Plant Layout Design Rules (PDF)

what ispiping.co m/development-of-plant-layout/

Anup Kumar Dey

Plant layout design means efficiently placing equipment, piping, instrumentation,

and other manufacturing supports and facilities with proper planning during the
design stage to create the most effective plant layout. It is directly related to
project costs as well. The most efficient plant layout has less overall project cost and
t he most ut ilizat ion of all resources.

The main object ive of efficient plant layout design is t o design and const ruct t he plant in
an economic fashion t hat meet s all t he process requirement s and client specificat ions
while operat ing in a safe reliable manner. This art icle provides t he basic considerat ions for
t he development of plant layout . For more det ails in any of t he list ed point s, you can refer
t o any st andard piping books.

Principles of Plant Layout

While developing plant layout following 10 principles are kept in mind.

PRINCIPLES OF PLANT LAYOUT

Plant Layout Design rules for Site Selection

Locat ion
Area Allocat ion
Transport Facilit ies
Manpower availabilit y
Indust rial Infrast ruct ure
Communit y Infrast ruct ure
Availabilit y of Wat er
Availabilit y of Power
Effluent Disposal
Availabilit y of Indust rial Gas
Sit e Size
Ecology
Pollut ion
What is Plot Plan & its requirement?
The plot plan is t he mast er plan locat ing each unit /facilit y wit hin t he plot boundary for a
process indust ry such as

Refinery
Chemical /Agro Chemical / Pet ro Chemical / Organic Chemical / Inorganic Chemical
Fert ilizer
Pharmaceut ical
Met allurgical
Power Generat ion

It is used t o locat e t he unit /facilit y.

The following main aspect s shall be considered during t he development of t he layout .

Process requirement
The economy of piping mat erial and cables
Erect ion & Const ruct ion requirement s
Safet y requirement s.
Operat ion and Maint enance requirement s.
Grouping of similar equipment for t he convenience of maint enance & safet y
wherever possible.

Data to be collected before starting the process plant layout

development

Dat a from t he Civil Depart ment

Plane t able survey map.
Cont our survey map.
Soil bearing capacit y.
Nat ure of Soil
Rail/Road Access.

Dat a required from Elect rical Team

Locat ion of Elect ric Supply Point .
Supply volt age levels.
Fault Levels.
Volt age Levels required wit hin t he unit .
Proposed dist ribut ion scheme.

Non Plant Facilit ies

Administ rat ive Block
 Cant een
Workshop
R&D, QC Lab, and Pilot Plant
Gat eHouse/Time office
Securit y Arrangement s
Vehicle Parking
Medical Cent re
Ware House
Covered Area
Open Area
Solid Warehouse
Liquid Warehouse
St eel / Scrap Yard
Fire St at ion
Weigh Bridge
St aff Colony

Met eorological Dat a

Minimum, Maximum and Normal Temperat ure during t he year
Rainfall
Int ensit y and Direct ion of t he wind (wind rose)
Seismic zone
Wet and Dry Bulb t emperat ures
Relat ive humidit y
Flood level

Process Dat a
Size/Capacit y of t he processing unit
Knowledge of t he t ype of plant
The sequence of process flow
Hazardous nat ure of t he plant
The Overall operat ing philosophy
Fully Aut omat ic
Part ially Aut omat ic
Manual
Bat ch/Cont inuous
Raw mat erial receipt and product dispat ch philosophy
St orage Philosophy
Effluent plant capacit y and discharge point s, incinerat ion requirement s, et c.
Type of Hazard
No of flares

Dat a on Ut ilit ies

 Source and/or supply point of raw wat er
Qualit y of Wat er available
Wat er Consumpt ion for t he process
The requirement of different t ypes of ut ilit ies such as St eam, Air, Nit rogen, DM
wat er, Firewat er, Brine, et c.
Capacit ies and Grouping philosophy.

