What's New in SuperPro Designer v15

1. General

2. New Unit Procedures

3. New Operations

4. Improvements in Operations

5. Bug Fixes

6. New Examples

New Consumable Added to the Membrane Category: Gas Membrane.).)

a. General

a01. Digital Licensing Is now Available for All Protected Editions of the Software.

SuperPro Designer is available in several editions; some require the presence of a sentinel key (dongle) in order to operate. Starting with a late release during the lifetime of v14, all protected editions of the software (Industrial, Academic, VR-1, etc.) were available with digital license protection that does NOT require the presence of a USB key. Since this is the first major release of the software that is available for purchase with a digital license, we believed it was worth mentioning it again as part of the 'new features'.

License seats can be purchased as 'fixed' (dedicated to the installation PC) or 'floating' (multiple users can load and run the software but not simultaneously exceeding the number of seats of the license). Please consult the Digital Licensing tab of SuperPro Designer's Download Center for more details or call Intelligen directly to inquire about pricing.

a02. New Report (GWP): Focus on Global Warming Potential.

The new report can be generated by selecting the Reports / Global Warming Potential option (main menu).
The report aims to produce an assessment of the modeled process regarding its impact on global warming as measured by the CO2eq kg (of some reference flow or functional unit - FU for short).
Contributions to the CO2eq value of the process come from several sources: 
- Process Input Streams (materials) - bulk and discrete -
- Process Output Streams (materials) - bulk and discrete - 
- Consumables spent by the process (e.g. Resins, Filtration Cartridges, etc.)
- Power consumed (since supply of power comes with a CO2eq penalty)
- Heat Transfer Agents consumed (e.g. "Steam" since the production of such agents carries a CO2eq tag).
- Greenhouse emissions: emitting components tagged as 'greenhouse' directly adds to the CO2eq amount of the total process.
In order for the report to be generated, new properties have been added to all of the above entities when defined in a process model. For example, here's the definition of a pure component:



Stock Mixtures: 



Power types: 



Heat Transfer Agents: 

Consumables:

Users can control from which source(s) to include their CO2eq contributions by modifying the options for the GWP report:

Since the Global Warming Potential is always reported as CO2eq units (e.g. kg) per some reference flow in the process (called 'Functional Unit'), users have the flexibility to choose which flow to be used as such FU. Typically one may use the FU to coincide with the main revenue stream flow but not necessarily. There is a new interface that allows users to choose the functional unit flow reference. 


You can view the above interface by selecting Tasks / Rate Reference Flows... from the main menu.

a03. Streams and Equipment Contents Can now Calculate and Report their pH Value.

Starting with this release, pure components and stock mixtures carry information about their classification as strong or weak acids along with ionization constants that enable SuperPro's pH calculation engine to compute the pH of a mixture based on these new properties of components and mixtures and the mixture's composition. Since pH calculations only are of interest to a small segment of SuperPro Designer users, all the information related to this topic is optionally activated by selecting the following option from the flowsheet's command menu (Preferences/ Miscellaneous)

When the box highlighted above is checked the following features are activated:
 
a) Components now include a new tab as part of their definition dialog:

b) Streams now show (optionally) the pH value:

c) The pH value can also be shown on states (equipment contents):



d) This new property of streams and stream contents can be optionally seen on the Stream Summary Table interface when added in options of contents:



e) The pH value of streams can also be displayed as part of the Stream Summary Table (SST) when added from the contents' options interface:

Given that SuperPro now computes the pH of a mixture, the custom mixing operation includes now a new specification target that computes the amount of stream to be added to a process stream in order to achieve a desired value for the outlet stream (see Custom Mixing Operation: New Specification Added to Achieve User Specified pH Value).  
Note that turning on the pH feature on the flowsheet does NOT automatically imply that the calculations will be done for every stream and every procedure state in the process model. You can turn on the calculation on the stream(s) that you wish to see their pH value and the equipment contents where that is desirable by checking the 'Show pH' flag as shown in (b) and (c) above. 

a04. Streams Now Have an Identity Attribute.

A stream's identity is a new concept introduced mainly for characterizing process input streams. You can view the stream's identity from the 'Identity tab' of their i/o simulation dialog: 



As you can see from above an input stream can have one of three identities:
a) Regular Material Stream
b) Used as Heat Transfer Agent
c) Withdrawn from a Source or Supply Storage Unit (SU) 
Making a choice on the stream's identity has an impact on : 
i) Its composition
ii) Its classification
When choosing (a) above (Regular Material Stream), users have freedom to specify any composition they wish for that input stream (from the i/o simulation dialog of the stream). Also, there are multiple options for how to classify the stream from the economic impact or scope point of view; its cost can be under 'Raw Materials' or 'Cleaning Agents' or (in some rare cases) 'Revenue'. 
However, if we designate the Identity of the input stream as 'Used as Heat Transfer Agent' then after we choose a heating agent (from the list of agents that must have a material associated with them) then its composition is locked and its classification is also locked ('Heat Transfer Agent') so its cost will appear under the 'Heat Transfer Agent' subcategory of Materials cost.
Finally, if we choose 'Withdrawn from Storage Unit' then again the composition is locked (to match the component or mixture assigned to that source SU) and, if the SU has a designated classification (e.g. "Raw Material") then the stream's classification automatically matches that of the SU and cannot be changed. 

For output streams, there is no flexibility in choosing its identity: they are all 'Regular Material Streams'. From the Identity tab, we can only choose the classification of the stream (as 'Revenue', 'Credit', 'Waste' or 'Unclassified'). We do have choice here to assign a receiving storage unit and if we do, and the storage unit already carries a classification, its classification dictates the classification of the stream and cannot be changed.



Please note that even though the Stream Classification interface (Tasks / Stream Classification) presents the classification of all streams in a process in one central interface, it allows you to change the classification of a stream (if not tied to its identity) but it does NOT allow you to change a stream's identity; you will have to visit the 'Identity tab' on the stream's i/o simulation dialog for that.  

a05. Heat Transfer Agents Can be Used on Input Streams.

There has been a request for a while now to allow process input streams to be initialized with a heat transfer agent (typically a heating HX agent like "Steam"). Starting with this release, you can.

Utilizing the 'Identity' feature of a stream, we can set it to 'Used as Heat Transfer Agent' and then select one from the heat transfer agents available.


Note that the choice of agent is only among agents with material associated with them.

With the above assignment, the composition of the stream is locked to match the material associated with the agent. The cost implications are as follows: 
a) The amount specified as the stream's flowrate will be added to the total amount of consumed heat transfer agent ("Steam" in this case). If the process is batch, then the timing of the use would be matched to the operation using the input stream. 
b) There will be a Heat Transfer agent penalty cost since the agent is never returned to the utility plant. The cost is set at the definition of the heat transfer agent.
c) There will be a material charge equal to the full amount of the agent used (i.e. the stream's flowrate) for the material associated with the agent. Again, if the process is batch, the material consumption will be tied to the operation that utilizes the input stream. This cost will appear under the "Materials Cost" subtotal of the operating cost and more specifically in the 'Heat Transfer Agent Materials' sub-category. 
d) There will be a material charge to account for the material make-up required to raise the agent (again, as specified at the agent's definition interface); this consumption is NOT shown on the material consumption charts and it is NOT associated (in timing or otherwise) with any operation.  

a06. The 'Materials Cost' Slice of the Operating Cost now Clearly Shows the three Subcategories: Raw Materials, Materials as Cleaning Agents and Materials on Heat Transfer Agents.

Show new option on ICR that clearly shows the three subcategories of the Materials Cost (TO-BE-DONE) .  

The 'Raw Material' subcategory (typically the dominant) represents the cost of material that are directly fed into the main process and responsible for the transformation of inputs to outputs. 
The 'Cleaning Agent' subcategory includes material used by traditionally cleaning operations (e.g. CIP) to clean vessel contents before or after use. 
The 'Heat Transfer Agent' subcategory, collects material consumption associated with the use of heat transfer agents. It includes material needed during the regeneration of an agent, as well as material that makes up the agent in its entirety when the agent is never returned back to utility plant. For more details see  Better Handling of Costs Related to Heat Transfer agent Usage (Use-and-Return vs Use-and-Dispose.

a07. Better Handling of Costs Related to Heat Transfer Agent Usage (Use-and-Return vs Use-and-Dispose).

To better understand all the costs associated with the use of a heat transfer agent, let’s consider the life cycle of a heating agent (“Steam”). The diagram below represents how “Steam” is used.

The amount requested by the process (in this case X+Y kg/batch) is drawn from the Utility Plant (red line on the left of the utility plant). For the case of “Steam” the utility plant delivers “Steam” at 152°C (saturated vapor) at 5 bars. 
As we can see from the definition dialog of “Steam” (see screen below), the process is

supposed to use “Steam” at 152°C (vapor) and return it as condensed liquid also at 152°C (the blue line returning to the utility plant). The process has two types of consumers of “Steam”: 
a) Type-1: Use-and-Return
Such uses are typically process steps that require heating and heating is provided via a jacket surrounding a vessel, or through a serpentine-line situated in the interior of a vessel thus heating up its contents. The available enthalpy from the agent is only the latent heat of water at 152°C since it is supposed to be returned at those conditions. 
b) Type-2: Use-and-never-return
Such use is typically as part of Steam-in-Place operation where steam is drawn to clean and sterilize the interior of a vessel and then it is disposed of (never returned to the blue line above).
Assuming the process requires X MT-steam/batch for Type-1 usage and Y MT-steam/batch for Type-2 usage the charges incurred would be as follows: 

•  For Type-1 Usage:
a) Agent Cost: X * 0.28 ($/MT) as indicated for the Agent Cost (purple highlight in figure above).
b) Material Cost: X * 0.1 ($/MT) (under the “Heat Transfer Agent” subcategory of Material Cost)
•  For Type-2 Usage:
a1) Agent Cost: Y * 0.28 ($/MT) as indicated for the Agent Cost (purple highlight in figure above).
a2) Agent Cost: Y * 0.15 ($/MT) for the unreturned agent (blue highlight in the figure above) as extra heating cost.
b1) Material Cost: Y * 0.1 ($/MT) as indicated by the green highlight in figure above (will appear as “Heat Transfer Agent” subcategory of Material Cost)
b2) Material Cost: Y * 100 ($/MT) for the unreturned agent (material cost only) - price will be shown on the "Economics" tab of the material's properties dialog.
Note that the last material cost (b2) will appear under a subcategory of material cost that can be either “Heat Transfer Agent” or “Cleaning Agent” depending on the nature of the Type-2 consumer of “Steam”. For the case of SIP, it will appear under “Cleaning Agent”. 

