Project Synopsis

Evaluate the existing controls on a chlor-alkali hydrogen system at a plastics manufacturing facility and seek to identify improvement opportunities.

Project Summary

CHLOR-ALKALI HYDROGEN SYSTEM PROCESS CONTROLS EVALUATION

The client, a control system integration company, was asked by the ultimate client, a world-wide plastics and petrochemicals producer, to evaluate the process control strategy of the hydrogen compression and distribution system of its chlor-alkali process.   The client requested recommendations to improve the quality of control and to increase the level of plant automation during startup, shutdown, and normal operation.  Process Engineering Associates, LLC (PROCESS) was subcontracted by the client to complete this project.

PROCESS executed the following tasks to perform the evaluation:

  • Reviewed process and control system design documents, including PFD, P&IDs, distributed control system (DCS) graphics, and operating procedures
  • Interviewed plant engineering and operations personnel in order to assess the control system performance and identify opportunities for improvement
  • Inspected instrumentation and control valves in the field to evaluate their condition and verify their location and suitability
  • Reviewed plant operating data and controller mode history in the plant information system.

PROCESS recommended that the compressor startup procedure be automated by updating and recommissioning an outdated sequencing program.  PROCESS also recommended additional automatic control valves to reduce the number of manual procedures required in the field during startup, shutdown, and normal operation.  Where possible, PROCESS presented alternatives to automate a procedure without the installation of additional control hardware.  PROCESS further recommended an enhancement to an existing control strategy to eliminate a potential process disturbance, and also identified instrumentation and control valves requiring maintenance.

In a written report submitted to the client, PROCESS summarized the findings of the evaluation. PROCESS also presented the recommendations and discussed the alternatives at a meeting with plant engineering and operations personnel.

Industry Type

  • Plastics Manufacturing

Utilized Skills

  • Process controls evaluation and improvements

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