Plant Contractors Research Articles

Effect of Training, Job Stress, and Motivation on Work Productivity with Unsafe Actions as An Intervening Variable

This research aims to test the direct and indirect influence between training, work stress, and motivation on work productivity with unsafe actions as an intervening variable. The study was conducted on employees of a Steam Power Plant contractor in Cirebon Regency. Sampling was carried out using a proportional start-up random sampling technique, with a total sample size of 152 samples, who were active employees at PT Cipta Anugrah Sejahtera and PT Star Plus. The research instrument used was a questionnaire with a Likert scale. The analysis technique used is path analysis using the SPSS version 27 application. The results of this study show that 1) Job stress, motivation and productivity variables are in the good category, while training and unsafe actions very good category. 2) Training has a negative and significant effect on unsafe actions. 3) Work stress has a positive and significant effect on unsafe actions. 4) Motivation has a negative and insignificant effect on unsafe actions. 4) Training, work stress and motivation simultaneously have a significant effect on unsafe acts. 5) Training, work stress, motivation and unsafe actions simultaneously has a significant effect on work productivity.

Review of a non-probabilistic sampler versus a Vezin sampler on low weight percent solids slurries

Author Summary: The Hanford Tank Operations Contractor (TOC) and the Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) contractor are both engaged in demonstrating mixing, sampling, and transfer system capability using simulated Hanford High-Level Radioactive Waste (HLW) formulations. This work represents one of the remaining technical issues with the high-level waste treatment mission at Hanford – the TOC’s ability to adequately sample high-level waste feed to meet the Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) Waste Acceptance Criteria Data Quality Objectives. A full-scale sampling loop was used at a cold test facility to evaluate sampler capability. The sampler under investigation for deployment is non-probabilistic but radioactive environment friendly. A Vezin sampler (probabilistic) was used to obtain reference samples and accurately characterize the simulant as it flowed through the test loop. The two samplers are located in series, allowing for multiple samples to be taken from both samplers over the same time period (sample pairs) and direct sample comparison. The Vezin sampler was modified to minimize material build up allowing for steady state operation. This report discusses modifications made to the Vezin sampler and the results of sampler comparison.

Cost and U.S. public policy for new coal power plants with carbon capture and sequestration

Abstract This paper provides a financial analysis for new supercritical pulverized coal plants with carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) that compares the effects of two relevant climate policies. First, an updated cost estimate is presented for new supercritical pulverized coal plants, both with and without CCS. The capital cost escalation of recent years can be attributed to rising materials, plant supply, and plant contractor constraints. This estimate is then compared with recent estimates from public sources. Second, several current and proposed public policies relevant to CCS are presented. Finally, a financial analysis is performed to evaluate the effectiveness of two likely US carbon regulations on deploying Nth-plant CCS technology. The major conclusion is that the leading US carbon cap-and-trade bills will likely not be sufficient to deploy CCS technology in a manner consistent with a 550 ppm CO2 stabilization scenario. A more aggressive carbon policy including CCS research, development, and demonstration must be considered to achieve this goal with significant CCS deployment.

New Development of Acid Regeneration in Steel Pickling Plants

For acid pickling heat treated mild steel and steel products, up to the middle of the last century, sulfuric acid was primarily in use, which has been replaced stepwise by hydrochloric acid since the sixties. During this time, the pickling of high alloyed steel with hydrofluoric acid or mixtures for hydrofluoric acid together with nitric acid has also been applied on industrial scale. The technologies used by several plant contractors hereby show considerable differences in their engineering. The study provides a survey of the progress in the state of art of regeneration technology as well as the use of different pickling media in the form of a review on existing technologies as well as improvements done within the recent years in the area.

OECD/NEA International Common Cause Failure Data Exchange (ICDE) Project – insights and lessons learnt

Abstract Events initiated by common-cause-failure (CCF) can significantly affect the availability and reliability of nuclear power plant safety systems. In recognition of this, CCF data are systematically collected and analysed in the International Common-Cause Data Exchange (ICDE) Project, which was initiated in August 1994. Since April 1998, the NEA has formally operated the project. Currently eleven countries participate in the project. The ICDE collects all events where two or more identical, redundant components of a group, fulfilling the same function, have failed or were impaired due to a shared cause (ICDE events). Complete CCFs, i.e. failure of all identical, redundant components in the group due to a shared cause are an important subset of the collected data. Currently, data exchange and analysis covers the following components: centrifugal pumps, diesel generators, motor-operated valves, safety and relief valves, check valves, reactor protection system components (level measurement, control rod drives, etc), circuit breakers, and batteries. The main findings of the ICDE reports issued by 2005 show averaged over all components that about two thirds of all complete CCF events involve faulty actions by plant personnel and contractors. The single largest contribution is from faulty testing and maintenance work due to deficient and/or incomplete procedures. Other important causes are insufficient testing and requalification of components or systems after maintenance, repair, modifications or backfitting work, as well as operator errors of commission. The probability that a reported ICDE event is a complete CCF decreases strongly with increasing number of redundant components, demonstrating the effectiveness of redundancy as a powerful defence against CCFs. However, complete CCFs cannot be completely prevented by high redundancy only.