Users do not necessarily have to associate material with an agent. If they don’t, then the spent agent cost supplied above (blue highlight in above figure) is assumed to cover both the material and energy cost needed to replace the unreturned (missing) agent. If the agent does have an association with a material, then the price supplied in the purple area is supposed to cover the energy only required to transform the material to the return conditions of the agent (152°C condensed vapor at 5 bar).
There is one more charge for the use of any heat transfer agent that relates to losses in the distribution and return network. The agent cost charge is computed based on the total amount requested (X+Y MT/batch) multiplied by the price indicated in the blue area above. If a material is associated with the agent, a corresponding material cost will be added to the 'Materials Cost' for this material (under the "Heat Transfer Agent subcategory). The amount will be the total amount (X+Y) multiplied by the purchase cost of material associated with the agent.
Spent agents that are NOT returned (e.g., the Type-2 consumers like SIP) are also charged a Waste Treatment and Disposal Cost (as indicated by the red box in the "Steam" properties definition dialog) unless the unit cost is explicitly overwritten. For example, in the SIP operation, it is possible to overwrite the classification of waste and the waste treatment cost of the spent agent since it may contain vessel contents with it.

a08. Stock Mixtures Can Now Have Their Purchase Price and Revenue Price either Set by User or Calculated from Its Ingredients.

Previously those prices were always calculated based on the mixture's composition and the properties of each ingredient. 

a09. COM Enhancements (Set a New Heat Transfer Agent, Several Variables in Drying Operations and More).

Users can now use the SuperPro Designer's COM engine SetVarVal() calls to replace the heat transfer agent in an operation (something that was not possible before). The new VID to is:

primaryHxAgentName_VID  (to replace the primary agent)

secondaryHxAgentName_VID  (to replace the secondary agent)

auxHeatingHxAgentName_VID (to replace the auxiliary heating agent)

auxCoolingHxAgentName_VID (to replace the auxiliary cooling agent)

More VID constants have been added to facility setting and fetching various other variables in several unit operations (after users request):

a10. New Consumable Category: Bipolar Electrodialysis (ED) Membrane.

This new consumable category services the need of the new equipment class introduced witht this release: the Bipolar Electrodiallyzer.

It has two members: 
a) Dft BMED Membrane, and
b) Dft BMED Stack
The Dft BMED Stack definition dialog is shown below:

and

a11. New Consumable Added to the Membrane Category: Gas Membrane.

This new consumable is used by the newly added equipment type Gas Membrane Module (hosting the new procedure Gas Membrane Separation).

a12. Faster Convergence of Iterative Loop Calculations.

Starting with this release, when going through iterative calculations attempting to converge tear streams on loop configurations, and user has specified to converge flows on a per-component basis, components that are in traces (below the "Zero Threshold" level) are being ignored. This approach leads to a faster convergence of such loops. 

a13. Transfer Panels Now Available in More Operations.

Transfer panels can be created as auxiliary equipment and be assigned to virtually any operation that transfer material in or out of a host equipment. Eventhough most of the existing transfer operations in SuperPro Designer had the option to be assigned such an auxiliary equipment (and bid for size/throughput) many other operations that may involve material transfer did not have this ability. For example, all reactions/fermentations with the option of fed-batch. When the fed-batch option is activated such operations will need to move material in the reactor; as such, now these operations can be assigned a transfer panel (see below). 

Other operations that now have the option of being assigned a transfer panel are perfusion fermentation and batch extraction.

b. New Unit Procedures

b01. Steam Ejection

The new procedure has been added under:
Unit Procedures > Transport (near) > Gases > Steam Ejection

The icon for this procedure is:

A Steam Ejection unit procedure can be created from the menu: Unit Procedures > Transport (near) > Gases > Steam Ejection.
This unit procedure models pumping of a suction gas using motive gas in a steam ejector. The procedure can be executed either in continuous or semi-continuous mode.
The equipent that hosts this new procedure is a Steam Ejector; here's a view of its properties:

b02. Gas Membrane Separation

The new procedure has been added under:
Unit Procedures > Filtration > Gas Membrane

The icon for this procedure is:

Continuous gas membrane separation is used to remove specific gases from a multi-component gaseous feed based on their relative permeabilities through a dense polymer membrane. Industrial gas separation membranes are widely used for the selective removal of components such as CO2, H2S, and N2 from natural gas, biogas, and other process streams.

The Gas Membrane unit procedure is hosted by a new type of equipment: Gas Membrane Module. The module typically consists of a pressure vessel that contains one or more membrane cartridges. Its main function is to selectively remove gases from a gaseous feed stream according to their permeation rates through the polymer membrane. 
This equipment resource uses consumables of the “Filtration Membrane” category. By default, the “Dft Gas Membrane” consumable is selected, with its cost defined on a per-unit-area basis. In this case, each module is assumed to contain one cartridge, and sizing/rating calculations are simply based on the membrane area of the module. If, instead, the cost of the selected consumable is defined on a per- unit basis, sizing/rating calculations may be based on additional information regarding the number of cartridge slots per module.
Here's a view of the Gas Membrane Module's main properties:


 

b03. Bipolar Membrane (BM) Electrodialysis

The new procedure has been added under:
Unit Procedures > Filtration > BM Electrodialysis

The icon for this procedure is:

Bipolar Membrane Electrodialysis (BMED) is an advanced electrodialysis process that uses bipolar membranes (BPMs) to split water molecules into protons (H⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH⁻) under an electric field. These ions react with salts in the feed solution, producing concentrated acids and bases without external chemicals. A BMED unit is composed of repeating cells containing anion-exchange (AEM), cation-exchange (CEM), and bipolar membranes (BPM). The technology offers sustainable acid and base generation with diverse applications, including water treatment, recovery of chemicals from wastewater, carbon capture, and production of organic and bio-based chemicals. It is also applied in energy systems such as redox flow batteries and hydrogen generation. By reducing chemical waste and reliance on conventional acid/base production, BMED delivers both economic and environmental benefits.
There's a new class equipment introduced to host the above procedure: Polar Membrane Filter. Here's its main description property page:

b04. pH Regulation

The new procedure has been added under:
Unit Procedures > Mixing > Bulk Flow > pH Regulation

The icon for this procedure is:

Continuous Ph Regulation procedure is used to adjust a process stream (the bottom input) to a set point (as desired by the user). The built-in operation (see below) will carry out reactions (if specified) and calculate the amount of the add-in stream in order for the output stream to have a pH as set by the user (see below). Note that the top-output stream of this procedure is used as an emission-carrying stream (since reactions can produce substances that need to be emitted in a manner analogous to the continuous stoichiometric reactions in a GBX).

c. New Unit Operations

c01. Steam Ejection

This operation models the pumping of a suction gas with the help of a motive gas in a steam ejector. A steam ejector is a device that uses a high-pressure primary fluid (motive fluid, typically HP steam) to entrain and compress a low-pressure secondary fluid (load, typically LP steam).

Here's a screenshot of its Oper. Cond's tab:

The user specifies the target discharge pressure, and either the mass flow rate of the suction gas or the mass flow rate of the discharge gas, and the program calculates the entrainment ratio, motive gas flow, and (if the discharge flow is specified) suction gas flow. 

c02. Gas Membrane Separation

This is a new operation created to support the new procedure introduced in this major release: Gas Membrane Separation (see above).
Continuous gas membrane separation is used to remove specific gases from a multi-component gaseous feed based on their relative permeabilities through a dense polymer membrane. The separation is modeled by employing a lumped isothermal cross-flow model that predicts membrane performance in the separation of one or more gaseous species from the feed. Key input parameters include the feed flow rate and composition, feed and permeate pressures, permeance of a selected reference gas, membrane selectivity for each component relative to the reference gas, and stage cut. Based on these inputs, the model calculates the flow rates and compositions of the permeate and retentate streams, as well as the total membrane area required. In design mode, the equipment is sized automatically based on the calculated membrane area. In rating mode, the program issues a warning if the required membrane area exceeds the available membrane area

The Oper. Cond's tab is shown below:

c03. Bipolar Membrane (BM) Electrodialysis

This is a new operation created to support the new procedure introduced in this major release: Bipolar Membrane (BM) Electrodialysis.

In Design Mode, the user must specify the removal percentage of the components that are removed and the program will calculate the required membrane area based on the percentage of the design component. In Rating Mode, the user specifies the membrane area available and SuperPro will estimate the corresponding removal percentage of the design component, taking into account the removal percentages of the other components. The user must also specify the reactions of acid and base formation by providing the corresponding acid and base forms as well as the stoichiometric molar coefficients of water, acid and base forms. The user must ensure that the molecular weights of the four reaction components are correctly defined so that the stoichiometric mass balances close.

c04. pH Regulation (Continuous)

This is a new operation created to support the new procedure introduced in this major release: Continuous pH Regulation.

The user specifies a desired target value of pH for the output stream. The operation will guess a flow for the adjustable stream and carry out any reactions specified on the reaction tab in a manner similar to a continuous stoichiometric reaction; then it will calculate the pH of the resulting mixture. If the desired value has not been achieved, a new value for the flow of the adjustable stream will be attempted and repeat the calculations again until the desired value of pH is achieved. If required (and specified by the user) emission calculations will also be carried out at the end.

As in any iterative calculations the initial guess may lead to success or failure, if the calculations fail, the user can provide his/her own initial guess to help with the convergence. 

c05. pH Regulation (Batch)

This is a new operation created to be the equivalent of the Continuous pH Regulation but working with equipment contents.

The user specifies a desired target value of pH for contents. The operation will guess a flow for the adjustable stream and carry out any reactions specified on the reaction tab in a manner similar to a batch stoichiometric reaction; then it will calculate the pH of the resulting mixture. If the desired value has not been achieved, a new value for the flow of the adjustable stream will be attempted and repeat the calculations again until the desired value of pH is achieved. If required (and specified by the user) emission calculations will also be carried out at the end.

As in any iterative calculations the initial guess may lead to success or failure, if the calculations fail, the user can provide his/her own initial guess to help with the convergence. 

d. Improvements in Operations

d01. Custom Mixing Operation: New Specification Added to Achieve a Target pH Value.

A new specification options has been added to the Custom Mixing operation: It can now calculate the flow of the adjustable stream (with given composition) needed to be mixed with the main process stream in order for the output stream to have a given pH value:

d02. Min/Max Liquid-to-Vessel Volume Percentages Are now Shown in Operations like Charge, Transfer In/Out and Agitate even if Present in non-Vessel Equipment.

Several of our users had requested to be able to see how much the reaction's enthalpy contributes to the enthalpy balances in order to make a better understanding on how the calculated heating or cooling duty is spent. SuperPro Designer now reports on each reaction's display the amount of duty (negative for exothermic reactions - i.e., heating - and positive for endothermic reactions i.e. cooling) that the reaction contributes to the overall heat balance:

When a operation like "Charge" finds itself present in a host equipment like Nutsche Filter, in previous releases we didn't show the "Volumes tab" at all. The reason was that a Nutsche Filter has volume and volume contents but it is NOT sized based on its liquid contents. It is sized based on its membrane area. The volume is simply a derivative property that is calculated based on its filter area multiplied by (an always user-specified) height. 

d03. Agitation Is Available in Bowl Centrifuge Procedures (Top & Bottom Discharge).

Agitation is available but unlike what happens when it's present in vessels, it will NOT size the equipment (on volume) since it is sized on filtration area; will check if it violates min/max working-to-vessel volume constraints. 

d04. Gas Cyclone and Hydrocyclone's SetVarVal() and GetVarVal() Expanded their Options.

Several new VID constants have been added in order to fetch and/or set the parameters of cyclone and hydrocyclone equipment.

d05. The SMB Chromatography's Option for 'First Resin Capitalized' now Can Be Accessed by COM.

A new VID constant has been introduced ('bFirstResinCapitalized') that allows the SetVarVal() and GetVarVal() to access the option of allowing the cost of first resin to be capitalized. 

d06. Freeze Drying (or Lyophilization) Has Been Redesigned for More Detailed Modeling.

A new VID constant has been introduced ('bFirstResinCapitalized') that allows the SetVarVal() and GetVarVal() to access the option of allowing the cost of first resin to be capitalized. 

The freeze-drying operation, as the name implies, consists of two distinct steps: 
a) freezing (first) down to a low temperature (usually at very low pressure)
b) heating (drying) next to a slightly higher temperature
It is usually during (b) that the substance we want to remove (most commonly water) goes through sublimation (i.e. transitions from solid to vapor) and removed from the contents. This step is very commonly used in food process (but not only) when we need to remove moisture (water) but we don't want to raise the temperature of product as it could spoil.


Modeling improvements:
- User now has to provide a freezing temperature, a sublimation temperature and a final (exit) temperature. During phase (a) above (freezing) the contents are assumed to be cooled down to the specified freezing temperature. A freezing utility (heat transfer agent or electricity) needs to be specified for this phase (see the utilities tab below). The time for this period is set separately as 'freezing time' ; once that temperature is reached, then another utility must be engaged to start the heating phase. The utility for that step must also be provided on the Utilities tab (see below); the time for this period is also considered separately: 'heating time'. During heating, once the contents reach 'sublimation temperature' they start transitioning from solid to vapor phase. The amount of volatiles that need to be removed is set (as was done previously) either on a component-by-component basis on based on the final LOD value. If the final temperature is higher than the sublimation temperature, then volatiles will continue to evaporate now (i.e. transition from liquid to vapor) until we reach the user's specifications for evaporation targets.


The amount of utilities required for each phase (the freezing phase and the heating phase) are done by rigorous enthalpy calculations between the original and final state of each stage. 
The critical 'size' variable for determining the number of units that may be required to be engaged (in parallel if needed) is the sublimation capacity per cycle. Once this amount is calculated (based on the operating condition specifications) the number of required units is calculated. The area necessary to be available by the equipment is also calculated based on one of three different operating specifications:
(i) Wet Cake Depth (mm), or
(ii) Spec. Evaporation Rate (kg/m2-h) 
(iii) Spec. Sublimation Rate (m3/m2-h or mm/h)



To perform emission calculations an equipment volume is estimated as the the product of required tray area times the tray distance.
The discrete freeze drying operation has also been updated to reflect the same modeling approach as the bulk freeze drying operation.

d07. Cooling in a Cooling Tower Operation Has Been ReDesigned for More Detailed Modeling.

Several improvements / additions have been made to the cooling in a cooling tower operation.



More specifically (see above):
- Drift and blowdown streams have been added as an option. If you don't need to employ them in your models, simply set the % drift or % blowdown to zero.
Drift: a small portion of inlet water droplets are entrained in the outlet air stream.
Blowdown: after the cooling, we release a portion of the water to reduce the concentration of impurities and dissolved minerals.
- A new makeup water stream has been added as an option again. If you don't need to engage the makeup water stream in your modeling, then, simply don’t add one. If you don't add one, the program will just skip all calculations involving a makeup stream.
- The downstream fan and the downstream pump have become optional, since some users preferred to include them explicitly in their process model outside the cooling tower. When they are included in the cooling-in-a-cooling tower, they do calculation the power consumption now more accurately (in previous releases the power consumption was underestimated).
- The user now explicitly must choose what component from the list of registered components represents "Water"; in this manner, he/she indicates to the model what component to remove from the incoming mixture due to evaporation and add it to the air stream.
- The new cooling-in-a-cooling-tower model now offers three options for the specification of the water content of inlet air:
   a) Available in Stream;
   b) Calculated based on the specification of the wet-bulb temperature of inlet air; and
   c) Calculated based on the specification of the relative humidity of inlet air. 
- The accuracy of the calculated outlet air temperature has been improved.

d08. The RC Coefficient in Membrane Filtration Operations (MF, UF, Reverse Osmosis and Diafiltration) Is Only Editable if the Component Is Declared as 'Solute'.

Previously users were able to set the rejection coefficient for all components in a membrane filtration operation, without explicitly declaring which components are part of the solutes (that can be rejected) and the solvent (that passes through the filter). Any component that was given a rejection coefficient of zero was assumed to be part of the solvent; any component with a rejection coefficient higher than 0 was assumed that it was part of the solutes.



This approach could lend itself to misunderstandings where some users would assign a rejection coefficient even to 'Water" (being the solvent) without realizing that his would classify all 'Water' as solute and therefore would not contribute to the volumetric flowrate of the solvent. Starting with this release, in order for users to be able to edit the rejection coefficient of a component, they must FIRST declare the component as 'Solute'. 

d09. Pull-in Operation now Has Another Advanced Option for Calculating the Amount Pulled-in: Achieve a Target pH.

Another option has been added to the previous list of "Advanced Options" available to a user when using a Pull-in operation: Achieve a desired value of pH for the vessel contents.



