Faculty of Chemical Engineering

Universiti Teknologi MARA

Hazards and Operability

Studies (HAZOP)
HAZOP
This technique uses a systematic process to (1)
identify possible deviations from normal operations
and (2) ensure that appropriate safeguards are in
place to help prevent accidents.
Carried out by a team and involve brain-storming.
Before a HAZOP is carried out, detailed information on
the process must be available. This include, process
flow diagram (PFD), process & instrumentation
diagram (P&ID), equipment specifications, materials
of construction, mass & energy balances.
 HAZOP
This technique uses special guidewords such as:
NO
MORE
HIGHER
LESS
The guidewords are combined with process
parameters (e.g. speed, flow, pressure etc.) to
systematically consider all credible deviations from
normal conditions. For example:
MORE FLOW
HIGHER TEMPERATURE
HAZOP
Potential Potential
Accident Accident

Deviation 1 Deviation 3

NORMAL OPERATION (e.g. normal feed flow rate into a reactor)

Deviation 2 Deviation 4

Potential Potential
Accident Accident

Guideword + Process Parameter = Deviation

LESS + FLOW = LESS FLOW
MORE + FLOW = MORE FLOW
Step 1 in HAZOP: Choose a study
node
A node is a specific location in the process in which
the deviations of the process/design intention are
evaluated.
Example might be: separator, heat exchanger, scrubber,
pump, compressor, pipeline, etc.
Design/process intent is how a study node is expected
or required to behave.
For example: A reactor is designed to operate between 300
to 360 C, OR
Cooling water is expected to continuously flow inside a
cooling coil
Step 1 in HAZOP: Choose a study
node
Step 2 in HAZOP: Pick a Process
Parameter
Example:
Flow
Level
Temperature
Pressure
Concentrations
pH
Agitation
State (solid, liquid, or gas)
Volume
Step 3 in HAZOP: Apply a
guideword
Guidewords Meaning Guidewords Meaning

NO, NOT, The complete negation PART OF Only some of the

NONE of the intention design intentions are
achieved.
MORE, Quantitative increase
HIGHER, (temperature, flow rate, REVERSE The logical opposite of
GREATER heating, reaction).
OTHER Complete substitution
LESS, Quantitative decrease THAN
LOWER (temperature, flow rate,
SOONER Too early or in the
heating reaction)
THAN wrong order
AS WELL AS Intentions are achieved
LATER THAN Too late or in the wrong
along with some
order
additional activity, such
as contamination. WHERE ELSE In additional locations
Step 3 in HAZOP: Apply a
guideword
Some combinations of guideword and process
parameter are meaningless.
For example: NO TEMPERATURE; PART OF PRESSURE;
REVERSE PRESSURE
The guidewords AS WELL AS, PART OF, and OTHER
THAN can sometimes be conceptually difficult to
apply.
The guidewords SOONER THAN, LATER THAN, and
WHERE ELSE applicable to batch processing.
Step 4 in HAZOP: Determine
possible causes
Some Possible Causes of NO FLOW:
No reactant in the intermediate storage
Pump breaks down
Line blockage
Line fracture
Isolation valve closed in error
Some Possible Causes of LESS FLOW:
Partial blockage
Defective pump
Density or viscosity changes
Leaking
Step 4 in HAZOP: Determine
possible causes
Some Possible Causes of HIGH FLOW:
Increased pumping capacity
Increased suction pressure
Control faults
Running multiple pumps
Some Possible Causes of REVERSE FLOW:
Defective one way (check) valve
Incorrect pressure differential
Pump reversed
Two way flow
Step 4 in HAZOP: Determine
possible causes
Some Possible Causes of HIGH LEVEL:
Outlet isolated or blocked
Faulty level measurement
Inflow or outflow control failure
Pressure surge
Some Possible Causes of LOW LEVEL:
Inlet flow stops
Leak
Control failure
Faulty level measurement
Step 4 in HAZOP: Determine
possible causes
Some Possible Causes of HIGH PRESSURE:
Relief valve isolated
Boiling
Incorrect vent set pressure for vents
Surge problem
Possible Causes of LOW PRESSURE:
Generation of vacuum conditions
Undetected leakage
Gas dissolving in liquid
Restricted pump/compressor line
Step 4 in HAZOP: Determine
possible causes
Some Possible Causes of HIGH TEMPERATURE:
Fouled or failed heat exchanger tubes
Cooling water failure
Internal fire
Faulty instrumentation and control
Possible Causes of LOW TEMPERATURE:
Fouled or failed heat exchanger tubes
Loss of heating
Faulty instrumentation and control
Step 5 in HAZOP: Evaluate the
consequences of the deviation
CONSEQUENCES may both comprise process hazards and
operability (e.g. shut down) problems.
More CONSEQUENCES may results from one CAUSE.
In turn, one CONSEQUENCE can have several CAUSES.