Statutory Requirements and process plant layout

St at e Indust rial Development Corporat ion (SIDC)
Cent ral / St at e Environment al Pollut ion Cont rol Boards (PCBs)
Fact ory Inspect orat e
St at e Elect ricit y Boards (SEB)
Chief Cont roller of Explosives (CCOE)
St at ic and Mobile Pressure Vessel Rules (SMPV)
Tariff Advisory Commit t ee (TAC)
Nat ional Fire Prot ect ion Associat ion (NFPA)
Aviat ion Laws
Chief Inspect or of Boilers (CIB)
Oil Indust ry Safet y Direct orat e (OISD)
Food and Drug Administ rat ion (FDA)
Minist ry of Environment and Forest (MoEF)

Expansion Philosophy during plant layout development

Wit hin t he unit
Addit ional Unit s
Near fut ure expansion
Far fut ure expansion

Considerat ions during plant layout

Normally Const ruct ion is permit t ed on maximum 50% of t he plot area wit h a t ot al
built -up area equal t o t he area of t he plot (i.e. F.S.I. = 1 (Depending upon t he
regulat ion governing t he area and t he t ype of indust ry))
Area reserved for t ree plant at ion shall be 1/3 of t he area occupied.
Wat er st orage capacit y – 24 hr. minimum.
Domest ic wat er – 100 lit ers per person per day
Wat er requirement for Boiler – St eam rat ing x Working fact or
Cooling t ower – 11/4 % of capacit y as drift and blowdown losses
Washing – 10-15 lit ers per day per sq.ft . of t he floor area of t he plant
Gardening – 5 lit ers per day per sq.ft . of garden area
Parking space – 10% of t he plot area

Roads & Paving considerations in Plant Layout

 Roads in t he plant shall be planned for effect ive movement of t he t rucks, cranes &
emergency vehicles, et c. Road widt h (Blackt op) shall be generally as follows unless
specially request ed.
Main plant road & roads connect ing t o Plant boundaries, roads for fire fight ing
access is 6 met ers wide (Min)
Secondary roads 4 met ers wide (Min)
The t urning radius of t he road shall be adequat e for t he mobile equipment & shall
clear of any obst ruct ion. Minimum t urning radius t o be t he same as t he lengt h of t he
vehicle.
The finish of t he road i.e. graded or blackt op shall be decided in t he beginning while
developing a plot layout .
Paving should be provided around t he equipment where spillage is likely occurring.
For example Pumps or machinery, below furnace or fire heat ers, compressor, et c.
Also paving should be provided below Air fin cooler t hose are locat ed at grade.
Area handling acids, alkalis, or t oxic mat erial shall be paved and bunded. Proper
surface t reat ment shall be provided t o paving t o meet t he service requirement s.

The below sket ch (Fig. 1) shows t he minimum dist ance required bet ween t he road and t he
facilit y. This dist ance shall be reviewed t o t he case t o case basis for t he project .

Fig. 1: Minimum distance required between the

road and the facility

Elevations Requirement
Below dat a for t he elevat ions should be generally followed.
Underside t he base plat e of St ruct ural st eel: Min150 mm. above HP of finished
grade/paving.
St air or ladder pads: Min75 mm. above HP of finished grade/paving.
Top of Pedest al of Vessel & Tower: Min300 mm. above HP of finished grade/paving.
Top of Pump pedest al: Min200 mm. above HP of finished grade/paving.

Insulation & Fire Proofing considerations in plant layout

Fireproofing requirement s for pipe rack, vessel support s, process st ruct ure should
be considered as t hese reduce t he clearances wit h access, pipework, inst rument &
elect rical equipment .
Proper insulat ion t hickness should be considered for pipework & equipment
clearances.

Equipment Layout and locations

 Pumps: Locat e pumps close t o suct ion source considering NPSH requirement .
Pumps & driver axis should be locat ed perpendicular t o pipe rack or ot her equipment
t o minimize fire exposure in case of pump seal failure.
Gas compressor or Expanders: Gas compressors should be locat ed downwind of
t he fired heat ers, flare, or any open flame equipment . They may be grouped t oget her
for maint enance & operat ions (Common EOT / drop-down area, t he single sunshade
can be made)
Plant Air & Instrument air compressors: Plant air & inst rument air is vit al t o
service for t he plant . These unit s should be locat ed near t he cont rol room & shall be
kept in a safe area sufficient ly away from HAC of equipment .
Heat Exchangers: Heat exchangers are generally placed on grade unless ot herwise
due t o process or t echnical reasons. (Plat form for vert ical heat exchangers, Tube
bundle removal area, access t o mobile crane or monorail wit h hoist shall be
considered)
Air cooler: Air cooler locat ed such a way t o allow access t o mobile lift ing
equipment . Preferably air cooler is locat ed in t he main equipment row in accordance
wit h process requirement .
Cooling Towers: Cooling t owers shall be locat ed away from t he process
equipment & downwind of process equipment , subst at ion, main pipe rack.
Offsite Tanks: St orage t anks (Grouped and shall be surrounded by dike wall,
Primary/secondary roads for adequat e firefight ing accessibilit y, Lower elevat ions
t han t he ot her occupancies and downwind of flares, furnace heat ers). Emergency
shut down valve, pumps, manifold & t ransfer piping shall be out side dike area.

