Design Criteria Checklist

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Appendix 2
Design Criteria Checklist

A well-drafted set of design criteria will provide a balanced and comprehensive guide to the development of engineering work, in a way which
exactly meets the performance requirements of the plant and the
objectives of the project. The design criteria should address the plant as
a whole, such that the design stages which follow augment the detail
without the need to revisit the fundamental concepts. Thus the design
criteria should commence with the definition of plant performance
(including all the aspects of performance, such as operability and
maintainability, which may determine fitness for purpose); should
reference any special, local, or environmental features which may need
to be considered for plant design; and should determine the design
methods and standards to be employed. The following are some notes
on the essential content.

A2.1 Plant performance

The process plant product specification. (What comes out of the

plant.) This must clearly include not just target values of parameters,
but also the limiting values by which the plant product will be
accepted or rejected. It is important to be pedantic and try to
consider all parameters and characteristics which may possibly be
relevant: all too many projects have failed because certain
parameters (such as moisture content, exclusion of unacceptable
substances, or size grading) were either overlooked or taken for
granted.
The specification of the feedstock and imported utilities such as
water, power, and chemical reagents. (What goes into the plant.)

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The same care is required as in the case of the product. In the case of
purchased utilities or reagents there may be leeway for the project
engineers to determine the specifications, but there will inevitably
be limitations (for example of price or source) which should be
ascertained at the outset.
Limitations on plant effluent, waste disposal, and environmental
impact.
The plant capacity (its rate of working). This may be defined
in terms of quantity of product, quantities of types of product,
quantity of feedstock, or a combination of quantities to be produced
and processed over a period of time.
Period of time needs to be qualified, to take into account: the
plant operational and maintenance requirements; whether operation
is continuous or how many hours per week or year; and the time
allowed for scheduled and unscheduled shutdowns for maintenance,
inspection, and repair (collectively referred to as maintenance). The
starting point for plant design is usually the average capacity (over
a long period of time which includes all shutdowns for whatever
reason). A normal capacity is then calculated for the time when
the plant is in operation, allowing for shutdowns according to the
defined plant operational mode and the time to be allowed for
maintenance; these have a major bearing on the plant design and
reliability requirement.
The required flexibility of operation. The range of capacities
over which the plant must be operable (or the turndown) is the
most important consideration, but all required abnormal operation should be considered, including initial start-up, normal
start-up, normal shutdown, emergency shutdown, and power
failure. Sometimes a maximum capacity may be defined to provide an extra margin for operational contingencies; however,
care must be exercised in the use of this term, as previously
outlined.
Plant reliability, maintainability, and life requirements, consistent
with the plant capacity calculation.
Requirements for the operation of the plant, limitations on
the numbers and skills of operational personnel, degree of
automation, and local or statutory regulations which may affect
plant operation.
Special safety requirements, hazard containment, and fire prevention
and extinguishing.
Plant performance testing and acceptance standards.

Design Criteria Checklist

A2.2

319

Plant site

The site location and document references for topographical and

survey information, describing the land available for the plant and
for construction facilities, adjoining plant or structures, and access.
Site ambient conditions (including altitude, maxima and minima of
atmospheric conditions, atmospheric corrosion, wind, and dust).
Battery limit definition and information. Location of points where
feedstocks, utilities, reagents, etc. are received, where products are
despatched, and up to which roads and site facilities extend.
Soils report for foundation design.
Hydrological data for stormwater run-off design.
Seismic design requirements.
Local and environmental restrictions that may affect plant
construction.

A2.3 The process

This section may be a document of its own, for example a process technology manual or a set of instructions from a licensor. Refer to Chapter
2 for a general description of process package contents. Whereas the
Plant Performance section addressed what must be achieved, this
section addresses how the process plant will be configured to achieve
it. Apart from the choices and methodologies arising directly from the
previous section, the subjects to be addressed include:

calculation basis for mass and heat balance;

capacity and other factors to be employed to determine the required
performance of individual plant equipment items;
criteria and methods to be employed for sizing static plant items
such as vessels, stockpiles, and pipelines;
identification of hazards, corrosive substances, and other characteristics within the process for which special care is required when
designing the plant (plus details of established practice for dealing
with these hazards);
process design codes to be employed;
design basis for plant instrumentation and control (often referred to
as the control philosophy).

The basis for process calculations, special requirements arising out of

process needs, and process design decisions should be listed and updated
for the duration of the project.

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A2.4 Basic plant design features

Allowance of space, plant configuration, connections, over-capacity

of equipment, or other design features to allow for future plant
expansion or possible modification.
Statutory and government authority regulations and approvals,
insurers and process licensors requirements which may affect plant
design.
Corrosion protection systems.
Whether plant units will be enclosed from the atmosphere and, if so,
type of enclosure.
Personnel access and ergonomic standards for operation and
maintenance. Systems and features for removal and replacement of
equipment.
Size and space requirements for transport vehicles and mobile
cranes: turning circles, clearance under structures, and so on.
Plant drainage system and implications for unit elevations.
Prevailing winds and implications for plant layout.
Design practice for installed standby equipment.
Design practice for emergency power requirements.
Facilities for plant operators and maintenance personnel.

A2.5 Design features for equipment (mechanical,

instrumentation, and electrical)

Applicable international, national, and other standards.

System to ensure maximum economic commonality of spare parts.
Service factors to be employed, such as for sizing of electric motors
and power transmissions.
Features required for plant lubrication, maintenance, and replacement, including vendor support.
Any other features which previous plant experience has shown to be
desirable.

A2.6 Design methodology and standardization

Standard design codes, methods, software, designs, bulk material

components, and construction materials to be employed for all
disciplines, for example structures, piping, and buildings.

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System of measure, such as SI units.

Methodology for hazard and operational reviews, and design for
plant safety.
Drafting and modelling standards and software.
Methodology for materials take-off, presentation of bills of
quantities, and materials control, in so far as it affects the design
documentation.
Numbering systems for documents, equipment, and code of accounts.

A2.7 Design verification and approval plan

Within project team.

By process technology supplier (if external to the team).
By client.
By external regulators.
Needs for each engineering discipline.

A2.8 Design and plant documentation for client

Language(s) to be used on official documents.

Client requirements for format and presentation of documents and
computer disks.
Content and presentation of plant operating and maintenance
manuals.
Project close-out documentation.