Consequence of LESS LEVEL in V-40

V-40 empty leading to pump P-8

running dry
Final Step in HAZOP
Recommend action
What?
By whom
By when?
It is at this stage that consequences and associated
safeguards are considered.
Action falls into two groups:
Actions that remove the cause
Actions that mitigate or eliminate the consequences.
RECORD ALL THE INFORMATION !!!!
Sample of HAZOP Worksheet
HAZOP of a Car
Item Study Process Deviations Possible causes Possible Action required
node Parameters (guide consequences
words)
1A Tire Tread LESS 1. Tire too old 1. Car skidded 1. Check tire tread
frequently.
Have a spare
tire
2. Often 2. 2. Avoid speeding
speeding and if unnecessary
emergency
brake.
1B Pressure HIGHER 1. Over-inflation 1. Tire could damage 1. Use correct
easily when running pressure when
over pot holes or debris inflate the tire
on the road.

1C LOWER 1. Under-inflation 1. Tire failure. 1. Check tire

Shorten the life of pressure
tire tread. regularly
Increase rolling Use correct
resistance and pressure
increase fuel when inflate
consumption. the tire
Loss of steering
precision and
cornering stability.
2. Tire puncture 2. 2. Repair or
replace tire
HAZOP of a Reactor System
 HAZOP of a Reactor System
The reaction inside the reactor system shown in the previous
slide is exothermic.
A cooling system is provided to remove the excess energy of
reaction.
When the cooling function is lost, the reactor temperature
would increase. This would lead to an increase in the
reaction rate, leading to additional energy release.
The result would be a runaway reaction with pressures
exceeding the bursting pressure of the reactor vessel.
We want to perform a HAZOP study on this unit using
cooling coil (process parameters: flow & temp) and the
stirrer (process parameter: agitation) as study nodes.
Item Study Process Deviations Possible causes Possible Action required
node Parameters (guide consequences
words)
1A Coolin Flow No 1. Controller fails 1. Loss of cooling, 1. Always check
g Coils and closes valve possible and monitor
runaway
2. Plugged cooling 2. 2. Install filter
coils Install flow meter
Install low flow
alarm
3. Cooling water 3. 3. Check and
service failure monitor reliability of
water service
1B High 1. Controller fails 1. Reactor cools, 1. Instruct
and opens valve reactant conc. operators and
builds, possible update procedures
runaway on
1C heating.
Low 1. Partially plugged 1. Diminished 1. See 1A. 2
cooling line cooling, possible
runaway
2. Partial water 2. 2. See 1A. 3
source failure
1D Temp Low 1. Low water 1. None 1. None
supply controller handles
temperature
High 1. High water 1. Cooling system 1. Install cooling
supply capacity limited, water high temp
temperature temp increases alarm.
Item Study Process Deviations Possible causes Possible Action required
node Parameters (guide consequences
words)
2A Stirrer Agitation No 1. Stirrer motor 1. No mixing, 1. Interlock with
malfunction possible feed line
accumulation of
unreacted
materials
2. Power failure 2. Monomer feed 2. Automatically
continues, close monomer
possible feed valve on
accumulation of power loss.
unreacted
materials
2B More 1. Stirrer motor 1. None 1. None
controller fails,
resulting in high
motor speed
HAZOP of a Polyethylene
Plant
 HAZOP of a Polyethylene
Plant
Previous slide shows a simplified flow diagram of a
polyethylene plant.
Ethylene at 1500 bar and 175C is fed with a reaction
initiator, into the reactor where 15-25% of it polymerize to
form polymer product called polyethylene.
A cooling jacket removes the heat of reactions.
The product is separated from the unconverted gas in two
separators and the gas is recycled.
We want to carry out a HAZOP study with reactor as a study
node and the temperature and flow rate (ethylene,
polyethylene & initiator) as process parameters.
Item Study Process Deviations Possible causes Possible Action required
node Parameters (guide consequences
words)
1A Reactor Temperatu HIGHER 1. Coolant pump 1. Runaway 1. Provide
re to reactor reaction in temp. control
fails. reactor Provide high
temp alarm
Provide spare
coolant pump
2. Coolant temp 2. 2. Provide heat
high exchanger
temp control
to adjust inlet
cooler temp

1B LOWER 1. Coolant temp 1. Poor or no 1. Provide temp

low reaction; poor monitoring in
quality product reactor
Use heat
exchanger to
adjust inlet
coolant temp.
Item Study Process Deviations Possible causes Possible Action required
node Parameters (guide consequences
words)
1C Reactor Flow NO 1. Melt Pump 1 1. Level build up in 1. Provide
(polyethyle fails reactor level control
ne) in reactor with
automatic flow
through a
spare pump
1D Flow LESS 1. Make-up or 1. System upset ; 1. Provide a spare
(ethylene) recycle Product quality compressor
compressor affected; with auto
failure system s/down switch from
the failed
compressor
1E Flow MORE 1. Initiator pump 1. More 1. Provide
(Initiator) malfunction polymerisation; adequate
possibility of flow controls
runaway; on both
product quality initiator and
off-spec. monomer to
maintain
desired
initiator to
monomer
ratio.
LESS 1. Initiator pump 1. Less Provide flow
malfunction polymerisation; controllers on
product quality ethylene and
affected initiator lines.
 Limitations of HAZOP
Requires a well-defined system or activity
To apply the HAZOP guidewords effectively and to address
the potential accidents that can result from the guide word
deviations, the analysis team must have access to detailed
design and operational information.
Tedious to apply and time consuming.
Focuses on one-event causes of deviations
The HAZOP process focuses on identifying single failures
that can result in accidents of interest.