Plant Design Economics: Equipment Sizing and Process Optimization

Designing a chemical plant requires more than just understanding chemical reactions; it demands balancing engineering efficiency with financial viability. This course guides you through the core principles of process optimization and equipment design economics. You will transition from understanding basic chemical processes to evaluating the economic feasibility of entire systems. By mastering optimization techniques and equipment sizing calculations, you will be equipped to make data-driven decisions that minimize costs and maximize efficiency. What you'll learn: - Understand foundational plant design terminology, capital cost estimation, and manufacturing costs. - Size and select key process equipment, including heat exchangers, distillation columns, and storage vessels. - Apply mathematical optimization techniques to identify the most cost-effective operating conditions. - Calculate depreciation, profitability metrics, and the time value of money for engineering projects. - Evaluate modern sustainability metrics, including lifecycle costing and carbon-economic trade-offs. - Analyze design trade-offs between fixed capital investment and ongoing operating expenses. The course begins with foundational concepts of engineering economics and equipment selection criteria. You will then progress through step-by-step written explanations of optimization methodologies, cost estimations, and modern sustainable design considerations. This text-based course is designed for engineering students, process designers, and technical professionals looking to strengthen their grasp of plant economics. No advanced background in finance is required. Start reading today to bridge the gap between chemical engineering and financial decision-making.