Considerations for Pipe ways / Pipe racks

Pipe ways or pipe racks should be overhead in-process main unit and at grade in off-
sit e.
Widt h is det ermined based on present need + 10% at out set t he job + 15% for t he
fut ure requirement s or as specified by t he client .
The requirement of expansion bays, anchor bays & bracing shall be checked wit h
st ress / st ruct ural engineer at t he beginning of t he pipe rack layout .

Relief valve and Flare systems

A closed relief valve syst em
Self-draining
No pocket t o avoid condensat ion & backpressure.
Flare shall be locat ed upwind process unit & st orage.

Clearance at Pig Receiver

The area at t he end closure of t he Receiver shall be kept free t o avoid any incident .
Provide concret e wall minimum 20 met ers away (Fig. 2) from t he end closure if t he
area needs t o be ut ilized for any equipment .
 Fig. 2: Clearance at Pig Launcher

Personal protection Considerations

Eyewash and emergency showers shall be provided in an area where operat ors are
subject t o hazardous sprays or spills.
Breat hing air st at ions in t he facilit ies handling ext remely t oxic gases/fluids.

Fig. 3 shows a t ypical plant layout .

Fig. 3: Typical plant layout

What is a Hazard Classificat ion?

Hazardous area classificat ion is t he risk locat ing plan for each unit /facilit y wit hin t he
plot boundary for t he process indust ry.
The Plot plan will be used by indicat ing t he boundaries of t he risk area.
HAC drawings are generally used by operat ors while issuing work permit s.

HAC St andard
HAZARDOUS AREA: An area in which an explosive gas at mosphere is present , or
maybe expect ed t o be present , in quant it ies such as t o require special precaut ions
for t he const ruct ion, inst allat ion, and use of apparat us.
NON-HAZARDOUS AREA: An area in which an explosive gas at mosphere is not
expect ed t o be present , in quant it ies such as t o require special precaut ions for t he
const ruct ion, inst allat ion, and use of apparat us.

Process Requirements
Proper int erconnect ion bet ween equipment t o achieve int ended process
paramet ers.
Normally equipment is arranged in t he process fluid flow sequence. A requirement
like gravit y flow (Equipment Drain piping), Thermosyphon syst em should be
considered, Limit at ion of pressure & t emperat ure (process paramet ers) t o be
considered
The requirement of upst ream and downst ream pipe lengt hs for inst rument s.
Hazardous & Toxic fluid shall be ident ified. (H2S, Cyanide, Met hanol, et c.)
Equipment handling hazardous fluids like flare and direct -fired equipment cont aining
open flame shall be locat ed separat ely.
Similarly, equipment handling t oxic mat erial shall be locat ed wit h t he rest rict ed
access or in accordance wit h local st at ut ory regulat ion.
Economic Considerations
Equipment shall be locat ed wit hout affect ing t he process requirement for maximum
economy of pipework & support ing st eel wit h consist ent st andard clearances,
const ruct ion, and maint enance & safet y requirement s.
Runs of exot ic mat erial & large bore piping shall be minimized.
Opt imum ut ilizat ion of t he st ruct ure t o be ensured.

Erection & Construction

Road access for t he erect ion of pipe support /pipes and equipment .
The clear area for t he crane t o erect equipment on t he locat ion from t he t rucks.
The minimum one side of t he pipe rack shall be kept clear.

Fig. 4 shows relat ive locat ions for area Layout .

Fig. 4: Relative locations for area Layout.