Project Synopsis

Project Synopsis

Provide process engineering support throughout detail engineering for the design, procurement, and construction of a specialty polymer pilot-plant.

Project Summary

POLYMER PILOT PLANT DETAIL DESIGN PHASE PROCESS ENGINEERING SUPPORT

Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) was contracted by the client, a specialty polymers manufacturer, to provide continued project engineering support during the detail design / build phases of their polymer pilot-plant project.  The project is to design and build an expanded polymer manufacturing process located at their U.S. plant facility.  The purpose of PROCESS’ effort was to provide value-added consultation and process engineering support to both the client and the engineering company that is providing detail design, procurement, and construction management of the polymer plant.  PROCESS’ involvement spanned the detail design phase of the project up to and including the final Pre-Startup Process Hazards Analysis (PHA).

PROCESS’ initial effort was to update the previously developed design basis addendum to document key changes that had been made to the process design prior to initiating the detail design effort.  Subsequent to that effort, previously developed process models (in CHEMCAD) and mass and energy balance tables were updated to reflect process modifications, refinements, and updates.  PROCESS also initiated and guided the team through a change in heat transfer fluid from PowerTherm to Vertrel.  Use of Vertrel mitigated the incidence of multiple fire scenarios within the process design due to equipment failures resulting in the leaking of heat transfer fluid.

PROCESS was also charged with reviewing and updating multiple revisions of detailed P&IDs originally developed by PROCESS but refined and expanded by the detail engineering firm.  P&IDs were modified as warranted throughout the detail design effort.  A thorough review of the detailed process control specification for the process (a functional specification) was undertaken with revisions and comments returned to the engineering firm.  PROCESS also provided technical process engineering support to the client and engineering firm in their efforts to finalize equipment and instrument specifications prior to procurement. In-house PSV sizing software was used to evaluate failure scenarios and properly size all of the safety relief valves used in the plant design.  These values were submitted to the engineering firm and used in final equipment procurement.

PROCESS performed a final pre-startup PHA of the process design. Results of the PHA were thoroughly documented and submitted to the client for its use.

Industry Type

Specialty Coating Polymer Manufacturing

Utilized Skills

Detail engineering phase support

Project P&ID ownership