19.1 Plant Commissioning

The commissioning, or initial start-up, is a period when the plant is particularly at risk. It is also a time when equipment may be maltreated or damaged so that its subsequent operation is affected. Moreover, delays in bringing the plant up to full output can have a marked effect on the economics of the plant. For all these reasons it is essential to organize the commissioning of the plant efficiently and to allocate sufficient resources to it.

An account of plant commissioning is given in Process Plant Commissioning (Horsley and Parkinson, 1990), Process Plant Design and Operation (D. Scott and Crawley, 1992) and by Troyan (1960), Finlayson and Cans (1967), Kingsley, Kneale and Schwartz (1968 69), Gans and Benge (1974), Unwin, Robins and Page (1974), Fulks (1982), Gans, Kiorpes and Fitzgerald (1983), Fraylink (1984), Ruziska et al. (1985) and Smet (1986).

In the following sections an account is given of plant commissioning and of some of its problems and hazards. It should be said at the outset, however, that in many cases these have been very successfully overcome by good organization and engineering so that, for example, large ethylene plants have been brought up to full output within about 3 days (Chementator, 1977 6 June, 67; 24 October, 73). Selected references on plant commissioning are given in Table 19.1.