Plant Layout Research Articles

Application of System Layout Planning (SLP) in Factory Layout Design

In manufacturing setups characterized by low volume, high optionality, substantial work content, and reliance on trivial knowledge, small and medium-scale industries often lack a systematic approach when it comes to redesigning their existing manufacturing lines or launching new manufacturing process lines. Traditional approaches to plant layout design, while having served their purpose in the past, come with inherent limitations and challenges that may hinder the adaptability and competitiveness of manufacturing facilities in the United States. This white paper delves into the pivotal role of plant layout design in industrial settings for a manufacturing line that consists of 16 sub-assembly lines, explores the drawbacks associated with conventional methods, and advocates for the adoption of a scientific, data-driven approach, precisely, Systematic Layout Planning (SLP), to overcome these challenges and propel manufacturing into a more efficient and adaptable future.

Integration of a solid oxide electrolysis system with solar thermal and electrical energy: A testing campaign for operation and control strategy definition

AbstractThe EU project PROMETEO has the scope of testing a 25 kW solid oxide electrolysis system integrated with a concentrated solar power plant via thermal energy storage in a relevant environment. Given the plant layout and the hydrogen demand characteristics, this work aims to identify how to operate the system effectively when renewable electricity is unavailable and how to modulate the load during hydrogen generation, thus defining the system's operation modes and control strategy. A 5 kWe stack has been tested at the FBK facility. The hot standby tests show that feeding a reducing gas at the negative electrode and air at the positive electrode, without polarizing the stack, effectively keeps the stack hot at 750°C and prevents degradation. Conversely, the electric protection approach leads to significant stack degradation (15% voltage drop in 200 h for one cluster). Regarding modulation of hydrogen generation, with low steam flowrates, the stack current and the flow rate of produced hydrogen mainly depend on the steam flow rate, while it is not affected by the stack temperature; conversely, with high steam flowrates, the current depends only on the stack temperature (from 25 A at 670°C to 65 A at 760°C). Based on the results, two hot standby modes and two load control strategies to be implemented and tested in the PROMETEO prototype are proposed.

Influence of Spatial Scale Effect on UAV Remote Sensing Accuracy in Identifying Chinese Cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. Pekinensis) Plants

The exploration of the impact of different spatial scales on the low-altitude remote sensing identification of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa subsp. Pekinensis) plants offers important theoretical reference value in balancing the accuracy of plant identification with work efficiency. This study focuses on Chinese cabbage plants during the rosette stage; RGB images were obtained by drones at different flight heights (20 m, 30 m, 40 m, 50 m, 60 m, and 70 m). Spectral sampling analysis was conducted on different ground backgrounds to assess their separability. Based on the four commonly used vegetation indices for crop recognition, the Excess Green Index (ExG), Red Green Ratio Index (RGRI), Green Leaf Index (GLI), and Excess Green Minus Excess Red Index (ExG-ExR), the optimal index was selected for extraction. Image processing methods such as frequency domain filtering, threshold segmentation, and morphological filtering were used to reduce the impact of weed and mulch noise on recognition accuracy. The recognition results were vectorized and combined with field data for the statistical verification of accuracy. The research results show that (1) the ExG can effectively distinguish between soil, mulch, and Chinese cabbage plants; (2) images of different spatial resolutions differ in the optimal type of frequency domain filtering and convolution kernel size, and the threshold segmentation effect also varies; (3) as the spatial resolution of the imagery decreases, the optimal window size for morphological filtering also decreases, accordingly; and (4) at a flight height of 30 m to 50 m, the recognition effect is the best, achieving a balance between recognition accuracy and coverage efficiency. The method proposed in this paper is beneficial for agricultural growers and managers in carrying out precision planting management and planting structure optimization analysis and can aid in the timely adjustment of planting density or layout to improve land use efficiency and optimize resource utilization.

