8.

Site Selection & Project Lay-out

A formal site selection process is one of the project optimization techniques. Project
optimization can be defined as finding the solution, from the available alternative
options, with the most cost-effective or highest achievable performance.

8.1 Site selection criteria

Before choosing the site, the following factors were considered:

● Suitable size: Site size must be larger than the minimum plant layout requirement.
Sites should also not be significantly bigger than the required size as this impacts
on affordability unless future plant expansions are likely;
● Availability: The site should be available for purchase and free from
encumbrances, such as contamination or legal disputes. These matters can take a
long time to resolve;
● Affordability: The asking price for the site should be realistic and based on a
valuation thereof. The selection team should set a maximum price that they would
be willing to pay from the impact it has on the profitability of the project;
● Accessibility: The site should be accessible for bringing the process equipment to
site, and for feed material and product logistics. Ideally, access should not
necessitate the construction of new roads, rail spurs or bridges;
● Political stability: This may be applicable if a development in a foreign country
is considered. It can involve continued government support for a project or
physical security of a facility

● Proximity to primary feedstock and/or market: The project pre feasibility

study will determine how important it is to have the plant site near the primary
feedstock or market, depending on the type of project.
Business
These include criteria relating to the business strategy, ease of operation and business risk reduction.

● Proximity to feed material, or customers, being the reciprocal of the must criteria;
● Process integration requirements;
● Governmental support;
● Tax incentives (special development zone);
● Nearest (industrial) neighbors;
● Supply chain requirements;
● Product stability/life; and
● Future plant expansion.

Infrastructure & Services

These include the availability of infrastructure and services that would otherwise have to be
supplied as part of the project. Infrastructure and services ‘wishes’ could include:

● Housing
● Electricity supply
● Water supply
● Town infrastructure
● Policing and security
● Fire brigade
● Airport
● Hospital and/or clinic
● Proximity to support services

Environmental
These include criteria with an environmental flavor and relate to the environmental conditions
and requirements, the ability of the environment to accommodate a process plant and waste
disposal facilities.

● Climatic conditions
● Assimilative capacity of the receiving environment
● Specific regional air quality requirements
● Water supply
● Effluent treatment facility
● Hazardous waste disposal facility
● Secondary safety zone
● Regional history of natural disasters, i.e. fires, floods and seismic activity
 Social
These include criteria relating to the quality of life of workers and the community, and the
availability of suitably qualified manpower for the complex.

● Quality of life for workers/experts

● Political climate
● Manpower availability
● Labor cost
● Labor union activity
● Historic landmarks
● Proximity of housing to the site
● Training facilities to support the project
● Sites of cultural significance
● Security requirements

Geological
These include criteria of a geological and hydrogeological nature and aim to give an indication of
the ease of construction and of current or future groundwater challenges.

● Topography of the land

● Soil type (piling requirements)
● Underground structures
● Number and type of industrial and other neighbors
● Groundwater quality
● The direction of groundwater flow
● Pollution originating from neighboring facilities

Based on policies provided by the union and state government, we targeted Gujarat to set up our Carbon di-oxide
capture plant. Also, Gujarat has the highest thermal power generation capacity throughout the country, therefore we
will have plenty of options to select the power plant on which we’re going to set up our capture plant.

State government industrial policies: -

● Availability of Government land on lease for industrial purposes :
In order to attract industries to invest in Gujarat, the government will facilitate industries in getting
“Government Land” on lease to industrial enterprises at 6% of market rate for long term upto 50 years for
 setting up an industrial project.

● Gujarat Single Window Clearance Act, 2017:

The Act aims to facilitate a process for the speedy issuance of various licenses, clearances and certificates
required for setting up a business unit.

● Support for Environmental Infrastructure & Initiatives for Sustainable Development :

In order to encourage greater compliance with environmental standards & support development of
latest sustainable industrial infrastructure to reduce air and water pollution, the policy will provide
incentives for :
1. Development of Green Estate at 25% of project cost for set up/ relocation / retrofitting of existing
polluting industrial units into Green Industrial Estates upto INR 25 crore. The policy will also
provide assistance up to 75% of cost for preparation of site master plan for relocation and retrofitting
of existing pollution industrial units into Green Industrial Estates upto INR 80 lakhs.
2. For environment management project with use of clean, Efficient and Innovative Pollution Control
Equipment the policy will provide assistance at 25% of cost of Plant & Machinery to MSMEs and
10% of cost of Plant & Machinery to large enterprises with maximum support upto INR 35 lakhs.
3. Encouraging “Green Practices & Environmental Audit to MSMEs” upto 75% of fees of audit
services upto INR 50,000.
4. Setting Up of Environment Management System including setting up of Environment Management
Laboratory upto 50% of cost of equipment upto 10 lakh.

