Ulrich Feldhaus on how computer-aided engineering (CAE) programs allow reliability planning to be enhanced significantly. For complex chemical plants to survive in an extremely competitive market, failures can be the difference between profit and loss, or in the worst case an environmental disaster. Obtaining reliable statements on the behaviour of a plant requires comprehensive and accurate information. To achieve this level of understanding, the use of computer-aided engineering (CAE) is continually increasing.
The term 'large-scale plant' has changed its meaning over the years. Traditionally methanol production would have a daily production rate of 2000 tons per day, today the production rate is typically 5000 tons per day and some up to a capacity of 10000. The challenge is not only the rapidly increasing production rate for engineering departments, but the knowledge of how to get there. More and more often multi-stranded plants are substituted by single-stranded production lines. In such cases, faults can impact on the whole plant, therefore high reliability of processes is absolutely necessary.
One of the enterprises that has a central position in the market is the Frankfurt, Germany- based Lurgi GmbH. The company which employs 1450 people worldwide, 750 of them in Germany, is engaged in the construction of plants for the production of petrochemical intermediates and final products as well as synthetic fuels and oleo chemistry. One of the main fields of activity for plants is gas production and treatment. Lurgi itself does not have a production line, but orders are given to contractors.
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