The cutting edge of precision gasket shaping

For over 15 years James Walker has been developing and perfecting water-jet cutting techniques for the production of precision gaskets at its Cockermouth plant in Cumbria. The majority of its flange gaskets are used by pump manufacturers, plant contractors and maintenance engineers across the world.

The development of networks between engineering contractors and their clients: the special case of partnering

AbstractThis paper sets out to show how partnering arrangements between engineering contractors in process plant contracting and their process industry clients have led to increasing collaborative contributions at the ‘front end’ of capital asset formation. Partnering arrangements are seen here as formalised long‐term contracts between process plant contractors and their clients, intended to apply to engineering and other services in major capital projects over a number of years.While research does not appear to have been affected to a significant extent, partners seem to be interacting increasingly on process development and design. One outcome of partnering is to increase the contractors' involvement in their clients' overall business objectives. As a result of this change in the character of their services, contractors are more inclined to seek opportunities to improve plant efficiency, rather than following given specifications. This interaction of entities with a different focus and, to some extent, different skills is a potential source of innovation which to date has not been realised to any great extent.

The role of process plant contractors in the energy supply industry

Despite the roots of the process plant contracting industry being based in energy supply, the industry has received limited attention in the energy literature. This paper sets out to remedy this omission by outlining the industry's function and mode of operation. It then goes on to describe the factors that contribute to its role in the construction of process plant for energy supply worldwide.

Sources of technical innovation in the network of companies providing chemical process plant and equipment

The purpose of this paper is to explore issues concerning technological innovation in the network of firms linked to the chemical industry, with particular reference to the process plant contracting industry. While technological and economic maturity inhibit the research and development activities of plant contractors, little evidence was found of contractors adopting novel strategies to capture special advantage from technology developed by equipment manufacturing firms. It is suggested that the changing economic and technological environment is creating a climate where new or closer contractor-equipment manufacturer relationships should receive greater attention. Appropriate alliances between contractors and equipment manufacturers can not only help to reduce plant design, procurement and erection costs, but also offer a means to counter the competitive threat from more specialist firms; in particular the large equipment manufacturers that possess their own project contracting skills. Furthermore, collaboration in niche and ‘technology fusion’ type innovation offers a means of generating scope for technological competitive advantage, whilst sharing cost and risk. Whilst contractor-equipment manufacturer alliances are one option the nature of the market demands operating company involvement to facilitate commercialisation.

Water Treatment in Europe and North America

AbstractSignificant differences in the way that basic water‐treatment processes are engineered in Europe and the US have been apparent for nearly 50 years. In the US, standardized and rather conservative treatment works have been in wide use for decades, whereas in Europe there is a wide range of designs, many having important advantages in terms of cost and efficiency. It is significant that in Europe, specialist treatment plant contractors make a major contribution to the development of new designs, whereas in the US this is mainly the responsibility of consultants. Drinking water quality standards are becoming more complex, and it is considered that the technologies used on the two continents for dealing with the newer contaminants will be similar. The system used in the US for developing water quality regulations, which is scientifically based and involves considerable consultation with the water industry, has major advantages over that used in the European Community.

The role of process plant contractors in transferring technology

Process plant contractors implement and bring to fruition the capital investment programmes in such sectors as chemicals and metals. In undertaking a contract they perform all or a number of the following: plant design and engineering, supply of process technology, procurement of equipment, supervision of construction, plant commissioning, and the arrangement of project finance. Specific characteristics of the industry are the variety of functions undertaken by the contractor and operation on a worldwide basis.The nature and extent of contractor involvement in transferring technology is determined by a complex interaction of a number of economic and technological factors. The source of technology may be ‘in‐house’, a long term licence agreement, or some specific arrangement to meet a particular enquiry. The paper illustrates the various means for technology transfer drawing on examples from the experience of one contractor.

James Cochran: Florist and Plant Contractor to Regency London

James Cochran: Florist and Plant Contractor to Regency London

The Thermal–Hydraulic Design of Main Feed Water Pump Suction Systems for Large Thermal Power Plant

British domestic design practice is described for boiler feed pump suction systems associated with high level deaerator/feed water tanks in large modern power plant. The objective of thermal–hydraulic design is the provision of adequate pressure to boiler feed water pump suctions under all transient and steady state conditions to ensure continuity of water flow and reliable pump operation. Methods are available for the determination of pressure decay in feed tanks during load transients, but the successful application of mathematical relationships between pressure decay and pressure rise in suction pipework depends on the correct identification of operational circumstances. Progress in recent years has been on the identification of circumstances which produce governing conditions and has taken design practice beyond the stage established by early workers. Developed practice has been successfully applied by the Central Electricity Generating Board and its main plant contractors to forty-nine 500 MW units in coal- and oil-fired stations and to twenty-three 660 MW units in coal, oil and advanced gas-cooled reactor stations, which at 39 680 MW, constitutes the major proportion of plant in England and Wales. Aspects of plant behaviour and operation crucial to successful system design are featured. Recommendations are made for plant layout, pipework routing, tank outlet and pipework sizing, net positive suction head (NPSH) determination etc.