The main Power Plant: -

We will be designing a capture plant for Ukai Thermal Power Station of the Gujarat State Electricity Corporation
Limited, Tapi, Gujarat. It is a power station with an installed capacity of 1,110 MW and it is one of Gujarat's major coal-
fired power plants, located on the bank of the Tapi river.
It has 6 units of different capacity out of which 4 are currently in running state. We will be designing the capture plant for
200MW units producing approximately 445,000 cu.mt of flue gas per hour.

For availability of solvent MEA, major manufacturers and suppliers are located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat with price
ranging from Rs. 140/kg to 240/kg of MEA.

Transport: -
● Roadways
Ukai is connected with other cities of Gujarat and also with other states by bus service. Major national
highway NH 174 connect to the city. The transportation services are provided by the state owned
Gujarat Roadways and private bus operators.
● Railways
Ukai Songadh railway station connects Ukai to various cities of state. It serves both cargo and
passenger trains.
8.2 Plant Layout
Plant layout is a crucial factor in the economics and safety of process plants. Plant layout can affect the total
operation of a company, including the production processes, equipment, storage, dispatch and
administration. It has a direct effect upon production efficiency and economics of the operation, the morale
of employees and can affect the physical health of operatives. The first step in any design is to identify the
real need, and this is often the most difficult task. It is essential to clearly define the objectives of the task
and to re-confirm the objectives as time progresses. Plant layout can have a large impact on plant
economics. Additional space tends to increase safety but is expensive in terms of land and also in additional
pipework and operating costs. Some of the ways, in which plant layout contributes to safety and loss
prevention (SLP), & which are included in the layout design are:
1. Economic considerations: construction and operation cost.
2. Segregation of different risks.
3. Minimization of vulnerable pipe work.
4. Containment of accidents.
5. Limitation of exposure.
6. Efficient and safe construction.
7. Efficient and safe operation.
8. Efficient and safe maintenance.
9. Safe control room design.
10. Emergency control facilities.
11. Fire fighting facilities.
12. Access for emergency services.
13. Security.
14. Future Expansion.
15. Modular construction.
. Some of the ways, in which plant layout contributes to safety and loss prevention (SLP), & which are
included in the layout design are:

1. Plant Area (including boiler house, pump house, cooling tower, water treatment plant etc.).
2. Power Plant.
3. Storage.
4. Repair & Maintenance Workshop.
5. Plant Utilities.
6. Loading Area (train, tankers, trucks etc.).
7. Stores.
8. R & D Center.
9. Laboratories.
10. Quality Control Wing.
11. Pollution Control Wing.
12. Fire & Safety Station.
13. Medical Center.
14. Bank & Post Office.
15. Recreation & Staff Facilities.
 16. Administrative Block.
17. Marketing Block.
18. Training Center.
19. Petrol Pump.
20. Security Wing.
21. Canteen.
22. Parking (Light Vehicles & Heavy Vehicles)
23. Lawns & Fountains.
24. Green Belt Area.
25. Space for Future Expansion.
Considerations have been given for future expansions. Some areas have been marked for Green Belt.

Location of buildings:
Buildings that are the work base for a number of people should be located so as to limit their exposure to
hazards. Analytical laboratories should be in a safe area, but otherwise as close as possible to the plants
served. So should workshops and general stores. The main office block should always be near the main
entrance and other administration buildings should be near this entrance if possible. Other buildings, such as
medical centers, canteens, etc., should also be in a safe area and the latter should have ready access for food
supplies. Another problem is the recycling of air from the discharge of one tower to the suction of another,
which is countered by placing towers crosswise to the prevailing wind.

Economic Considerations
• The cost of construction can be minimized by adopting a layout that gives the shortest run of
connecting pipe between equipment, and the least amount of structural steel work. However, this
will not necessarily be the best arrangement for operation and maintenance.
• Some features which have a particularly strong influence on costs are foundations, structures, piping
and electrical cabling. This creates the incentive to locate items on the ground, to group items so that
they can share a foundation or a structure, and to keep pipe and cable runs to a minimum.
Limitation of exposure
An aspect of segregation which is of particular importance is the limitation of exposure of people to the
hazards. The measures required to effect such limitation are the location of the work base outside, and
control of entry to the high hazard zone.

Safety Blast:
Walls may be needed to isolate potentially hazardous equipment, and confine the effects of an explosion. At
least two escape routes for operators must be provided from each level in process buildings.

Do not allow:
Areas classified as hazardous to overlap the plot limits or extend over railways where open firebox engines
are likely to be employed.

Segregation:
Although a layout that is economical in respect of land, piping and transport is in general desirable, in-
process plants it is usually necessary to provide some additional space and to practice a degree of
segregation.

Effluents
The site layout must accommodate the systems for handling the effluents - gaseous, liquid and solid - and
storm water and firewater.

Hazardous and Toxic areas:

Equipment items considered a possible source of hazard should preferably be grouped and located
separately, if possible and economic. Examples are: Finances, flare stacks, or other direct fired equipment
containing an open flame, rotating or mechanical equipment handling flammable or volatile liquids which
could easily leak or spill.

Plant Expansion Equipment:

Should be laid out in a sequence to suit the process flow. Fluid requirements, for example, gravity flow
systems, pump suction heads and thermosiphon systems, often dictate relative elevations and provoke the
need for structures. Limitations of pressure or temperature drop in the transfer line decide of furnace,
reactor, etc.

Maintenance
• Heat exchangers must be sited such that tube bundles can be easily withdrawn for cleaning and tube
replacement.
• Vessels that require frequent replacement of catalyst or packing should be located on the outside of
the building.
• Equipment that requires dismantling for maintenance, such as compressors and large pumps, should
be placed undercover.
Access:
Overall plant arrangement must be reviewed for constructions, operation, safety, and maintenance. Consider
large items of equipment or towers for which special lifting gear will be required. Provide adequate access
to lift these into place. Large equipment positioned close to boundary limits may require erection from
outside. Check to ascertain whether sufficient space will be available at the construction phase.

Control rooms:
15 meters or more of equipment which is operation or drying maintenance can create a hazard. Ensure
maximum cable run to any instrument is not more than 90 meters.

Columns and drums (vertical/horizontal):

Columns are usually self-supporting external structures. Circular or segmental platforms with ladders are
supported from the shell. Maximum allowable straight run of the ladder before a break platform should not
exceed 9 meters. Factors influencing column elevation are the provision of gravity flow system and
insulation of thermosiphon reboilers. Depending on plant arrangement, the column may have to be elevated
to a height in excess of the normal requirements to allow for clearance from the low-level piping off-takes.

Pumps:
Locate pumps close to the equipment from they take suction possibly under structures or with motor ends
under a pipe rack allowing an access aisle for mobile handling equipment. Suction lines are generally larger
than discharge lines, to avoid problems arising from low NPSH. End suction, top discharge is preferable for
pumps taking suction directly from tanks or vessels located at grade. Pumps should be arranged in rows
with the centerline of discharges on a common line. The clearance between pumps or pumps and piping
shall be a minimum of 900 minimum.

Piping:
All piping within a process area should usually be run above grade. Pipe racks and supports to be of the
simplest form. Pipe racks may contain two layers of pipe work. Avoid triple layer of pipe way except for
very short runs. Run piping external to the process areas at grade on sleepers (300mm high). (Piping at
grade is cheaper but liable to interfere with access).
Locate large bore piping as close to stanchions as possible. Lines requiring a constant full (relief headers)
can be run on cantilevers from pipe rack stanchions or on vertical extensions to pipe track stanchions.

Exchangers:
Tubular exchangers usually have standard length tubes of 2.5, 4, 5 and 6 meters. Whenever possible locate
the exchanger at grade to facilitate maintenance and tube withdrawal. Two or more shells forming one unit
will be stacked, or otherwise arranged as indicated on the exchanger specification sheet. Exchangers on
dissimilar service may be stacked never more than three high, except for fin-tube units. Horizontal clearance
of at least 900 mm will be left between alternate exchangers, providing sufficient space is left for
maintenance and inspection access. Tube bundle removal distance will be minimum tube length plus 900
mm. Minimum removal distance plus 600 mm will be left behind the rear shell cover of floating head
exchangers. Where rear shell cover is provided with a davit, allow clearance for full swing of the head. Set
overhead vapor exchangers or condensers so that the underside of the exchanger tube is self draining.
Arrange outlets to a liquid hold pot or trap, so that the fixed end is at the channel end. Vertical exchangers
should be set to allow lifting or lowering of the tube bundle. Consult the vessel section as to the feasibility
of supporting vertical exchange channels preferably, pointing towards access areas or roads. If the
exchanger is situated well within the plot, leave a free area and approach for mobile lifting equipment.
Preferably, air fin exchangers should be located in a separate room outside the main equipment row, remote
from the central pipe way. Consider the location of air fin exchangers over the central pipe way if plot space
is very limited.

Transport:
Recommended dimensions for works roads are given by Mecklenburg (1973). Road widths of 10 m and 7.5
m are suggested for works' main and side roads, respectively. Standard road signs should be used. A road
width of 7.5 m with the addition of free space and/or a pipe trench on the verges may be used to give a
separation distance of 15 m between units. There should be adequate road tanker parking and rail tanker
sidings at the unloading and loading terminals, so that vehicles can wait their turn at the loading gantry or
weighbridge without causing congestion at entrances, or on works or public roads
 Figure 8.1

Detailed layout of each block

Figure 8.2 & 8.3

Figure 8.4 & 8.5

Figure 8.6 & 8.7