Page 26 - Coulson Richardson's Chemical Engineering Vol.6 Chemical Engineering Design 4th Edition

9
INTRODUCTION TO DESIGN
specification and chemical engineering design of equipment. In a typical organisation,
this phase is the responsibility of the Process Design Group, and the work will be mainly
done by chemical engineers. The process design group may also be responsible for the
preparation of the piping and instrumentation diagrams.
Phase 2. The detailed mechanical design of equipment; the structural, civil and electrical
design; and the specification and design of the ancillary services. These activities will be
the responsibility of specialist design groups, having expertise in the whole range of
engineering disciplines.
Other specialist groups will be responsible for cost estimation, and the purchase and
procurement of equipment and materials.
The sequence of steps in the design, construction and start-up of a typical chemical
process plant is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1.4 and the organisation of a typical
project group in Figure 1.5. Each step in the design process will not be as neatly separated
from the others as is indicated in Figure 1.4; nor will the sequence of events be as clearly
defined. There will be a constant interchange of information between the various design
sections as the design develops, but it is clear that some steps in a design must be largely
completed before others can be started.
A project manager, often a chemical engineer by training, is usually responsible for the
co-ordination of the project, as shown in Figure 1.5.

Process section
Construction section
Process evaluation Construction
Flow-sheeting Start-up
Equipment specifications

Procurement
section
Estimating
Project
manager Inspection
Scheduling

Specialist design sections
Vessels Layout Piping Heat exchangers
valves fired heaters
Control Civil work
and instruments structures Electrical
buildings
Compressors
and turbines Utilities
pumps
Figure 1.5. Project organisation

As was stated in Section 1.2.1, the project design should start with a clear specification
defining the product, capacity, raw materials, process and site location. If the project is
based on an established process and product, a full specification can be drawn up at
the start of the project. For a new product, the specification will be developed from an
economic evaluation of possible processes, based on laboratory research, pilot plant tests
and product market research.