How to Set up a Chemical Plant - Chemical Plant Site Selection, Different Location factors & Preparing Plant Layout.

This post will answer following Questions : How to select a suitable Chemical Plant Site , Different Location factors that need to be considered & How to prepare Plant Layout - in short HOW TO SET UP A CHEMICAL PLANT.
SITE SELECTION:

                                     Site selection for a plant, keeping in view the various corporate objectives of the company requires careful considerations of the various factors that would go into making the plant contribute towards its working environment and make it into a technologically and economical viable unit. Decisions are strategic, long term and non-repetitive in nature. A certain amount of imaginative planning for the future is called for at the time of final decision about the site to be selected.

                                     Generally, sites for a new plant will be allocated according to general industrial development policies of the Government of India. The various factors which need to be considered for site selection are as follows:- 
1.     LOCATION FACTORS:

                                     The location factor deserves careful attention simply because of its long terms consequences. Any mistake in selection of a proper location could prove to be costly. Poor location could be a constant source of higher cost, higher investment, difficult marketing and transportation, dissatisfied and frustrated employees and customers, low availability of high calibre personnel, frequent interruptions of production and abnormal wastages. Once the plant is set up at a location, it is very difficult to shift later to a better location because of numerous economic, political and sociological reasons. Social reasons could include employee welfare, employment opportunities. Political reasons could be due to pursuance of a policy of regional development and planning, especially in a developing country like India.

The location factor requires the following facilities:

·        District classification:

                                     District classification includes the cause that whether the license is obtained for location of the plant in a no-industry district.

·        Transportation facilities:

                                     The raw material and end product are required to have uninterrupted receipt and dispatch facilities through good road connections and proper linking with ports and rail heads. Connection with airport is important mainly from the point of view of easy movement of professionals. This is all the more important if foreign collaboration is involved in the plant.

·        Manpower availability:

                                     Local availability of skilled and semi-skilled manpower will add to the efficient running of the plant.

·        Industrial infrastructure:

                                     All supporting services required for the successful operation of the plant like maintenance and repairing of various machines and items, availability of workshop, plant services, etc. may not be feasible to generate within factory complex. Availability of communication facilities is also an important part of the infrastructure. An existing vibrant infrastructure in the vicinity is much preferred than the need based infrastructure getting developed after a plant commissioning.

·        Community infrastructure:

                                     Generally, modern plants operate on innovative and sophisticated technology. Hence, it is essential to attract qualified professionals. This would involve ensuing a good quality living which, in turn, would depend on availability of good schools and colleges, medical services, good communication facilities, cultural and recreational opportunities, etc. Unless a good community infrastructure is available, attracting qualifying professionals is rather difficult.

·        Availability of raw water:

                                     It is recommended that the plant be located in close proximity to a perennial source of water, which will meet the requirements.

·        Effluent disposal:

                                     It would be economically advantageous if an effluent disposal facility such as gutter which can handle the produced quantity of effluent is readily available. Otherwise transporting the effluent by drainage to a safe disposal area which is far away has to tackle the legal ecological problems.

·        Availability of power:

                                     Stable and uninterrupted power of required magnitude without fluctuations in voltage and frequencies is important for the successful operation of the plant. Proximity to the available power facility will reduce the plant cost.

·        Site size and nature:

                                     The plant area and the topography should suit the plant requirements, along with the required township facilities and future expansions. The grade level of the entire area should be preferably the same. If the plot area is not flat, it has to be levelled in the most economical way to suit the plant.

                                      Load bearing characteristics of the soil plays an important role in site selection. Natural soil has more load bearing characteristics as compared to filled soil. Consequently, the cost of the civil foundation will be less in natural soil because piling to support heavy loads may not be required whereas, in case of filled soil, piling may be required.

·        Ecology and pollution:

                                     Generally, there is a great deal of awareness towards maintenance of ecological balance. Also, social obligations are to be met regarding the effect of pollution from specific type of plant. The site selected should be preferably having some advantages to meet these requirements. 

2.     QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS :

                                     The above factors are to be considered at the time of site selection, and the data collected is analysed, generally by the weight cum rating methods in order to finalise recommendations of the potential sites.

                                     In the weight cum rating method variable weight is assigned to each factor. Each site is evaluated on a 0-5 scale for cash of these factors. The assignment of points for each site for each factor is obtained by multiplying the rating of the site by the weight of each factor. The overall site rating is then obtained as the sum of the assigned points for each site. The recommendation will be for the site having maximum overall rating.

  

3.     PLANT LAYOUT :

                                     After the process flow diagrams are completed and before detailed piping, structural or electrical design can begin, the plant layout and the equipment within the process unit must be planned. This layout can play an important role in determining construction and manufacturing cost and hence, must be planned carefully with attention to potential future problems that may arise. Since each plant is a different entity and no two plant sites are exactly alike, there is no ideal plant layout. However, proper layout in each case will include arrangement of processing areas, storage areas and handling areas in efficient coordination in addition to the following factors:-

o   New site development or addition to previously developed site.

o   Type and quantity of product to be produced.

o   Type of process and product controlled.

o   Operational convenience and accessibility.

o   Economic distribution of utilities and services.

o   Type of buildings and building code requirements.

o   Health and safety considerations.

o   Waste disposal requirements.

o   Basic equipment needed.

o   Space available and space required.

o   Proximity to roads and rails.

o   Possible future expansion.

4.     PREPARATION OF THE LAYOUT:

                                     Scale drawings, complete with elevation indication can be used for determining the best location for equipment and facilities. Elementary layouts are developed first. These show the fundamental relationship between storage space and operating equipment. The next set requires consideration of the safe operational sequence and gives a primary layout based on the flow of materials, unit operations, storage and future expansion. By analysing all the factors that are involved in the plant layout, a detailed recommendation can be presented, and drawings and elevations, including isometric drawings of the piping systems, can be prepared.
                                    Templates, cut outs to a selected scale are useful in making rapid and accurate 3D models. The use of such models for making certain proposed plant layout is optimum, and has found increasing favours in recent years.