pressure at outlet.
Figure 1 - sections of pressure drop calculation
page 5 of 11

3.2. Results
3.2.1. Actual Layout
Based on the results of calculation, with the stack entrances in misplaced position, it is possible to
conclude that the increased pressure drop on GDSE-Fan side is within the existing margin and
equivalent to approx. 1% of static pressure required at the rated point of the fan.
No concern has been highlighted on CSE Fan as the pressure drop downstream the fan is reduced.
Refer to following figures for pressure, velocity, turbulent kinetic energy, and wall shear stress at a
mid-plane section: on Figure 2 it can be noted that pressure profile shows a constant dropping trend
from inlet to outlet, while Figure 3 andFigure 4 highlight the slightly unbalanced velocity distribution.
It should also be noted that the distribution of normal pressure and shear stress on walls are
negligible from mechanical point of view.
Figure 2 - pressure profile
page 6 of 11

Figure 3 - velocity profile
Figure 4 - velocity streamlines
page 7 of 11

Figure 5 - turbulent kinetic energy profile
Figure 6 - wall shear stress distribution
page 8 of 11

3.2.2. Comparison between Original and Actual Layout

The simulation has been extended to the original layout, in order to make it possible to compare
pressure and velocity distributions between the original and actual situation: as shown on Figure 7
and Figure 8, there are slight local differences, while they are negligible in the global distributions.
Figure 7 - comparison between actual and original layout: pressure profile
Figure 8 - comparison between actual and original layout: velocity profile
page 9 of 11

Also, the distributions of pressure and shear stress on walls, refer to Figure 9 and Figure 10, show
that the difference between original and actual layout are still negligible, and are anyway negligible
values from mechanical point of view.
Figure 9 - normal pressure distribution on walls
Figure 10 - shear stress distribution on walls
page 10 of 11

3.2.3. Pressure Drop Evaluation

Finally, pressure drop can be evaluated on the base of numerical simulation results: as shown on
Figure 11, pressure drop trend is in good agreement with results from ASHRAE methodology
adoption.
10400.0
10390.0
10380.0
10370.0
10360.0
mmH20
10350.0 U-53 side

U-50 side
10340.0
10330.0
10320.0
10310.0
10300.0
Fan Discharge Stack Inlet Mixing Point L-55 Outlet Ambient
Figure 11 - pressure drop evaluation
4. Conclusions
The change in system layout has negligible impacts on fluid dynamics and mechanical integrity.
page 11 of 11

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COMPUTATIONAL FLUID DYNAMICS REPORT

Saipem Classification - General Use

Saipem Classification - General Use

2. Reference Data and Assumptions

Saipem Classification - General Use

Duct D1 inlet flange (WxH): mm 2800 x 8190

Saipem Classification - General Use

Figure 1 - sections of pressure drop calculation

Saipem Classification - General Use

Figure 2 - pressure profile

Saipem Classification - General Use

Figure 3 - velocity profile

Figure 4 - velocity streamlines

Saipem Classification - General Use

Figure 5 - turbulent kinetic energy profile

Figure 6 - wall shear stress distribution

Saipem Classification - General Use

3.2.2. Comparison between Original and Actual Layout

Figure 7 - comparison between actual and original layout: pressure profile

Figure 8 - comparison between actual and original layout: velocity profile

Saipem Classification - General Use

Figure 9 - normal pressure distribution on walls

Figure 10 - shear stress distribution on walls

Saipem Classification - General Use

3.2.3. Pressure Drop Evaluation

10350.0 U-53 side

Figure 11 - pressure drop evaluation

Saipem Classification - General Use

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