CHE 407 (DESIGN AND

BUILDING OF PROCESS
PLANTS)
Syeda Sultana Razia, PhD
Professor
Dept of Chemical Engineering
Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET)
Let’s Start with the basics…

 What is Chemical Engineering?

 Starting from a vaguely defined problem statement
such as a customer need or a set of experimental
results, chemical engineers can develop an
understanding of the important underlying physical
science relevant to the problem and use this
understanding to create a plan of action and set of
detailed specifications which, if implemented, will
lead to a predicted financial outcome.
 What are the differences between Chemistry and
Chemical Engineering? Mechanical Engineering 2
and Chemical Engineering?
Chemical Engineering Project
 Phase 1:Process Design
 Covers steps from initial selection of the process to
be used through to the issuing of process flowsheets
and includes selection, specification and chemical
engineering design equipment
 Phase 2:Plant Design
 Includes detailed mechanical design to equipment,
the structural, civil, and electrical design and
specifications and design of ancillary services
Process Design vs Plant Design
 Process engineering is used in connection with
economic evaluation and general economic analyses
of industrial processes, while process design refers to
the actual design of the equipment and facilities
necessary for carrying out the process
 The general term plant design includes all engineering
aspects involved in the development of either a new,
modified, or expanded industrial plant. plant design is
directly to the complete plant, such as plant layout,
general service facilities, and plant location.
Where is Design used in Industry?
 New Process design: less than 5% design activity of
industry
 Plant design of established processes : 45% of
industrial design activity
 Plant Improvement/modifications :
 Debottlenecking Plant
 Increase Plant Capacity
 Increase Plant Efficiency
 Decrease Costs
 Pollution Minimization
50% of industrial design activity
Process Design Related Courses in ChE,
BUET
 ChE 405: Process Design I ( 3 credit)
 Objective: Design consideration, Equipment design,
Economic analysis and profitability
 ChE 407: Process Design II (2 credit)
 Objective: Project engineering: steps required to complete
a chemical plant project
 ChE 408: Plant Design sessional (4.5 credit)
 Objective: Conceptual Design, Process diagrams, Layouts,
Calculations and Documentations
 Course Information
 Course No. ChE 407 (2 credit hours)
 Name of the course: Process Design-II
 Hours per week: 2 (Sunday and Wednesday)
 Room no. OAB 254
 Instructors: Prof. Syeda Sultana Razia and Prof. Iqbal Mahmud

 Text Book:
 AKM Abdul Quader; Design and Building of Process Plants-some
practical guidelines, World University Service Press, Dhaka,1992

 Gavin P. Towler, R. K. Sinnott; Chemical Engineering Design: Principles,

Practice, and Economics of Plant and Process Design (2nd Edition)
Elsevier, 2013
Course Outline
 Introduction
 Project Definition
 Technical Specification
 Design basis
 Process licensing
 Basic and Detailed engineering
 Codes and standards and engineering specifications
 Procurement
 Contract negotiation
 Review and approval of engineering documents
 Inspection
 Performance tests
 documentation
Course Outcome
You will learn
 Steps to be followed for building a new plant

 Standards to be followed

 Purchase/procurement procedure

 Different contracts to be signed

 Your responsibility as a Process engineer/Project

engineer
INTRODUCTION

Syeda Sultana Razia, PhD

Professor
Dept of Chemical Engineering
Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET)
Lecture 1 Objectives
 Steps to be followed for setting-up/building a plant
particularly from Client side in the context of
developing country like Bangladesh
 Responsibility of a project engineer
 Responsibility of a process engineer
 Responsibility of a design engineer
 Different parties involved and their responsibilities
Plant Design
 Engineering activities undertaken for overall design
of either a new process plant or expansion or
revamping of an existing plant which includes
 Evaluation of new processes and available alternatives
 Designing individual equipment/unit

 Evaluation of competitive bids for equipment and

services
 Developing plot plan
Stages of Implementation of a
Chemical Plant Project
 Inception
 Prefeasibility and feasibility study
 Basic engineering design
 Final economic evaluation
 Process licensing where necessary
 Detailed engineering design
 Procurement
 Construction and erection
 Startup and commissioning
 Performance and Guarantee test (PGT)
 Commercial production
Basic Engineering Design (BED)
 Conceptual process studies (material balances, process
flow sheets) and preliminary plot plan
 Preliminary Piping and Instrument Diagrams