The role of the process plant contracting industry in technological change

The function of process plant contractors is to design and engineer plants, supply process technology, procure plant equipment and supervise the construction and commissioning of plant for producers in various process industries such as chemicals, gas and steel. As such they play a major part in the process of capital formation and are one of the major inputs for facilitating technological change.This paper describes recent attempts to identify the factors which determine contractor involvement and use this information as a basis for analysing the part contractors will play in developing trchnologies such as coal conversion and biotechnology.

The dynamics of the UK chemical plant investment cycle

Orders for new chemical plant (sanctions) and investment in chemical plant both show marked business cycle like variations. Amongst the effects of the UK cycle on the Chemical Industry are variations in: new plant additions, requirements for capital expenditure finance and capital utilization. As far as the UK Process Plant Contractors and Process Plant Manufacturers are concerned, the cycle is reflected in a varying work-load arising from the UK Chemical Industry together with varying manpower requirements and profitability. The project described in this paper involved the construction of both System Dynamics and Control Systems models of the Investment Cycle as a guide to strategic planning for the industries affected by it. The implications of the results from both types of model for corporate and strategic planning in the industries concerned are discussed.

Market research in process plant contracting

Process plant contractors, like other companies, need information for developing and implementing market strategies which are compatible with corporate policies and goals. Although one step removed from chemical markets these needs are similar in scope to those of a chemical manufacturer but have some different accents. They embrace: Products (technologies), Client companies, Competitor companies, Country and regional data, Trends in technologies, Trends in the business environment. This paper shows in detail the way in which one contractor approaches its market research and information needs with a compact unit responsible for: Market analyses for products and territories, Market trend assessments for products and territories, Dissemination of routine/published information, Handling of random information requests, An information bank. The system described is not necessarily typical (another contractor has opted for a completely different solution: the use of outside consultants) but experience over several years has demonstrated its practicality. The small number of staff employed places limits on the size of research projects which can be tackled and requires each member to be involved with both information input and study output activities. The unit collectively has good recall of banked information, can respond quickly and makes valuable contributions to marketing and sales activities with minimum recourse to outside research organisations.

The effect of increasing size of process plant upon the plant contracting industry. Part II

The first paper on this subject (EPE 1(2): 123) illustrated how the increase in size of process plant has produced special problems for the process plant contractor and this was illustrated by a case study of iron ore sintering plants. This second paper sets out to examine this problem analytically. With the aid of a simple model of competitive bidding it illustrates how, as the size of individual orders increases relative to the contractor's capacity, the mismatching of workload with capacity results in less profitable and less predictable operation. It is suggested that this effect can be reduced by the contractor increasing his capacity and by using a restricted bidding policy.

The future size of process plant

The size of plant in which (e.g.) chemicals and steel are manufactured has increased substantially during the post-war period. This increased size poses problems for the companies which build such plants (the process plant contractors). These problems arise from the fact that the size of each order is greater while there are fewer of them. Any future strategy which a plant contractor may choose to adopt in seeking to alleviate the difficulties which arise, is going to require an assessment of the order size which can be expected in (say) 5 to 10 years' time. This paper discusses a framework which may be used in striving to achieve a reasonably accurate assessment.

The effect of increasing size of process plant upon the plant contracting industry. Part I

The size of plant in which chemicals, steel etc. are manufactured has increased substantially during the post-war period. This increased size poses problems for the companies which build such plants (the process plant contractors). These problems arise from the fact that the size of each order is greater but that the number of orders is essentially fewer. This first paper describes the problem in detail and illustrates it by particular reference to iron ore sintering plants. Possible strategies for alleviating some of the arising difficulties are suggested and the effect of the low growth in the U.K. economy discussed.

Dewatering of sludge

A DECISION on the mechanical dewatering of raw and digested sludges calls for an initial appraisal of the outline economics related to the budgetary costs of capital construction and estimate of operating costs. The latter at times can be the subject of material revision when the plant is installed and operated, and demands a firm performance undertaking from the plant contractor at tender stage. Whilst pilot experimentation will give an indication of the feasibility of the particular sludge conditioning and dewatering arrangements, many aspects of problems associated with continuous 24 h a day operation are revealed only with full scale operation. My particular experience with thermal conditioning of sludge at a works in England demonstrates this. The plant concerned is rated to process some 2,000,000 imperial gal (9000 m 3 say) of digested sludge per 7-day week, and the initial outline economics indicated that heat conditioning and pressing was the most favourable arrangement. The relative basic figures were: