University Putra of Malaysia

Faculty of Engineering

APPLIED HAZARD AND OPERABILITY STUDY

ECH5504

FINAL GROUP ASSIGNMENT

ASSOC. PROF. DR. MOHD HALIM SHAH ASMAIL

NAME MATRIC NO.
TAHA MOHAMMAD SHARIF GS55908
YOUSEF ALWEHABI GS56140
HUSSAIN ALKAF GS54373

NOV 30, 2019

Table of Contents
1. Question ........................................................................................................................ 3
2. Node selection ............................................................................................................... 4
3. HAZOP study for node 1 ................................................................................................ 5
4. HAZOP study for node 2 ................................................................................................ 6
5. HAZOP study for node 3 ............................................................................................. 10

2
 1. Question
The process shown in the figure below consists of a fired heater, which raises the
temperature of a hydrocarbon stream via convective and radiative heat transfer, and
a packed bed chemical reactor. The process has been working well for over one year.
Recently, the market demand for the product has been decreasing, and in response the
plant is reducing production rate. This week the operating orders specify another 5%
decrease in production rate, to 80% of the design rate. While sipping your first cup of
coffee in your office, you receive a message from the plant production supervisor.
When the operators reduced the plant feed rate by the 5% specified, the flows and
temperatures began to oscillate wildly. The operators immediately returned to the
original feed rate, and the oscillations stopped. We are producing more than we are
selling, and as a result, the product tank is filling up fast. You better solve the problem!

You are not expected to completely solve this problem. Your answer must address the
following issues.
No other parts of the troubleshooting procedure are required for this assignment.
a) Give at least four hypotheses for the cause of the trouble.

b) Give at least four actions that would be useful in eliminating incorrect hypotheses
and reducing to one correct hypothesis. (You will not be able to determine the correct
hypothesis in this problem, because you cannot obtain the feedback from your proposed
actions.) Your actions should be clearly stated and numbered in the order you would
request them in the plant.

c) If you believe you have enough information, suggest a short-term and a longer-term
corrective action.

3
 2. Node selection

NODE 2

NODE 1

NODE 3

Node 1: Feed tank & Heat process fluid.

Node 2: Oil heater, Air intake & Fuel oil.

Node 3: Packed Bed Reactor & Product tank.

4
 3. HAZOP study for node 1
NODE 1 Feed tank & Heat process fluid
NO. PARAMETER GUIDE DEVIATION CAUSES CONSEQUENCES EXISTING ACTION TO
WORDS SAFEGAURDS BE TAKEN
1. FLOW NO No flow into heating fluid  Blockage at  Heat exchanger
process the pump. temperature
 Pump failed to build up and may
operate. cause pressure
 Feed tank is build up.
empty.  Pump will


5
 4. HAZOP study for node 2
Node 2 Heat transfer, Air intake & Fuel oil.
PARAMETE GUIDE
NO DEVIATION CAUSES CONSEQUENCES EXISTING SAFEGAURDS ACTION TO BE TAKEN
R WORD

 Blockage at the valve.  To Install Flow Indicator

 Oil fuel tank is empty  To Install Low Level Alarm
No fuel oil  Off spec product  Temperature  Conduct regular inspection
 Valve Malfunction
1 Flow No flow into heat  Delay in production Controller and maintenance of valve and
(Total Shut)
transfer. line  Auto valve control pipeline. (Predictive and
 Faulty level
 Economic loss Preventive Maintenance)
measurement from
the flowmeter  Flush the pipeline. (blockage)

 Control Valve failure

 Controller fail (valve  To Install Flow Indicator
open)  To Install high Level Alarm
 Operator fails to take  Pressure build up due  Conduct regular inspection
More fuel oil action on alarm.  Temperature
to increase the and maintenance of valve
2 Flow More into the heat  Faulty level Controller
temperature and pipeline. (Predictive and
transfer measurement from  Auto valve control
 Off spec product Preventive Maintenance)
the flowmeter
 Increase in pumping
capacity

6
  To Install Flow Indicator
 To Install Low Level Alarm
 Blockage at the valve  Conduct regular inspection
 Low level of fuel oil in  Off spec product and maintenance of valve
Less fuel oil  Temperature
the oil tank  delay in product line and pipeline. (Predictive and
3 Flow Less flow into heat Controller
 Valve failed to open  economic loss Preventive Maintenance)
transfer  Auto valve control
completely  Flush the pipeline. (blockage)
 Emergency shutdown (ESD)
arrangements

 To Install Low Level Alarm

 Blockage at the valve  Conduct regular inspection
 Ineffective heating
 Air intake pump failed and maintenance of valve
No flow of the process  Flow rate controller
to operate and pipeline. (Predictive and
4 Flow No air into the  Delay in production
 Power failure Preventive Maintenance)
heat transfer line
 Flow controller fail  Flush the pipeline. (blockage)
and closes valve  Emergency shutdown (ESD)
arrangements

7
  More flow of fuel oil
into the heater  Pressure builds up and
may exceed the  To Install temperature alarm
 No flow of
Maximum allowable  To install high level alarm
hydrocarbon
The working pressure  Flow rate controller  Conduct regular inspection
 Control Valve failure
temperature MAWP from high  Auto valve control and maintenance of valve
Temperatur  Controller fail (valve
5 High in fired heater temperature.  Temperature and pipeline. (Predictive and
e open)
increased  Cracks in fired heat Controller Preventive Maintenance)
 Runaway reaction
above usual due to high  Emergency shutdown (ESD)
 Heater control failure
temperature arrangements
 Reaction control
failures  Economic