Design optimization and performance analysis of a dry-cooled Helium-Xenon Brayton cycle for nuclear microreactor based on detailed models of the cycle components

Nuclear microreactors offer reliable, low-carbon dispatchable power and heat for various end use and applications. The gas-cooled reactor coupled with the dry-cooled closed Brayton cycle has a simple plant layout and can be deployed in water-deficient areas. To evaluate the system performance more precisely and optimize the mole fraction of the He-Xe mixture for the gas-cooled microreactor, an integrated design method based on detailed models of the cycle components was developed. Three designs using 4 g/mol pure helium, 15 g/mol, and 40 g/mol He-Xe were first established as demonstration examples, and performances of the cycle and components were compared. Furthermore, the effects of the He-Xe’s molecular weight on the system’s size and efficiency were discussed, and a parametric analysis of crucial design parameters like specific speed and pressure ratio was conducted. In contrast to the previous results obtained from simplified component models, the current results revealed that a Brayton cycle using 40 g/mol He-Xe could achieve a higher thermal efficiency of 44.42 % compared with 37.65 % of pure helium, which resulted from the improved efficiency in turbomachinery and reduced pressure loss in heat exchangers. Concerning the system size, it was recommended to use the 20–30 g/mol He-Xe for reduced volume as the stage number of the turbomachinery decreased from 5 of pure helium to a single stage of the 20 g/mol He-Xe. Although the turbomachinery occupied a relatively small volume, increasing the compressor inlet temperature could reduce the volume of the precooler, thus significantly reducing the system volume.

Thermodynamic evaluation of an IGCC power plant utilizing allothermal gasification

The present work conducts a comprehensive thermodynamic analysis of a 150 MWe Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) using Indian coal as the fuel source. The plant layout is modelled and simulated using the “Cycle-Tempo” software. In this study, an innovative approach is employed where the gasifier's bed material is heated by circulating hot water through pipes submerged within the bed. The analysis reveals that increasing the external heat supplied to the gasifier enhances the hydrogen (H2) content in the syngas, improving both its heating value and cold gas efficiency. Additionally, this increase in external heat favourably impacts the Steam-Methane reforming reaction, boosting the H2/CH4 ratio. The thermodynamic results show that the plant achieves an energy efficiency of 44.17% and an exergy efficiency of 40.43%. The study also identifies the condenser as the primary source of energy loss, while the combustor experiences the greatest exergy loss.

Chemical plant optimization layout based on the domino hazard index considering the fixed hazard unit outside the available area

The layout of chemical plants is a significant step to promote the safe and efficient operation of a chemical factory. In the actual production process, the chemical process plant layout may be affected by immovable hazards outside the available layout area. In this paper, the external hazard unit is arranged as one of the chemical process plants. The domino effect potential of all chemical process plants is quantified by using the classical domino hazard index (DHI). A layout optimization model considering the effects of external hazard units has been proposed to obtain the optimal plant layout from economic and safety aspects. The feasible layout solutions are obtained under the orientation, boundary and non-overlapping constraints by the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-Ⅱ). The proposed model is further analyzed through a hypothetical case of three storage tanks outside the acrylic acid (AA) production plant layout area. The results show that the total cost range for the optimal solution is 650348–1365443 $, with corresponding DHI values ranging from 29 to 129. The plant with larger DHI value will be arranged to far away from the external hazard units to obtain a safer layout. This work can provide rational layout solutions for the layout designers to make different decisions according to the actual situation.

A modified bi-objective NSGA-II approach to sustainability in reconfiguration planning of dynamic cellular manufacturing systems

Manufacturing plant layouts are developed to facilitate optimal process flow. Modern manufacturing systems must meet present production demands and be adaptable to changes in process flow in the future. Dynamic Cellular Manufacturing Systems (DCMS) increase the flexibility of layouts by reconfiguring cell structure and equipment distribution, to effectively adjust part routings for optimal process flow. Frequent reconfiguring of plant layout may not always be feasible or economical, however, when new product releases are planned, reconfiguring the plant layout to optimise the work-flow may be extremely beneficial. This paper presents a Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) approach to solving a DCMS problem in a sustainable, and responsible manner. A bi-objective integer programming model was developed over multiple planning horizons with fluctuating product demands. This model aims to achieve sustainability by reducing the cost of production, mitigating the environmental impact of production, and minimise negative social impacts on labourers that work in such environments. A penalty function approach was used to enforce the model constraints during optimisation. This study details trade-offs between the economic factors of a DCMS, the environmental implications of reconfiguring such a system, and the social impacts of reconfigurations on the workforce.

