How to Design Electrical Distribution System for Chemical Plant?

Yes, hire a qualified electrical engineer.

There are many rules, codes and practices.

One of my rules is to not give out potentially lethal information to those ignorant of those rules, codes and practices.

Save a life, hire a qualified electrical engineer or technician.

Dear usgajare,

Your request tends to be general, but if you're looking for hand's-on training, just go for this, there you'll find everything including training courses, reference books and a wide range of technical specialised softwares. Anyway, as far as I know that one of the softwares serving your needs is "Ecodial" produced by Schneider-electric". Also, don't forget "AutoCAD Electrical".

I hope this helps!!

you're kidding, right?

No, unfortunately, probably not.

Well, if he had used the three years between this and his last post to get the requisite training to be a designer, he might have been in a better position to answer his own question. Fortunately you cannot compress the education process through the use of handbooks, the web, and software, since if you do, GIGO is usually the result.

Or, worse yet:

this should cover it

First you have to specify what is your qualification to become an Electrical design Engineer. There are many safety rules and standards to be followed in designing Electrical distribution system and it depends on which country you are located as each country has its own rules to be followed. There is no thumb rules. It is pure Engineering. First you should have through knowledge of the plant and the process of the chemical and the type of chemical used . Then come the capacity of the plant area of the plant type of electrical system available for the plant . Please get all the primary information design your own system and at any stage if you come across any difficulty come to this site for help. Do not expect some else to do your job.

Here is all you need to know...

Click Here

British Standard 7671 applies just the same to chemical plants, as it does to practically everywhere else in the UK.

The practical practices for chemical plants are:

Keep the bad stuff in areas equipped with equipment for bad stuff electrical systems. This could include XP, various materials of construction, etc. Put simply, hire an EE with a specialization in this area of expertise.

Keep the good stuff in areas equipped for good stuff electrical systems. This includes the coffee machine, the soda/pop machine and many others. Put simply, hire an EE with a specialization in this area of expertise.

Axiom: Never let the good and bad stuff get mixed up with each other. Always separate them with appropriate systems. Put simply, hire an EE with a specialization in this area of expertise.

Axiom of axiom; If you have to ask a question such as this, you are not qualified to do anything with the subject except hire an EE with a specialization in this area of expertise.

Axiom of axiom of axiom: an EE with a specialization in this area of expertise doesn't come cheap but is worth the money.

Above based on a career in the operation and engineering of chemical plants. Some of the materials were REAL, REAL NASTY but I was alive to be able to retire by following these rules very closely.

Good Luck, Old Salt

Dear Friend,

I really do not know your background, especially your experience and qualifications. But I am sure; you have interest in electrical engineering field as your previous question was also from electrical field.

If you have couple of years experience in electrical engineering field;

· Try to make contact with real electrical system designers with wide range of expertise. Sometimes, couple of them can guide you properly.

· Familiarise with reputed engineering companies engineering specifications and standards.

· Familiarise all basic electrical engineering fundamentals.

· Familiarise safety requirements and other applicable codes/standards such as NFPA, IEC, NEC, NEIS etc.

If you don't have field experience;

· Try to do electrical design oriented programs conducted by renowned institutions in your area. Make sure, those institutions are run by experienced and knowledgeable real electrical system designers.

Following links might be useful for your requirement.

http://www.electrical4u.com/

Electrical Design Thumb Rules

my two cents

anonymous#1

depending on the chemicals and temperatures present there select equipment from manufacturers,and wiring system from good consultant who had done similar work.

And again, electrical design thumb rules consists of eight parts.

Other useful links are,

http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/document-information-pages?mode=code&code=70

http://www.neca-neis.org/

http://www.slideshare.net/veeru1009/handbook-for-process-plant-project-engineers-peter-watermeyer

anonymous#1

The practical practice is to go to a University (or similar) for a few years and get properly educated on the matter. Some things just cannot be picked up by reading a book or plugging values into a spreadsheet.

Reference books, specialty software programs and informative papers on specialty subjects are available on the internet and through technical book suppliers but these are for people that already know what they are doing and may as well be in a different language for those new to the subject matter.

What's this for exactly? Are you trying to do plant equipment costing estimates for a quote or have you won the tender for a chemical plant and now need to know how to do it.

Sorry if our responses appear to be less than helpful but we have had people asking similar questions for just such things.

What are you after exactly and why?