Key Operability

issues
PROCESS OPERABILITY: RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
In this Lesson, we will learn
2. Flexibility/
controllability The importance of reliability
3. Reliability Key terms and definitions
4. Safety & - Reliability, Failure Rate, Availability
equipment
protection

Process design to remove/replace equipment

5. Efficiency &
profitability
- Pump, valve, heat exchangers
6. Operation
during Process structures to increase reliability?-
transitions
- Calculate system reliability
7. Dynamic - Pump, Boiler, Fuel system
Performance

Inventory location for reliability

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
- Tankage
 Importance
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window Stopping the production of a plant can be very costly*
2. Flexibility/ v8
controllability F2 F5
v3
T5 P1
T4
F1 T1 T3 F3 T6 F4

3. Reliability L1
v1

v2
X v5

v7
v6
T7
L2

4. Safety & T2 T8
equipment T9 F6
Hot Oil Hot Oil
protection

5. Efficiency & • Lost sales

profitability
• Storage, disposal or reprocessing of material in
6. Operation plant
during
transitions • Heating/cooling process
7. Dynamic
• Repair or replacement of equipment
Performance
• Shutdown of integrated units
8. Monitoring & • Possible damage to equipment
diagnosis
* Safety is addressed in a topic 4.
 Terminology
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Reliability: The probability of a device successfully
2. Flexibility/
controllability
performing its function for a period of time under
specified conditions.
3. Reliability
• “It’s function” clearly depends on the needs of the specific
4. Safety &
equipment
system
protection
• “Specified conditions” define what is occurring in the
5. Efficiency &
system and how the device is maintained.
profitability
• “Probability” can be determined; the outcome of one
6. Operation instance of the device’s action cannot be determined.
during
transitions

n failed ( t )
7. Dynamic
Performance R( t ) = 1 − (Value between 0 and 1)
n
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis n = number of outcomes
 Terminology
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window

Other terms that are useful in discussing reliability

2. Flexibility/
controllability are:
3. Reliability • Probability of failure, F(t): F(t) + R(t) = 1
4. Safety & • Failure rate, (t): The number of failures per unit of
equipment
protection time at a specific lifetime divided by the number of
items at that time.
5. Efficiency &
profitability
1 dn f ( t )
( t ) =
6. Operation
during n − n f ( t ) dt
transitions
1 dR( t )
7. Dynamic ( t ) = −
Performance R( t ) dt
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis (Typical units: failures /10 6 years)
 Terminology
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window

Failure rate: The number of failures per unit time at a

2. Flexibility/
controllability specific lifetime divided by the number of items at that
time. A typical “bathtub curve” is shown below.
3. Reliability

4. Safety & Break in, Chance failure period, Wear out

equipment Infant mortality  is constant.
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability
Failure rate

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
0 Time
 Terminology
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability Data from Wells (1980)

4. Safety &
gives a good visual
equipment
protection
display of relative
reliabilities of
5. Efficiency &
profitability
categories of process
equipment.
6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance
Wells, G., Safety in Process Plant Design, John
Wiley & Sons, New York, 1980.
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Terminology
Key Operability
issues

1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Terminology
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window

Other terms that are useful in discussing reliability

2. Flexibility/
controllability are:
3. Reliability
• Mean time to failure (MTTF): The average time between a
device being placed in operation and it’s first failure.
4. Safety &
equipment
• Mean time between failures (MTBF): Can include repairable
protection systems, with time to repair and wait included.
5. Efficiency & When the failure rate is constant,
profitability

6. Operation  t 
during
transitions
R(t ) = exp −   (t ' )dt' = exp( −t ) R(t) = reliability
 0   = failure rate
7. Dynamic
1
MTTF =
Performance
( years/failure)
8. Monitoring &

diagnosis
 Terminology
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window

Other terms that are useful in discussing reliability

2. Flexibility/
controllability are:
3. Reliability • Availability: The ratio of the time a plant is
producing product to the total time.
4. Safety &
equipment
protection MTTF = mean time to failure

5. Efficiency &
MTTR = mean time to repair
profitability
MTOW = mean time of waiting (for spare parts, etc.)
6. Operation
during
transitions
Availability = MTTF/(MTTF+MTTR+MTOW)
7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Terminology
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
Generally, we are interested in availability, but we also
controllability need to keep an eye on MTTF
3. Reliability Why? Is everything OK when Availability = 99.9%?
4. Safety &
equipment
protection
If MTTR (repair) and MTOW (waiting) is very low,
5. Efficiency &
profitability
we could have a very high Availability with many
failures.
6. Operation
during
transitions
An example would be lots of computer failures with
a fast reboot after each one. If the control computer
7. Dynamic
Performance
keeps failing, that is not good!

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Terminology
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window

Other terms that are useful in discussing reliability

2. Flexibility/
controllability are:
3. Reliability • Availability: The ratio of the time a plant is
producing product to the total time.
4. Safety &
equipment
protection Availability = MTTF/(MTTF+MTTR+MTOW)
5. Efficiency &
profitability
For a continuous process, we aim for a very high
6. Operation availability, for example, operating 361 days and
during
transitions having a turnaround (maintenance) once per year.
7. Dynamic With all of the individual elements that could fail,
Performance
how can we achieve this?
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window AVAILABILITY: We want 100%. We’ll never get it!
What can we do to increase the reliably?
2. Flexibility/
controllability
Some actions improve the reliability of each device.
3. Reliability
• Match equipment to process conditions and requirements
4. Safety &
(slurries, clean-in-place, etc.)
equipment
protection • Operate after “break in” and before “worn out”

5. Efficiency &
• Perform preventative maintenance
profitability
• Use high quality components (resistance to corrosion,
6. Operation compatible with process conditions, well manufactured,
during
transitions
etc.)
• Repair quickly by highly trained personnel using spare
7. Dynamic
Performance
parts stores

8. Monitoring & Besides the component reliabilities, what else affects

diagnosis
plant reliability?
 Remove/replace
Key Operability equipment
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: How can we replace or remove
2. Flexibility/ equipment without stopping plant production?
controllability

3. Reliability
Only one pump needed; we want
to switch between the two
4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability
The valve is leaking; therefore,
we need to replace it

6. Operation
during
transitions
The heat exchanger is fouled; we CW
7. Dynamic need to take it out of service for
Performance mechanical cleaning

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Remove/replace
Key Operability equipment
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: How can we replace or remove
2. Flexibility/ equipment without stopping plant production?
controllability

Only one pump needed, want to switch between the two

3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis Manual (hand) valve Check (one-way) valve
 Remove/replace
Key Operability equipment
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: How can we replace or remove
2. Flexibility/ equipment without stopping plant production?
controllability

3. Reliability The valve is leaking, we need to replace it

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions
A person will have to adjust the by-pass valve
manually until the control valve has been repaired.
7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis Manual (hand) valve Check (one-way) valve
 Remove/replace
Key Operability equipment
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: How can we replace or remove
2. Flexibility/ equipment without stopping plant production?
controllability

The heat exchanger is fouled, we need to take it out of service for mechanical
3. Reliability cleaning

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability
CW

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis Manual (hand) valve Check (one-way) valve
 Remove/replace
Key Operability equipment
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Lesson Learned
2. Flexibility/
controllability Some equipment is not essential
3. Reliability
for acceptable plant operation, at
least for a short time, and other
4. Safety &
equipment
equipment has a spare in a
protection parallel configuration.
5. Efficiency &
profitability
This equipment can be taken out
of service for repair, if the design
6. Operation
during
provides components for required
transitions reliability.
7. Dynamic
Performance
Result – many more valves and
more parallel equipment than you
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
might initially expect.
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Structure: A plant consists of many components
2. Flexibility/
controllability
connected in complex structures. These structures
influence the reliability of the overall system.
3. Reliability

4. Safety & Series

equipment
protection
• • •
5. Efficiency &
profitability
Parallel If we know the reliability
6. Operation of each component, can we
during
transitions
determine the reliability
• of the system?
•
7. Dynamic
Performance •

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Structure: Simple series structure.
2. Flexibility/
controllability

System functions only when all components function.

3. Reliability

1 2 • • • N
4. Safety &
equipment
protection
If each reliability is independent (e.g., no
5. Efficiency &
profitability
common failure causes), what is the reliability of
a series structure which requires all to function?
6. Operation
during
transitions
N
7. Dynamic R Series = R1 R2 • • • R N =  Ri
Performance i =1

What are “common-cause” failures?

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Structure: Simple series structure.
2. Flexibility/
controllability
1 2 • • • N
3. Reliability

4. Safety & N
equipment
protection
R Series = R1 R2 • • • R N =  Ri
i =1
5. Efficiency &
profitability
Class Workshop: Give some examples of series
6. Operation
during
equipment in process plants.
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Structure: Simple series structure.
2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability v8

F2 F5
v3
T5 P1
4. Safety & T4
F1 T1 T3 F3 T6 F4
equipment
protection L1
v1 v5 v6 L2
T7
5. Efficiency & v2 CSTR v7
Feed
profitability Flash
tank T2 T8
T9 F6
Hot Oil Hot Oil
6. Operation
during v4
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance
What equipment has to function well for the process to be operable?
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Structure: Simple series structure.
2. Flexibility/
controllability Thermocouple temperature Analog signal transmission Analog to digital
sensor, mV signal (4-20 mA) conversion

3. Reliability
Digital number

7.734 mV 11.2 mA
4. Safety & A/D
equipment
protection
transmitter
5. Efficiency & Digital controller
profitability
145 C Pneumatic signal
transmission
(3-15 psig)
6. Operation
during
transitions 63% open fc i/p D/A Digital number
11.56 psig 14.08 mA
7. Dynamic
Valve stem
Performance
position
0-100%)
Analog signal transmission Digital to analog
8. Monitoring & (4-20 mA) conversion
diagnosis Heating medium
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Structure: Simple parallel structure with no
2. Flexibility/
controllability
common cause faults.

3. Reliability System functions when •

•
either path (or both) •
4. Safety & function
equipment
protection
Two Parallel: The system fails when both fail at the same
5. Efficiency &
profitability
time.

6. Operation
R2 − parallel = 1 − (1 − R1 )(1 − R2 )
during
transitions
N Parallel: The system fails when all fail at the same time.
7. Dynamic N
Performance
R N − parallel = 1 −  (1 − Ri )
i =1
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window

Class Workshop: Give some examples of parallel

2. Flexibility/
controllability equipment in process plants.
3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection Parallel pumps

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

T2
Redundant
7. Dynamic
Performance sensors on
same stream
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
T3
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: Determine the reliability of structures
2. Flexibility/ by condensing simple series or parallel sections.
controllability

3. Reliability
A)
4. Safety &
equipment
protection
B)
5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions
C)
7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis Assume the each device (box) has a reliability of 0.90.
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: Determine the reliability of structures
2. Flexibility/ by condensing simple series or parallel sections.
controllability

No redundancy
3. Reliability
A) R A = ( 0.90 )3 = 0.729
4. Safety &
equipment
System-level redundancy

 
protection
B) RB = 1 − 1 − ( 0.90 ) 3 2
= 0.927
5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation Module-level redundancy

  = 0.970
during

RC = 1 − 1 − 0.90
transitions 2 3
C)
7. Dynamic
Performance
Increased reliability with increased complexity and
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
cost. We have added redundancy with parallel paths.
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: Which pump configuration has the
2. Flexibility/ highest reliability (longest mean time between failures)
controllability
when only one is needed to perform the function?
3. Reliability
Centrifugal pumps
4. Safety &
equipment
protection

Series
5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Parallel
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: Which pump configuration has the
2. Flexibility/ highest reliability (longest mean time between failures)
controllability
when only one is needed to perform the function?
3. Reliability
Centrifugal pumps
4. Safety &
equipment
protection N
R Series = R1 R2 • • • R N =  Ri
Series i =1
5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions
R Parallel = 1 − (1 − R1 )(1 − R2 )
7. Dynamic
Parallel
Performance

Higher reliability
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: When no steam is available, everything
2. Flexibility/ freezes in a Canadian winter. Which boiler system is more
controllability
reliable?
3. Reliability

Design A: Several smaller Design B: One large

4. Safety & boilers boiler
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: When no steam is available, everything
2. Flexibility/ freezes in a Canadian winter. Which boiler system is more
controllability
reliable?
3. Reliability

Design A: Several smaller By having many boilers in

4. Safety & boilers
equipment
protection
operation, we can replace
one failure by increasing
5. Efficiency &
profitability
the steam from the
remaining.
6. Operation
during
transitions
Also, we dramatically
reduce the probability of
7. Dynamic
Performance
having all boilers fail
simultaneously.
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: Fuel gas is produced and consumed in
2. Flexibility/ many places in a plant. Discuss the good and poor
controllability
aspects of this fuel gas distribution network.
3. Reliability

4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
Performance

8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: Distribution Network.
2. Flexibility/
controllability

3. Reliability
Networks have high
4. Safety & reliability with
equipment
protection shared redundancy.
For example, a spare
5. Efficiency &
profitability source can serve any
consumer.
6. Operation
during
transitions
Networks are used for many “utilities”; steam,
7. Dynamic fuel, cooling water, hot oil, hydrogen, nitrogen
Performance
oxygen, and so forth.
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability structures
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window

2. Flexibility/
controllability
Lesson Learned

3. Reliability
When equipment is essential and
component reliability is too low,
4. Safety &
equipment
redundancy can be provided in
protection
various plant structures to
5. Efficiency &
increase system reliability.
profitability

6. Operation
during Results:
transitions
Low reliability equipment: Redundancy
7. Dynamic
Performance Highly critical functions: Networks of
suppliers and consumers
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability inventory
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
Class Workshop: How does a tank affect the reliability
2. Flexibility/ of a system? How would you determine the appropriate
controllability
size of the tank?
3. Reliability
Unit A can function without Unit B can function without
Unit B Unit A
4. Safety &
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability
FR

6. Operation FV
during
transitions

7. Dynamic
FR
Performance

FV
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
 Process
Key Operability inventory
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window Class Workshop: The tank allows either plant section to
operate when the other is shutdown.
2. Flexibility/
controllability
Unit A can function without Unit B can function without
Unit B Unit A
3. Reliability

4. Safety & If the failure probability

equipment
protection
for each plant is nearly
the same, the tank should
5. Efficiency & FR
be maintained near half
profitability A full.
FV
6. Operation
during
transitions

7. Dynamic Quickie guideline: The FR

B
Performance tank holdup should equal FV
2 times the time to repair
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis failed equipment.
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
This is a big topic, and we have covered only a small
2. Flexibility/
controllability
slice! Many topics would require further study.

3. Reliability

No worries, I have mastered

4. Safety & life-long learning!
equipment
protection

5. Efficiency &
profitability

6. Operation
during
transitions

• We can determine reliability for typical structures and the

7. Dynamic
Performance
advantages/disadvantages of these structures.
• We cannot determine reliability, MTBF or Availability for
8. Monitoring & complex structures, with maintenance, etc.
diagnosis
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
INDUSTRIAL PRACTICE

• We design a highly reliable process structure (e.g.,

2. Flexibility/
controllability

redundant equipment in a parallel) when

3. Reliability

- The consequence of a failure is high

4. Safety &
equipment - The probability of a failure is too large
protection

• We design to prevent a single cause from affecting

5. Efficiency &
profitability several units or equipment.
6. Operation - Prevent common cause failures
during
transitions
• Safety first! Then, economics (NPV, DCFRR, etc.).
7. Dynamic
Performance Cost of Benefit of
faults reliable
8. Monitoring & design
diagnosis
Key Operability
issues
RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window
INDUSTRIAL PRACTICE
2. Flexibility/
controllability

• We automate the adjustment of redundant

3. Reliability
elements when the time to respond to an incident is
4. Safety & short
equipment
protection
• We provide by-passes around equipment that can
5. Efficiency & be removed without requiring a process shutdown
profitability

• We isolate sections of a large plant with inventory

6. Operation
during to reduce the impact of a single failure
transitions

• We ensure that repair and replacement can be

7. Dynamic
Performance effected rapidly
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis
Key Operability
issues
PROCESS OPERABILITY: RELIABILITY
1. Operating
window

In this Lesson, we will learn

2. Flexibility/
controllability
• The importance of reliability
3. Reliability
• Key terms and definitions
4. Safety &
equipment - Reliability, Failure Rate, Availability
protection

• Process design to remove/replace equipment

5. Efficiency &
profitability
- Pump, valve, heat exchangers
6. Operation
during • Process structures to increase reliability?-
transitions
- Calculate system reliability
7. Dynamic - Pump, Boiler, Fuel system
Performance
• Inventory location for reliability
8. Monitoring &
diagnosis - Tankage