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:
4. PREPARATION OF THE LAYOUT:
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:
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.
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.