Note that this option is only visible if the user has chosen to view pH values on streams and equipment contents. This option can be turned on or off from the Miscellaneous preferences dialog of the document (right-click on an empty area of the document and select Preferences / Miscellaneous... ). 
Of course for the pH calculations to be successful, the user must have taken care of defining the ionization constants of all components that can contribute to the calculation of pH (e.g. see below the ph Data tab of Sulfuric Acid):

e. Bug Fixes

e01. Mixture-Making and N-Way Flow Distribution Now Function Properly Even if Handling Very Small Flows.

When mixture-making and/or n-Way flow distribution operations were used on flows that were very small, they failed to function properly. This has now been fixed.

e02. Distillation Column, Cyclone and Hydrocyclone Parameters Were not Displayed Properly (Enabled/Disabled) when in Design or Rating Mode.

This has now been fixed.

e03. Fed-Batch Options in Related Operations Were not Checked for Valididy Every Time.

The parameters describing the fed-batch aspect of operations like Fermentation (stoichiometric or kinetic) were not checked for validity unless the user visited the relevant tab. This has now been fixed.

e04. When Setting the Limit for "Zero Flow" in non-SI Units, the Value Was not Retained and Applied Properly.

This has now been fixed.

e05. Flows from one Cascading SU to another Were not Properly Calculated when One Is Based on Volume and the Other on Mass.

This has now been fixed.

e06. When Displaying Activities on Receiving Storage Units (SUs), Flows from SUs where Included in non-Inventory Charts.

This was confusing since the consumption charts are supposed to only include rates of consumption from operating the process alone. The effect of cascading SUs (as captured by their inventory schedule) should not be included in those charts. Of course when creating the Inventory chart for materials then this effect is captured and reflected in the charts.

e07. Flowsheet May Crash when Components Were Added or Removed and the Flowsheet Included a Freeze Crystallization or an Evaporative Crystallization Operation.

Due to a glitch in the software, when the process model included one of the aforementioned operations, and the user attempted to add and/or remove a pure component from the list of registered components the application could crash. This has been fixed.

e08. Flowsheet Was Crashing when Switching out a HX Agent in an SIP Operation.

Due to a glitch in the software, the user was using a heat transfer agent ONLY in an SIP operation as both the main agent for cleaning and for auxiliary duties, and then proceeded to switch out that agent with another, the application would crash. This has been fixed.

e09. First Use of Consumable Cost Is Accounted Properly.

Due to a glitch in the software, previously when users requested to have the cost of a consumable be added to the purchase cost of the equipment (to account for the first-time use of the consumable), the cost of consumable was multiplied by the number of units operating in parallel. This was incorrect and has been fixed.

e10. Copying-and-Pasting May Lead to a Crash under Some Rare Circumstances.

When copying a 1x1 GBX (cont. with reaction) procedure from one flowsheet to another, it is possible that when attempting to save the destination flowsheet the program may crash. In order for this bug to demonstrate itself, the source GBX must have been created as a 1x2 box and then converted to a 1x1 (by changing the i/o configuration). This has now been fixed.

e11. Co-crystallization Agent Amount Was Calculated Incorrectly.

In Cooling and Evaporative Crystallization, the co-crystallization agent amount was calculated incorrectly. This has now been fixed.

f. New Examples

Please note that new examples are being added with each build release (or even minor release).

For more information and to find out the latest example processes included with the software please check the latest 'ReadMe' file of your release.

f01. Pharmaceuticals Group: Semaglutide Production.

A new example has been added that analyzes the production of Semaglutide. Semaglutide production is a complex, multi-step process involving both recombinant protein expression and solid-phase peptide synthesis. To streamline the modeling effort, the overall process was segmented into four sub-models, each representing a distinct manufacturing stage: (i) recombinant production of the Lys26Arg34GLP-1(11-37) precursor using genetically engineered S. cerevisiae, (ii) solid-phase synthesis of the tetrapeptide terminal extension, (iii) solid-phase synthesis of the C-18 fatty diacid linker, and (iv) final API synthesis via condensation coupling, followed by purification through RP-HPLC and freeze-drying. The conceptual facility was designed to produce 500 kg/year of purified semaglutide powder, achieving a unit production cost of $105,500/kg and requiring a capital investment of $175 million. 
The process model files for the intermediates and the final product as well as a detailed description about the production process (and model) can be found in the Pharmaceuticals subfolder of the Examples folder.

f02. Food Group: Tequila Production.

Tequila, a distilled alcoholic beverage made primarily from the blue agave plant (Agave tequilana Weber var. azul), is produced in Mexico. This process model focuses on the techno-economic aspects of a commercial tequila production facility, which includes raw agave cooking, fermentation, distillation, aging, and bottling operations. The facility operates 7,920 hours annually. Each recipe batch takes 283.66 hours to complete, with a cycle time of 24 hours and 320 batches per year. Revenue is generated from three distinct product streams: Tequila Blanco Bottles (the main revenue) at $6.0 per bottle, Tequila Reposado Bottles at $8.0 per bottle and Tequila Añejo Bottles at $16.0 per bottle.
For reporting purposes, the Tequila production process is separated into three sections, namely: 
► Cooking & Mashing section
► Fermentation & Distillation section
► Aging & Bottling section
The process model file and a detailed description about the process model can be found in the Food subfolder of the Examples folder.
The example process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Food Processing subfolder in the Examples folder of SuperPro Designer.

f03. Inorganic Chemicals Group: Phosphoric Acid Production.

This example analyzes a plant designed to produce 170,000 MT/year of phosphoric acid and 149,000 MT/year of ammonium phosphate fertilizer from phosphate rock. A plant of this capacity requires a total capital investment of around $152 million and incurs annual operating expenses of around $232 million. Operating costs are predominantly driven by raw materials, accounting for 71%, followed by waste treatment and disposal costs (11%), facility-dependent costs (10%), labor costs (4%), and utility costs (3%).
The process model file and a detailed description about the process model can be found in the Inorganic Chemicals subfolder of the Examples folder.

f04. Bio-Fuels Group: Glutaric Acid Production.

