Process commissioning

Sole, K. C. Feather, A. Watt, J. Bryson, L. J. Sorensen, P. F. Commercialisation of the Minataur process commissioning of Harmony gold refinery. EPD Congress 1998, Proceedings of Sessions and Symposia held at the TMS Annual Meeting, San Antonio, Feb. 16-19, 1998, 175-186. 

The object of loop testing is to ensure that all instmmentation components in a loop are in full operational order when connected together and are in a state ready for process commissioning and validation (Operational Qualification [OQ] and Performance Qnalification PA2])- Loop testing also encompasses the integration of instrumentation with any associated compnterized control systems. 

Maniatis K, Baeyens J, Peelers H and Roggeman G, "The Egemin flash pyrolysis process commissioning and results", pp 1257-1264 in Advances in thermochemical biomass conversion, Ed. AV Bridgwater (Blackie 1993)... 

A variety of processes have been used for the production of esters of acrylic (propenoic) acid, including the solvolysis of acrylonitrile with c. H2SO4 and an alcohol. The Reppe process, commercialized by BASF and associated companies, is based on the reaction of acetylene with carbon monoxide, nickel carbonyl and an alcohol. However, the last U.S. operator of this process commissioned a propylene oxidation plant in October, 1982. 

Chlorine Compression and Liquefaction. Compressors are an example of machinery used widely throughout the process industries, and so their commissioning is not covered in this chapter. Many companies will use the services of a manufacturer s representative at some point in the commissioning process. Commissioning procedures should take into account the particular features of chlorine compression noted in Section 9.1.6. 

Bel ore process commissioning, the commissioning manager should lay down two more safety rules ... 

Mechanical completion is the term used to cover the phase between equipment installation and the start of process commissioning, in which components of plant are proved to be mechanically fit for their process duty. It can be regarded as a specialized part of the precommissioning activity in which each component is prepared for process commissioning under the control of the commissioning team. A main contractor or equipment supplier is usually responsible for this phase of the work. 

The objective of the precommissioning phase is to prepare the plant for process commissioning proper. It may involve individual unit operations or a process ai ea containing several pieces of plant. 

Probably one of the more typical planning problems will be that the state of progress of the rest of the plant will not permit a smooth run for the safety system. For example the installation of instruments on a plant is often delayed by mechanical completion work, hence there is pressure to complete the testing of safety control loops quickly so that the process commissioning can begin. 

Both ISA and lEC make it clear that all PSATs must be carried out, completed and validated without any process fluids or materials in the plant since this is the final stage before the process commissioning takes place. 

The normal practice in the process industries is for the operations staff to take over ownership responsibilities for all instrumentation and control systems at the start of process commissioning, i.e. before process materials are introduced to the plant. This allows all plant safety procedures to be enforced from the moment there is any potential... 

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