Concept of the Plant Layout

A process plant which consists of the various different sections mentioned earlier should be
arranged so as to follow the general route of the raw material, to process, to
intermediate/finished product stage to dispatch.
The entire plot area will be divided into blocks, the size of the blocks depend on the facilities
to be accommodated.
While locating the blocks and further sub-blocks within them, the following points runs
should also be minimum.
1) The layout planning shall be in the sequential order of the process flow so that the piping
run is also minimum.
2) The block shall be arranged considering the prevalent wind direction such that
flammable gases should not be carried by the wind onto a source of ignition.
3) The process unit block shall be centrally located with a straight approach from the main
gate.
4) Storage tanks shall be grouped according to product classification. In undulating areas,
storage tanks shall be located at lower elevations.
5) Utility blocks shall be located adjacent to the unit block.
6) The main power receiving station shall be close to the boundary line so that the minimum
overhead power lines pass through the plant.
7) The electric sub- stations in the plant shall be located in such a way that cabling to major
load centres are minimum.
8) The location of power plants shall be near the process/utility block and close to the main
receiving station.
9) Flares shall be located upwind of the process units so that the inflammable gas from the
plant are not carried towards the flares.
10) Truck loading facilities shall be located close to the product movement gate. Rail loading
facilities are arranged generally at the periphery of the plant.
11) The effluent plant shall be located away from the other units on the down elevation. The
preferred location is at the lower elevation than the other plant units in order to facilitate
gravity flow.

12) The fire station and firewater pump house shall be at a safe place away from hazardous
areas. The fire station shall be near the main gate with a straight approach to the process
units and other critical areas.
13) Two adjacent process unit locations shall be decided based on the annual shut down
philosophy for the maintenance of the units. If the shut downs are be at different times, it is
preferable to increase the distance between the two units so that the risk for the operating
units due to heat jobs in the units under shut down can be minimised. Also this will
facilitate easy maintenance.
14) Process Units shall be located on the high ground.
15) The adjacent neighbourhood installations, if any, shall be taken into consideration
before fixing the plant layout. The limitations imposed by the neighbourhood facilities
cannot be ignored, e.g. an ignition source.
16) Flares, furnaces/heater, dusty operations and cooling towers shall be oriented
depending on the prevailing wind direction. The first two shall be located upwind of the
Process units and the last two on the downwind directions of the process units.
17) Due consideration to the construction and erection of the plant shall be given while
deciding the plant layout, especially tall towers, reactors, furnaces, etc. shall not be in
congested areas and sufficient open spaces shall be provided for erection at any stage.
18) Equipment requiring frequent maintenance shall have easy accessibility. So also
equipment which need removal of parts and also for free access for hoisting equipment.
19) Provisions for future expansion shall be considered. It is preferable to have similar type
of facilities with adjacent space for expansion adjacent. Care shall be taken to install the
expansion facilities without any disturbance to the existing facility.
20) Roads in between for the purpose of access and safety should separate the blocks
developed. Fire fighting facilities are to be provided on these roads.
There shall always be an alternative approach for fire fighting and maintenance in case one
route is blocked. The layout shall be so designed that truck traffic inside the plant
is minimized.
21) Boiler house, air compressors, fuel oil facilities shall be grouped into one block adjoining
the process unit blocks, so that spreading of various utilities can be avoided and also
facilitate easy operation.

22) The layout shall be designed so as to minimise the capital cost for earthwork and
pavement, special foundations and the extent of a vacant plot as wasteland.
For the major distances to be considered during plant layout OISD (Oil Industries Safety
Directorate) Standards shall be referred to.
Plant layout needs statutory approvals before implementation. Some of the statutory
approving codes are:
1. Indian Factories Act
2. Indian Explosives Act
3. Petroleum Act
4. Central / State Pollution Control Board Law
5. Indian Electricity Rules
6. CIVIL aviation rule - National Airports Authority
7. Insurance Association of India - Fire Protection manual.
8. N. F. P. A. Code of Practice.
The oil industry safety directorate (OISD) gives some guidelines for plant layout but does
not overrule the existing statutory requirements.
The environment/security requirements now demand that a Green Belt area around the
plant boundary shall be provided. This is a belt of width 50m to 100m around the plant
boundary where no construction will be done.