 Definition and sizing of main equipment resulting in

process specifications
 Specification of effluents

 Definition of control and safety devices

all the basic studies required to support a Basic

Engineering Design Package (BEDP) containing all data
needed by a competent contractor to perform the Detail
Engineering.
Front End Engineering Design (FEED)
 Mechanical data sheets of the main equipment, starting
from the process specifications issued during the BED and
incorporating the specific requirements of codes and
standards to be applied to the project in question
 Thermal rating of heat exchangers

 Preparation of tender packages for the main equipment

 Development of process and utility Piping and Instrument

Diagrams released for detail engineering
 Development of detailed plot plans and hazardous areas.

 Elaboration of the main piping, instrument, electrical and

civil works layouts
all the studies to be performed before ordering the main
equipment.
Detail Engineering
 Purchasing of equipment, main and bulk
 Development of Piping and Instrument Diagrams
released for construction
 Development of detailed piping drawings, including
isometrics and stress calculations
 Development of detailed drawings related to
instrumentation, electrical facilities and civil works
 Management of vendor drawings

 Cost and schedule control

 Start-up procedures

all the studies to be performed before construction of the

plant.
Design Engineers vs Process Engineers

 Design engineers are responsible for making the

complete and detail specifications for a production
process most economically
 Process engineering for a plant begins with its
design and continues throughout its existence.
Process engineers engage in plant operation,
implement process adjustments if needed
Project Engineering
 Project Engineering bridges the boundaries between
engineering and project management, leading the
technical workers who contribute to the building of
structures or products.
 Project management holds responsibility of every field
of engineers
 Project engineering is supervision and coordination of a
variety of activities such as engineering, management,
purchase, office administrations etc. encountered in the
implementation of an engineering project- best suited
for a chemical engineer
 Client and contractor both may have project engineers
Project Engineer’s Involvements
 Analysis of R & D data and information
 Evaluation of techno-economic studies
 Writing scope of work and making preliminary cost
estimation
 Coordination with the design engineering groups for
completing basic engineering
 Preparation of the project schedule
 Coordinating with engineering group
 Completion of final cost estimation’
 Preparation of bids and participation in
clarification/negotiation meeting of final contract
Project Engineer’s Involvements(cont’d)
 Arranging timely approvals of engineering documents
by the client
 Coordinating with client for issuance of permits, license
 Implementing procurement activities for scheduled
delivery of equipment and supplies
 Supervision and monitoring of plant construction
 Briefing the start-up team
 Completing project within approved budget
 Having the plant accepted by e client at the end of
successful performance/guarantee test
Process Design
 Aspects of engineering and design undertaken for
completing a process plant project.
 Process design is a well defined group responsibility
in the organization of an engineering contractor
while a production company may or may not have
such group
Process Design Scope
 Material and energy balance of the process
 Development of processing strategy and compilation of design
data and parameters
 Material and energy balance of the auxiliary units and services
 Basic engineering
 Process calculations for individual equipment and unit
 Development of P & ID
 Process interpretation for mechanical, structural, civil, electrical
and instrument design
 Preparation of equipment specifications
 Evaluation of bids and selection on competent vendors and
suppliers
 Review and approval of all engineering documents for the
project
Process Plant Design/Building:
Bangladesh Context (Public Sector)
 Process plants built in Bangladesh
Ammonia, urea, ammonium sulfate, sulfuric acid,
triple superphosphate, chloro-alkali, paper and
pulp, cement, sugar, petroleum refinery etc. on
turnkey basis.
 A turnkey is a type of project that is constructed so
that it could be sold to any buyer as a completed
product
Parties Involved in Designing Process
Plants
 Process licensors
 Engineering contractor/General contractor (GC)
 Package unit contractor
 Vendors of equipment and machineries
 Sub-contractors under engineering contractors
 Consultants and technical associates
Responsibilities
 General contractor is responsible for assembling all
the basic technical information provided by other
parties and implement them
 Erection contractor works under supervision of GC
 Contractors and consultants are generally
expatriates: precondition for availing foreign
aid/grant/loan
Different Stages of Process Plant
Implementation and Parties involved
Stage Parties involved
Prefeasibility and Consultants (appointed by donors)
feasibility studies
Process selection GC
Technical specification Technical associates
Design basis Consultants, technical associates, GC
Job standards GC, process licensor
Basic engineering process licensor, GC
Detailed engineering process licensor, GC, equipment
vendor, package unit contractors
Cost engineering GC
Stage
Engineering studies
Planning, scheduling,
monitoring
Review and approval of
engineering documents
Procurement
Inspection
Supervision of erection and
installation
Start-up and commissioning
Parties involved
GC, equipment vendor, package
unit contractors
GC
Technical associates
GC, package unit contractors
GC, third party inspector
(services procured by the client)
GC
GC, Process licensors, equipment
vendor, package unit contractors
Zia Fertilizer Company Ltd
(ZFCL)/Ashuganj Fertilizer under BCIC
 Production capacity 5,28,000 ton per year,
established in 1985
 Project could not be completed on scheduled as the
General Contractor did not complete the
performance and guarantee tests.
Parties Involved in ZFCL Project
Feasibility study James Chemical Engineering, USA
Consultant Scientific design consultants Lltd and James
(engineering) Chemical Engineering, USA
Consultant Valley nitrogen producers/William brothers,
(management) ISA
Consultant CORA engineering Chur, Switzerland
(operations)
GC Foster Wheeler Ltd of UK
Process licensor Udhe for ammonia process, Benfield for
CO2 removal, stamicarbon for urea process
Process licensee Udhe for urea process and CO2 removal
Engineering sub-contractor Udhe