This example analyzes the fermentative production of glutaric acid from sugarcane bagasse, a lignocellulosic feedstock. The process begins with the thermal and enzymatic hydrolysis of sugarcane bagasse to produce fermentable sugars, which are subsequently converted into glutaric acid through fermentation. Two alternative scenarios were developed and modeled. In case A, the fermentation broth is clarified using a series of disk-stack centrifuges, and the product is recovered through butanol extraction. The glutaric acid is then purified by distillation, crystallization, and drying. In case B, clarification of the fermentation broth is achieved through centrifugation followed by microfiltration. The glutaric acid in the clarified broth is purified using ion-exchange chromatography and activated carbon treatment, followed by evaporation, crystallization, and drying. The modeled production plant yields 8,000 metric tons (MT) of glutaric acid crystals annually.
The process models for both Case A and Case B (and full documentation) can be found under the BioFuels subfolder in the Examples folder.

f05. Pharmaceuticals Group: Erythropoietin (EPO) Production.

This example analyzes the production of recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) via cell culture. EPO, a cytokine primarily produced by the kidneys in adults and by both the liver and kidneys in infants under hypoxic conditions, regulates red blood cell production in the bone marrow via erythropoiesis. The downstream section begins with cell mass removal by disk-stack centrifugation and membrane filtration for product concentration. Purification is accomplished with three chromatography steps (ion exchange, hydrophobic interaction, and gel filtration) interspersed with diafiltration steps for butter exchange. The analyzed process produces 4.5 kg/year of purified EPO, representing 25% of the current world demand.
The example process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Pharmaceuticals subfolder in the Examples folder of SuperPro Designer.

f06. Metallurgy Group: Lithium Production from Brines.

The model of this example analyzes a hydrometallurgical process for producing lithium carbonate from geothermal brines.
The plant processes 15.8 million metric tons (MT) of geothermal brine annually, producing 22,000 MT of lithium carbonate. The capital investment required for the project is approximately $510 million, with total annual operating costs of $280 million and annual revenues of around $420 million. This results in an after-tax gross margin of 33%, a return on investment (ROI) of 20%, and a net present value (NPV) of $276 million. These economic outcomes are based on a lithium carbonate selling price of $20/kg and the assumption that the brine is considered a state resource, compensated through royalty payments of $1/kg of purified lithium carbonate product.
The process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Metallurgy subfolder in the Examples folder.

f07. Pharmaceuticals Group: Continuous MAB Production.

This example analyzes the continuous manufacturing of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The process begins with CHO cell expansion in two stages: an initial batch mode followed by perfusion to generate a high-density seed culture. Production occurs in a 2,000-L single-use bioreactor operating continuously, in perfusion mode, for 30 days. The perfusion rate is 1.5 vessel volumes per day, yielding a mAb titer of 3.2 g/L in the filtrate.
The process model file and a detailed description about the process model can be found in the Pharmaceuticals subfolder of the Examples folder.

f08. Bio-Materials Group: Malonic Acid Production.

This example analyzes the production of malonic acid via fermentation, using 95% glucose syrup as the carbon source. The process begins with the preparation and distribution of glucose syrup, yeast nitrogen base (YNB) media, and water to the seed and production fermentors. The resulting fermentation broth then undergoes multi-stage centrifugation to separate crystals, followed by acidification and neutralization steps to achieve high malonic acid purity. Further purification is performed through ion exchange, nanofiltration, concentration by evaporation, and crystallization. The crystals are then recovered via basket centrifugation and dried in a rotary dryer.
The process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Bio-Materials subfolder in the Examples folder.

f09. Neutracuticals Group: Lactoferrin Production.

This example evaluates the manufacturing of lactoferrin via fermentation. Lactoferrin is a glycoprotein from milk that plays significant roles in iron metabolism, immune activity and digestive health. It is commonly used in premium baby formula, dietary supplements and functional foods. Even though lactoferrin can be isolated from cow’s milk, it is found in there at very low concentrations, making it an expensive and inaccessible product.
The present example analyzes two process configurations – case a and case b. In both cases, lactoferrin is produced by fermentation using an engineered yeast strain. The yeast culture operates in fed-batch mode, using defined media, and reaches a lactoferrin concentration of 10 g/L by the end of 5 days. After fermentation, the two cases differ from each other.
In case a (this model), the biomass is removed by centrifugation and crossflow microfiltration/diafiltration; then, the protein is partially purified and concentrated by crossflow ultrafiltration/diafiltration; and finally spray-dried. A total of 249 tons of lactoferrin powder is produced per year in this scenario.
In case b, the biomass is similarly removed by centrifugation and crossflow microfiltration; then, the protein is purified by cation-exchange chromatography; desalted and concentrated by crossflow ultrafiltration/diafiltration; and finally spray-dried. A total of 213 tons of lactoferrin powder is produced per year in this scenario.
The process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Nutraceuticals subfolder in the Examples folder.

f10. Waste Valorization Group: Plastics Gasification.

