Brightsite is taking an innovative step towards sustainable chemistry with the development of a pilot installation for plasma pyrolysis of natural gas. This groundbreaking technology enables the production of hydrogen and acetylene using electricity. After a competitive selection process, Sitech has been awarded the contract for the Basic Engineering of this installation, which will be built at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus.
A solid foundation: the first engineering steps
Within the Skillpool Technology, four chemical engineers from Sitech have developed the Process Design Package for the Basic Engineering of the plasma pilot plant. This package forms the foundation for further engineering and realization. The first step in this process involved delivering essential process deliverables:
- Process Flow Diagrams (PFDs): a clear overview of the process flow and key equipment.
- Heat & material balances: calculations for energy and mass balance across all operational scenarios. A highly detailed AspenPlus model was created, allowing more than 30 operational and design cases to be efficiently analyzed.
- Preliminary P&IDs: initial versions of the Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams, providing a multidisciplinary foundation for further detailing.
- Process data for operating cases: comprehensive data covering all required operational scenarios to size equipment and piping accurately.
- Line & equipment sizing: precise dimensioning of pipelines and equipment, including minimum and maximum process conditions.
- Sized equipment list: a complete overview of all sized equipment, including compressors, pumps, heaters, process vessels, and package units such as a cooling system and incinerator.
- Process data for datasheets: detailed specifications for drafting datasheets of the required equipment.
- Fire & explosion index calculations: a safety analysis to assess potential fire and explosion hazards.
- Engineering HAZID analysis: a structured and systematic method to identify and evaluate potential hazards early in the engineering phase.
Next steps: towards realization
With this comprehensive process information in place, the disciplines of Electrical, Instrumentation, Mechanical, and Civil Engineering are now proceeding with the detailed engineering phase. This marks a significant step towards realizing the plasma pilot plant at the Brightlands Chemelot Campus.
Together, a multidisciplinary team is working on an innovative and sustainable technology that will shape the future of the chemical industry. Sitech and Brightsite once again demonstrate that collaboration and innovation go hand in hand on the path to a sustainable future!