Package unit contractors FWL, Paharpur cooling tower

ltd, Sumitomo, Belco, Nippon
Sanso, etc
Equipment vendors Neuvo Pignone, AEG, Borsig,
MHI, IHI, KTI, Larson and toubro,
FWL, CIE-Krebs, Babcock, Uhde
etc
Erection contractors A number o local and foreign
contractors
Type of contract Cost plus fee
Financiers and Donors Ten co-financiers
 Consultants for
1. Ministry of
feasibility studies
Planning
and project
2. Economic appraisals
relations
Government division
Aid giving agencies/
of 3. Ministry of Recipient/client Governments
Bangladesh finance

4. Ministry of
Technical
industry
Associates
5. Ministry of General
law Engineering
Contractor Technical
6. Regulatory advisers for
authorities donors

7. Special
cabinet
committee

Process Licensor Equipment Package unit Erection Specialist services contractors

vendor contractors contractors
Quick check
 Design engineer, process engineer, project engineer-
can you differentiate?
 When to perform feasibility study?
 What is the relation between General contractor
and process licensor?
 Who carries out PGT in turnkey projects?
 Which of the parties mentioned must have chemical
engineers in their team?
DEFINITION OF A PROCESS
PLANT
Objective: How To Write
Project Definition

Syeda Sultana Razia, PhD

Professor
Dept of Chemical Engineering
Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET)
 Project definition states the scope
of the project
Development of Project Definition
 Primitive problem
“There will be a need for more nitrogen based fertilizer in
Bangladesh to achieve food autarky”
 Options to solve the problem

1. Synthesize urea in prill or granular form

 using NG as feedstock and fuel
 using local Naptha/coal
2. Produce urea from imported ammonia using CO2 from
flues gases of thermal power plant
3. Develop biogas generation system using agriculture
residue and apply the digester sludge as fertilizer
Development of Project Definition (cont’d)
 Specific problem is developed
“A 500,000 ton per year urea plant is to be built with
locally produced ammonia in Fenchuganj, Sylhet”
 Prefeasibility study
 Market survey
 Available process technology
 Economic viability
 Feasibility study
 Detailed study of different processes
 Complete market analysis
 Environmental impact considerations
Development of Project Definition(cont’d)

Considerations for comparing alternative processes

 Technical (proven or not, operability, control, yield, energy
and utility consumption, hazards etc.)
 Raw materials (sources, upgrading, storage)
 Waste products and by products
 Equipment
 Costs
 Time requirement
 Process considerations (technology, provenness, scale-up,
alternative uses of raw materials)
 Plant location
Development of Project Definition(cont’d)

