(190c) Critical Factors and Criteria for the Development and Deployment of Modular Chemical Processes

The allure of implementing modular chemical processes is the possibility of achieving significant cost savings compared with traditional individually-engineered and stick-built processes. In theory a factory-built, modular process could have a lower construction cost than a stick-built process; however, factory-built processes must be constructed of units that are a size that can economically be shipped and connected in the field. For processes above a certain size, this would necessitate the traditional engineering scaling factors being broken via advances in technology, manufacturing, and engineering design approaches. While the concept of producing modular processes is appealing, overcoming these traditional scaling factors is challenging because current supply chain and manufacturing systems are geared towards the stick-built approach for chemical process equipment. These cost savings will only be achievable if multiple standard units of the same design are produced. System standardization and minimization of one-time engineering and maintenance costs are essential to minimizing total cost of ownership of a modular system.

Considering these constraints and factors, purification processes for wastes or feed preparation are low-hanging fruit for the implementation of modular chemical processes for both distributed and centralized applications. Implementation of modular processes for distributed and centralized locations have different primary challenges. For the case of centralized applications ensuring ease of integration with the existing infrastructure, balance of plant, and controls becomes paramount, while for distributed applications it is essential that the process is highly autonomous, robust, and self-sufficient.

This talk will summarize and examine the critical factors and criteria for the development and deployment of modular chemical processes. Topics to be discussed will include when to choose modular, system size selection, process controls, standardization, manufacturing, and design for CAPEX and OPEX minimization. A focus will be placed on examining these factors relative to IntraMicron's recently developed Sour Gas Sweetening Process, SourCat^TM. The SourCat^TM desulfurization process is currently being commercialized by SourGas LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of IntraMicron. The SourCat^TM process will be deployed commercially as distributed modular units in the Oil and Gas Industry. The transition of this process from a modular pilot plant to a modular chemical process is currently the subject of the RAPID program "Modular Catalytic Desulfurization Units for Sour Gas Sweetening."