Hello
When starting any project, it's highly important to define its data and ensure that all parties agree on this data. Otherwise, the design will be based on false data, this will lead to a project that won't achieve its objectives and would lead to huge disputes.
That's why a process design basis is issued by the engineering company at the beginning of a project.
In my latest updated article "The Fundamentals of Process Design: Activities and Documents You Need to Know", I have talked about the role of the documents, calculations and other activities carried out by a process engineer and how this affects the work of downstream engineering disciplines and the whole project workflow.
Design basis is one of these documents. In the article, I have talked about the information typically shown in a process design basis. These can be:
- Scope of the project and the role of the engineering company within the plant. Defining the scope is highly important to have a clear agreement on the responsibility of the engineering company.
- Feed Specifications: mainly the required capacity and the composition, pressure, and temperature of the feed.
- Product Requirements: for example, if this is a sweetening unit, then we should define the target sulfur content (typically from 4-7 ppm). This is the figure based on which we say that the unit is doing its job. If this is a compressor, then we should specify the pressure at delivery, and so on.
- Available utilities, drain and relief systems: The new project is expected to use cooling water, electricity, or other systems. Shall we use the existing systems or consider adding new utility systems to serve our project? The design basis should specify the utilities to be used, their capacities, operating and design conditions.
- Site conditions: such as ambient temperatures, mean sea level and wind speed, and other weather and topographic conditions that shall be needed in our design.
- Design criteria: The criteria based on which we shall size different equipment. This may be in a design basis or in a separate document.
The above photo is a sketch that I have included in a sample design basis showing the expected scope of the engineering company. As you are a valued subscriber, you can access his sample can only be accessed from this email by clicking the below button:
So when carrying out your next project, you should ensure that the design basis reflects all the necessary information and agreement with the client in order to ensure a smooth workflow.
Have a nice day!
Mohamad
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