Detailed market survey

 Market: possibility, potential, price trend of
products and by products, distribution of customers
 Competition
 Product specification (impurities, shelf life)
 Sales and sales services
 Shipping restrictions and containers
Development of Project Definition(cont’d)

 Selection of Location of the plant depends on

Raw materials, market, utilities availability,
climate, transport facilities, water supply, waste
disposal, labor supply, site characteristics, flood and
fire protection, community factors, taxation, legal
requirements (permissions), environmental
considerations
Development of Project Definition(cont’d)
Feasibility study/report includes
 Raw materials (sources, quantity, quality, cost)
 Process know-how and alternative production technologies
 Facilities and equipment available
 Facilities and equipment to be procured
 Production costs and total investment
 Profits and profitability analysis
 Materials of construction
 Safety considerations
 Complete market analysis
 Plant location
 Process licensing and related legal matters
 EIA
Development of Project Definition(cont’d)

 A certain defined project

“A fertilizer plant is to be set-up at Fenchuganj, Sylhet
in Bangladesh, having capacity of 1700t prilled urea
per day, corresponding to 561,000 t of prilled urea
per year, and an intermediate capacity of 1000t
ammonia per stream day, corresponding to 330,000t
of ammonia per year, including all offsite auxiliaries,
utilities and support facilities using Natural Gas as
feedstock and Fuel”
Scope Of Work And Supply For A Turnkey
Type Project
Scope of contractor’s work
 Engineering
 Procurement
 Transportation
 Training
 Supply of technical documents
 Site receiving, handling and warehousing
 Temporary works
 Construction work
 Commissioning
 Performance test
Scope of Contractor’s Supply

 All itemized equipment

 Piping materials including accessories
 Instrument equipment
 Electrical equipment
 Steel structures and pipe racks
 Insulation and painting materials
 Bulk materials
 Spare parts as agreed etc.
Client’s Scope of Work
 Process licensing if needed
 Review and approval of all engineering documents
prepared by the contractor
 Obtaining permits and import license
 Assistance to contractor for customs clearance
 Test operation and performance test under the
direction and supervision of the contractor
Client’s Scope of Supply
 Handing over the plant site to the contractors
 Equipment, materials (itemized/specific)
 Raw materials, unities etc
 Bond area for speedy delivery of equipment and
materials from the port
*A bonded warehouse, or bond, is a building or other secured
area in which dutiable goods may be stored, manipulated, or
undergo manufacturing operations without payment of duty
Question
 Who is responsible for defining a project?
 How do you decide that performance guarantee
test is complete?
 Why do you think market survey and EIA are
important?
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION
Syeda Sultana Razia, PhD
Professor
Dept of Chemical Engineering
Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology (BUET)
Technical Specification
 It is a special document that deals with the technical
requirements of the project in details and provides
the basis to measure the completeness of the built
plant and performance
 The contractor uses the technical specification for
preparing its technical proposal
Technical Specification Includes
 Technical definition of the project
 Description of plant site
 Design philosophy and principles
 Engineering specification
 Process requirements
 Start-up, commissioning and performance tests
 Auxiliaries, offsites and package units
 Basic and details engineering definition
 List of drawings, sketches' and reports for references
Technical Definition of the Project
 Production capacity with reference to a reference day
condition
 Example 300t ammonia on a summer day having wet bulb
temperature 30oC and dry bulb temperature 35oC
 Purity of product ( composition, product size distribution,
product form etc.)
 Intermediate and final product storages when required
 Product transfer systems
 Sources of utilities for the plant
Definition of Utilities
 Water supply
 Water treatment
 Cooling water and distribution system
 Fire water system
 Steam generation
 Power generation and sources
 Compressed air system
 Inert gas generation
 Refrigeration system
 Yard piping
 Waste disposal system etc.
Auxiliary and Offsite Facilities in a
Grass-Roots Project
 Facilities for support services
 Jetty
 Laboratories
 Maintenance shops
 Garage and vehicular parking
 Warehousing
 Communication
 Utilities for housing colony
Auxiliaries, Offsite and Package Units
 Water treatment plant
 Cooling tower
 Steam generator/boiler
 Electric power generator
 Compressed air unit
 Instrument air unit
 Inert gas generation plant
 Refrigeration plant
 Incinerators
 Flares and stack
 Effluent treatment plant
 Packaging or bagging plant
 Uninterrupted power supply etc.
Description of The Plant Site
 Source and supply of raw materials
 Source and supply of raw water
 Product transportation
 Design site condition
 Wind velocity and directions
 Seismic conditions
 Site datum level
Chhatak cement: Ropeway Raw Material
Transport

