Chemical Industry
Overview
Chemical plants focus on the large-scale production of bulk chemicals, specialty chemicals, petrochemicals, and fine chemicals. These facilities involve complex chemical reactions, separation processes, and strict environmental regulations.
Key Industries
- Petrochemical Plants – Production of ethylene, propylene, benzene, and other hydrocarbons.
- Agrochemical Plants – Fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides manufacturing.
- Specialty & Fine Chemicals – Dyes, pigments, paints, coatings, adhesives, and catalysts.
- Polymers & Plastics – Polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and bioplastics.
Key Aspects of Chemical Plant Design
- Selection of batch vs. continuous processes.
- Mass and heat balance calculations.
- Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&ID).
- Selection of reactors (stirred-tank, fluidized bed, tubular reactors).
- Heat exchanger network optimization for energy efficiency.
- Distillation, absorption, extraction, and crystallization.
- Membrane separation and adsorption for high-purity products.
- Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) and hazardous waste treatment.
- CO₂ capture and utilization for sustainability.
- HAZOP (Hazard and Operability) studies, ATEX compliance.
- OSHA, EPA, and global environmental regulations.