A plant is initially designed for a certain production capacity, for example
to produce 5000 tons per hour. The calculated process design that enables a
specific production capacity gives useful information about physical properties
(pressure, temperature etc.) on process streams and main equipment. These are
important process requirements and serves as a base for all installed equipment.
Process requirements are saved on process stream objects (process data objects)
and are connected to equipment objects in the facility (pressure vessels, tanks
etc.) in what we call a process object structure. Connected equipment objects in
a process stream are then using process design values as input for design values
during the equipment selection. For example temperature and pressure on the
process stream object is used as design temperature and design pressure during
equipment selection of pressure vessels, pipe systems and so on. This enables
the engineer to select equipment that fulfills the initial process design
requirements and all equipment will be able to handle the calculated production
volume without breaking. Easy access to process design information is also
important during maintenance and operation, especially for environmental and
safety reasons. Any new installed/replaced equipment must follow the initially
calculated process design requirements; else it could break and cause
unnecessary production failures.
This structure could be created in two different ways: