Comprehensive economic analysis of a multi-tubular reactor

Abstract

Multi-tubular reactors allow for highly selective and mostly highly exothermic catalytic or non-catalytic reactions to occur making them essential in various industrial processes. Our Present work was to develop a generalised rigorous costing method applicable to industrially designed multi-tubular reactors. In this report, a Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) industrial multi-tubular reactor was rigorously costed. Capital costs totalled to R,52,491,606 with material costs attributing the highest cost contribution (48%). The operating cost amounted to R,18,258,067 with cleaning and maintenance attributing the highest cost contribution(67%). The reactor purchase price was evaluated to R,36,201,107. This differed by 41.5% from the purchase price found using a shell and tube heat exchanger costing method. The total annual cost (TAC) assuming a 3-year payback was found to be R,35,755,269.