This example analyzes the production of hydrogen through the gasification of Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE). The process employs 10 metric tons (MT) per hour of LDPE as feedstock, converting it into 1.46 MT/hour of hydrogen. This transformation occurs in a gasifier operating in adiabatic mode, supplemented by a series of compressors, heat exchangers, and flash units. Additionally, two adiabatic plug flow reactors facilitate the water-gas shift reaction, while two pressure swing adsorption units recover the generated hydrogen. The off-gas from the adsorption units fuels a gas turbine-generator to produce electricity, which is subsequently sold. The exhaust from the turbine is then recycled through a heat exchanger for thermal integration. The analysis includes material and energy balances, equipment sizing, as well as capital and operating cost estimations. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate the impact of costs associated with LDPE sorting, collection, and transportation on four key economic indicators.
The process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Waste Valorization subfolder in the Examples folder.

f11. Bio-Materials Group: Malonic Acid Production.

This example analyzes the production of malonic acid via fermentation, using 95% glucose syrup as the carbon source. The process begins with the preparation and distribution of glucose syrup, yeast nitrogen base (YNB) media, and water to the seed and production fermentors. The resulting fermentation broth then undergoes multi-stage centrifugation to separate crystals, followed by acidification and neutralization steps to achieve high malonic acid purity. Further purification is performed through ion exchange, nanofiltration, concentration by evaporation, and crystallization. The crystals are then recovered via basket centrifugation and dried in a rotary dryer.
The process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Bio-Materials subfolder in the Examples folder.

f12. Food Processing Group: Insect Protein.

This example analyzes the large-scale production of cricket protein powder. Crickets provide a complete protein source, containing all nine essential amino acids critical for human health. Furthermore, they are rich in iron, B vitamins, zinc, and calcium. The analyzed plant processes 5 metric tons (MT) of crickets per hour, which is equivalent to 39,200 MT/year, producing 10,300 MT/year of cricket protein powder concentrate and 2,245 MT/year of cricket fat. Extraction of fats with ethanol facilitates protein defatting. The final product contains 82% protein on a dry basis.
The example process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Food Processing subfolder in the Examples folder of SuperPro Designer.

f13. Food Processing Group: Erythritol Production.

ThisThis example presents a simplified model of an industrial-scale plant for carbon capture and storage through mineral carbonation of steel slag. The process continuously treats approximately 790,000 metric tons of basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag and 2,650,000 metric tons of industrial CO2 emissions per year, capturing and storing around 317,000 metric tons of CO2 per year in the form of stable carbonate minerals. These carbonated products can serve as sustainable precursors for cement and other construction materials, transforming industrial waste into valuable resources while contributing to greenhouse gas mitigation. The modeled plant demonstrates economic viability, with a CAPEX of $125 million, OPEX of $78 million, and annual revenues of $93 million from avoided disposal costs and product sales. Profitability is moderate, with a return on investment of approximately 15%, a payback period of roughly 7 years, and a net present value (NPV) of about $40 million at a 7% discount rate.
The example process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Food Processing subfolder in the Examples folder of SuperPro Designer.

f14. Food Processing Group: Egg White Protein Production.

This example analyzes the industrial production of ovalbumin via precision fermentation. The development of this case study was based on public information available in the scientific [18] and patent literature [22–24], as well as our experience with similar processes and engineering judgment. 
The process is based on the fed-batch culture of a genetically engineered yeast using defined media. The yeast secretes the egg protein into the extracellular medium, achieving a titer of 30 g/L in 4½ days. After fermentation, the biomass is removed by centrifugation and crossflow microfiltration. The egg protein is then concentrated by crossflow ultrafiltration and purified by selective precipitation with ammonium sulfate. Lastly, the precipitate is recovered using basket centrifuges and spray-dried.
The designed production plant yields 1,000 metric tons of protein powder per year, at a unit cost of $36/kg.
The example process model (and full documentation) can be found in the Food Processing collection (subfolder) under the Examples folder of SuperPro Designer.

f15. Nutraceuticals Group: Vitamin C Production.

This example analyzes the production of liposomal vitamin C with a plant capacity of approximately 1.2 million bottles per year, each containing 150 mL of product. The total capital investment for such a facility is estimated at around $66 million, while the annual operating expenditures (including depreciation) amount to approximately $21.6 million. The process employs sorbitol syrup as feedstock in a two-step fermentation to produce 2-keto-gulonic acid, which is subsequently recovered by bipolar membrane electrodialysis. The intermediate undergoes esterification and lactonization to yield ascorbic acid, followed by purification through electrodialysis, carbon adsorption, and crystallization. The purified crystals are then redissolved in water and encapsulated in liposomes, and the final product is packaged in plastic bottles. Facility-dependent and labor-dependent costs dominate operating expenditures, while the overall economics suggest the process is profitable, with a unit production cost of $17.5 per bottle, a net present value of about $23.2 million, a return on investment of 19.5%, and a payback period of five years.
The example process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Nutraceuticals collection (subfolder) under the Examples folder of SuperPro Designer.

f16. Environmental Group: CO2 Sequestration via Mineral Carbonation.

This example presents a simplified model of an industrial-scale plant for carbon capture and storage through mineral carbonation of steel slag. The process continuously treats approximately 790,000 metric tons of basic oxygen furnace (BOF) slag and 2,650,000 metric tons of industrial CO2 emissions per year, capturing and storing around 317,000 metric tons of CO2 per year in the form of stable carbonate minerals. These carbonated products can serve as sustainable precursors for cement and other construction materials, transforming industrial waste into valuable resources while contributing to greenhouse gas mitigation. The modeled plant demonstrates economic viability, with a CAPEX of $125 million, OPEX of $78 million, and annual revenues of $93 million from avoided disposal costs and product sales. Profitability is moderate, with a return on investment of approximately 15%, a payback period of roughly 7 years, and a net present value (NPV) of about $40 million at a 7% discount rate.
The example process model (and full documentation) can be found under the Environmental collection (subfolder) under the Examples folder of SuperPro Designer.