 More flow
hydrocarbon
 Less flow of fuel oil
 To Install temperature alarm
into the heater
The  To install low level alarm
 Control Valve failure  Flow rate controller
temperature  Ineffective heating  Conduct regular inspection
Temperatur (valve failed to open  Auto valve control
6 Low in fired heater process and maintenance of valve
e completely)  Temperature
lower than the  Off spec product and pipeline. (Predictive and
 Temperature Controller
usual Preventive Maintenance)
controller fail
 Contamination in the
fuel oil

8
  No flow of
hydrocarbon into
fired heater due to  To Install temperature alarm
failure of FC 1 valve to  To install low level alarm
open  Conduct regular inspection
 More flow of fuel oil  delay in product line and maintenance of valve
 Flow rate controller and pipeline. (Predictive and
which leads to  economic loss
High pressure  Auto valve control Preventive Maintenance)
7 Pressure High increase the  Cracks in fired heat
in fired heater  Temperature  Fire and gas detection and
temperature due to due to high
Controller alarms
TC 2 failed to stop the temperature
process  Emergency shutdown (ESD)
 Relief valves isolated arrangements
 Eternal fire due to
leakage of
hydrocarbon

 Undetected leakage
 Vessel drainage
 Fire conditions
 Weather conditions
Less pressure 
8 Pressure Low  Low level of fuel oil  
in fired heater
which leads to
decrease the
temperature inside
the fired heater

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 5. HAZOP study for node 3
Node 2 Packed Bed Reactor (PBR) & Product tank
N GUIDE
PARAMETER DEVIATION CAUSES CONSEQUENCES EXISTING SAFEGAURDS ACTION TO BE TAKEN
O WORD

 Blockage at the valve

or at the Fired Heater.
 Valve Malfunction  To Install Flow Indicator
No fuel oil (Total Shut)  Off spec product  Flow rate controller  To Install Low Level Alarm
flow into  Faulty level  No separation occurs  Auto valve control  Conduct regular inspection
1 Flow No and maintenance of valve and
Packed Bed measurement from  Delay in production  Temperature
Reactor the flowmeter line Controller pipeline. (Predictive and
 No supply from  Economic loss Preventive Maintenance)
source  Flush the pipeline. (blockage)
 Pipe ruptured
 Large leakage

 Control Valve failure

 Controller fail (valve  To Install Flow Indicator
open)  Pressure build up due  To Install high Level Alarm
 Operator fails to take to increase the  Conduct regular inspection
More fuel oil  Flow rate controller
action on alarm. temperature and maintenance of valve
flow into  Auto valve control
2 Flow More  Faulty level  Off spec product and pipeline. (Predictive and
Packed Bed  Temperature
measurement from  Packed bed catalyst Preventive Maintenance)
Reactor Controller
the flowmeter overused, Reducing  Inspect the PBR catalyst
 Increase in pumping PBR performance
capacity

10
  To Install Flow Indicator
 To Install Low Level Alarm
 Blockage at the valve  Conduct regular inspection
Less fuel oil  Low level of fuel oil in  Off spec product and maintenance of valve
 Temperature
flow into the oil tank  delay in product line and pipeline. (Predictive and
3 Flow Less Controller
Packed Bed  Valve failed to open  economic loss Preventive Maintenance)
 Auto valve control
Reactor completely  Flush the pipeline. (blockage)
 Emergency shutdown (ESD)
arrangements

 To Install Low Level Alarm

 Blockage at the valve  Conduct regular inspection
 Ineffective heating
No fuel oil  Air intake pump failed and maintenance of valve
process  Flow rate controller
flow into to operate and pipeline. (Predictive and
4 Flow No  Delay in production
Packed Bed  Power failure Preventive Maintenance)
line
Reactor  Flow controller fail  Flush the pipeline. (blockage)
and closes valve  Emergency shutdown (ESD)
arrangements

11
  More flow of fuel oil
into the heater  Pressure builds up and
may exceed the  To Install temperature alarm
 No flow of
Maximum allowable  To install high level alarm
hydrocarbon
The working pressure  Flow rate controller  Conduct regular inspection
 Control Valve failure
temperature MAWP from high  Auto valve control and maintenance of valve
Temperatur  Controller fail (valve
5 High in PBR temperature.  Temperature and pipeline. (Predictive and
e open)
increased  Cracks in fired heat Controller Preventive Maintenance)
 Runaway reaction
above usual due to high  Emergency shutdown (ESD)
 Heater control failure
temperature arrangements
 Reaction control
failures  Economic

 More flow
hydrocarbon
 Less flow of fuel oil
 To Install temperature alarm
into the heater
 To install low level alarm
The  Control Valve failure  Flow rate controller
 Ineffective heating  Conduct regular inspection
Temperatur temperature (valve failed to open  Auto valve control
6 Low process and maintenance of valve
e in PBR lower completely)  Temperature
 Off spec product and pipeline. (Predictive and
than the usual  Temperature Controller Preventive Maintenance)
controller fail
 Contamination in the
fuel oil

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  No flow of
hydrocarbon into
fired heater due to  To Install temperature alarm
failure of FC 1 valve to  To install low level alarm
open  Conduct regular inspection
 More flow of fuel oil  delay in product line and maintenance of valve
 Flow rate controller and pipeline. (Predictive and
High pressure which leads to  economic loss
 Auto valve control Preventive Maintenance)
7 Pressure High in Packed Bed increase the  Cracks in fired heat
 Temperature  Fire and gas detection and
Reactor temperature due to due to high
Controller alarms
TC 2 failed to stop the temperature
process  Emergency shutdown (ESD)
 Relief valves isolated arrangements
 Eternal fire due to
leakage of
hydrocarbon

 Undetected leakage
 Vessel drainage
 Fire conditions
Less pressure  Weather conditions
8 Pressure Low in Packed Bed  Low level of fuel oil   
Reactor which leads to
decrease the
temperature inside
the fired heater

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