Radical upgrading of ethylene plant turbo-machinery control and protective systems

摘要

1. Full re-instrumentation of an ethylene plant main machine installation is a major undertaking, however given time and adequate resources, it can be achieved without loss of availability or reliability. 2. Success is critically determined by attention to detail at every stage of design, installation, and commissioning, supported by rigorous checking, and thorough training of personnel. 3. The level of resources required for reviewing and checking was consistently greater than had been envisaged initially. This was true at every stage of the project, but most obviously so during final loop checking and live trip testing. 4. Similarly, the resources required for training considerably exceeded initial estimates, and despite major effort in this area, post-commissioning training has proved to be necessary to further boost operator confidence and competence. 5. Despite rigorous efforts at every stage of the project, structured testing, and a high level of commitment and teamwork from personnel throughout, faults emerged at a late stage, and one post-commissioning fault has emerged resulting in a brief production interruption. Given the complexity of the project, this is almost inevitable, and should be recognised when projecting benefits of future projects.