Process Plant Equipment – Types And Safety Measures

By Author: Neel Rao
Total Articles: 107
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Process plant equipment basically refers to the various equipment which the processing industries use. This type of equipment has varied applications. They are used for storage purposes, to control flow, and to contain chemical reactions. Process plant equipment can be classified into two major varieties, namely, fixed equipment and rotating equipment.

What Is The Fixed Equipment?
Any type of equipment in the processing industry which doesn’t move is usually referred to as fixed equipment. Often, they are also called static equipment. Some of the popular fixed equipment are:

Storage Tanks
Boilers
Furnaces/Heaters
Pressure Relieving Devices
Pipelines
Piping
Valves
Heat Exchangers

Fixed equipment is generally associated with higher risks than other types of equipment. In fact, a major portion of accidents in the processing industry is related to fixed equipment. In several cases, such accidents caused a loss of assets and injuries. A sizable portion of the maintenance/capital cost in a petrochemical facility or any typical refinery is associated with issues ...
... related to fixed equipment. This is mainly due to the large quantity of fluid usually stored using fixed equipment.

What Is The Rotating Equipment?
The most common application of rotating equipment in the processing industry is driving various types of fluid. Any equipment which rotates or moves is known as rotating equipment. This type of equipment finds considerable application in the oil and gas processing industries. The most common types of rotating equipment are:

Engines
Gearboxes
Compressors
Pumps
Turbines

However, there are also several other rotating types of equipment that are used widely in various industries. The maintenance, design, and inspection requirements of rotating equipment are much different from those of fixed equipment.

What are the main applications of process equipment?
Depending on the industry where it is being used, process equipment finds varied applications. These include transportation of materials, heating up fluids, disposal of saltwater, generation of power from steam, water treatment, and more. Every type of process equipment is crucial and has its own role in the industry.

What are the necessary safety measures and why should they be taken?
The process plants are growing more and more complex over time. Along with the complexity, the risks are rising too. Every year, a number of accidents occur, some of which are catastrophic in nature. Such accidents cause severe issues such as plant shutdowns and equipment failures, causing losses to the industry. This is because in several cases refineries and other processing plants need to deal with explosive, toxic, or inflammable materials.

The best way to prevent such accidents is to design the equipment in such a way that it is resistant to damage mechanisms and corrosion. For this, the environment where the equipment would be used needs to be considered. The equipment must be inspected regularly and the necessary maintenance activities carried out. In case of any sort of disturbance appears, the problem must be addressed immediately. These would help to maintain safety and prevent issues with product quality.

Conclusion
Therefore, the importance of processing equipment in the industries is quite evident and so is the necessity of safety measures. It is crucial to pick the right equipment for your processing plant to maintain safety and efficiency. Even if quality equipment costs a little higher, it would benefit you more in the long run.

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