Lafarge Surma: Conveyor belt

Product Delivery : Jetty
Design Philosophy
 Factors of consideration Bangladesh
 Proven process
 Reliability
 High on-stream time
 Ease of maintenance
Guidelines for Design Philosophy
 Economic evaluation
 Plant life
 Machinery and equipment
 Utilities
 Maintenance and turnaround
 Safety
 Layout
 Coordinates and elevations of the plant site
 Plant arrangement criteria
 Emissions and effluents
 Noise
Economic Evaluation
 From several options trade offs between
operational savings including maintenance and
incremental investment are considered
 incremental investment to be returned by
operational savings in 2-4 years
 Items of operational savings include utilities, raw
materials, fuels, chemicals, resins etc.
Plant life
 Design life of a chemical plant is 20 years
 Plant is depreciated over 10-12years ( economic
life)
 For unit and equipment a useful life of 10 years or
100,000 hour are acceptable
Machinery and Equipment
 Installed spares
 Production and safety units
 Fouling factors
 Turndown ratio ( maximum and minimum operating
range)
 Consumption of utilities
Utilities
 40-50% of initial investment is for generation,
distribution and control of utilities I a grass-roots
type of plant
Maintenance and Turnaround
 The interval of Turnaround of machineries two
years of more
 Classification according to maintainability
 A complete change out after a given cycle
 Replacements of components of parts after a given
period of operation
 Period after which a regular overhauling is needed
Safety
 Inherent safety
 Loss prevention studies
 Normal and emergency conditions are to be
considered
Layout Considerations
 Plant and immediate surrounding
 Battery limit plants
 Open areas for construction and turnaround
 Auxiliary facilities
 Internal battery limits layouts
 Expansion for future
 Minimum capital investment and a safe, efficient
and reliable plant
Other Factors
 Coordinates and Elevations of the plant site
 Plant arrangement criteria
 Piping , electrical lines, drain, vents arrangement for
inspection, services and maintenance
 Safety features and considerations

 Emissions and effluents : compliances

 Noise: OSHA compliance
Engineering Specifications
 Codes and standards for the project
 Units
 Language for documentation
 Testing procedure
 Design pressure, temperature and materials of
construction
 Rating of equipment
 Special fabrication technique to be followed
Broad Groups for Engineering
Specifications
 General: relevant to the whole project
 Furnace
 Boiler
 Pressure vessels
 Storage tanks
 Eat exchangers
 Rotating machines
 Reciprocating machines
 Piping
 Instrumentation and controls
Broad Groups for Engineering
Specifications
 Electricals
 Insulation
 Painting
 generators
 Conveyors
 Civil and structural works
 Chipping and packing
 Construction specifications
Process Requirements
 Establish design basis
 Plant capacity per day with reference to a defined da
 Plant capacity per year
 Operating days per year
 Provennness of the process with respect to design
practices and equipment
 Quality of all products ( intermediate and end products
 Operating life of catalyst if used
 Capacity of individual process steps if different from
the rated plant capacity
Start-up and Performance Tests
 Objective is to establish that the project or unit is
capable of meeting thee requirements as per
technical specifications
 Whether the equipment are adequately sized for
rated design
 All manuals and documents including operating
manuals, start-up, plant upsets, emergency shut
down etc. must be included
Other Items in Technical specifications

 Beneficial occupancy: completion and acceptance

of different auxiliary and offsite facilities
 Basic and detail engineering
 List of references, drawings
 Process flow sheet and material balance
 Feasibility study
 Site survey report
 Seismological data
 Meteorological data
 Raw material analysis
 Example: Bhopal Tragedy (Dec 3,1984)

 40 tons of
toxic MIC
vapor was
released
 Failure of
several
safety
system
 Inadequate
emergency
planning
and
community
awareness