Novel Use of Concentrated Solar Thermal Energy for Producing Highly Thermal Activated Materials for CCUS via Mineral Carbonation of Mine Waste

An assessment of the levelised cost and associated CO2-eq emissions for the thermal activation of serpentine mine tailings to be used as activated feedstock for CCUS processes via mineral carbonation, is reported here for the first time. Two main technological scenarios were assessed, based on either direct fuel sources heating (natural gas and hydrogen) or indirect, CST-based heating with a back-up burner and storage to provide continuous operations, for a 200 ton/hr of processed ore and a targeted roasting ore temperature of 700°C. For CST-based systems, 3 different solar input scales, namely 50, 150 and 450 MWth, were considered, and simulations performed over a year timeline with a 10 minutes time step, using Mt Keith Nickel mine in Western Australia as the reference location. The analysis highlighted that the proposed CST-hybrid plant layout can achieve similar cost to that of fuel-only cases with current Australian fuel prices for natural gas and hydrogen, with lower CO2-eq emissions, and a parity cost with fuel-only scenarios of some 16 USD/GJ. The proposed CST-hybrid plant layout was also identified as the potential, preferred route over direct CST routes to achieve 24/7 continuous heat supply while retaining fine tuning of activation temperature, given a very narrow temperature window of activation for the chosen mine tailings for mineral carbonation processes.

Integrated environmental management and GPS-X modelling for current and future sustainable wastewater treatment: A case study from the Middle East

In the context of today's rapidly changing environmental challenges, accurately predicting the performance and efficiency of environmental management strategies is crucial. Particularly in the Middle East, where research on wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is notably lacking, addressing this need is imperative. This study investigates the treatment efficiency of a wastewater treatment plant and proposes various techniques to enhance its performance. Employing a case study method, we utilise the GPS-X model to forecast the plant's performance under diverse scenarios, offering solutions for future challenges. The results reveal that the current plant layout operates efficiently, with removal efficiencies for Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), and Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) at 98.3 %, 95.1 %, and 96.1 %, respectively. The outlet Dissolved Oxygen (DO) of 1.9 mg/L meets local wastewater reuse standards. Furthermore, the GPS-X model forecasts the plant's performance under different scenarios, suggesting the feasibility of a new layout within 20–25 years and the need for additional units after 40 years. As inflow approaches maximum design capacity, simulation results underscore the importance of utilising the full plant design and expanding it for optimal operation over 60 years. This research provides critical insights for improving WWTP performance and emphasizes the significance of strategic planning in addressing long-term environmental management challenges. Moreover, this study represents a pioneering effort in addressing critical water scarcity challenges in Jordan by exploring the potential of treated wastewater (TWW) as a sustainable solution, thus contributing to the advancement of environmental management practices in the region.

SLP (Systematic Layout Planning) for Enhanced Plant Layout Efficiency

SLP (Systematic Layout Planning) for Enhanced Plant Layout Efficiency

Land-based wind plant wake characterization using dual-Doppler radar measurements at AWAKEN

Wind plant wakes have been shown to persist for tens of kilometers downstream in offshore environments, reducing the power output of neighboring plants, but their behavior on land remains relatively unexplored through observation. This study capitalizes on the unique and extensive field data collected for the American WAKE ExperimeNt (AWAKEN) project underway in northern Oklahoma. X-band dual-Doppler radars deployed at this site measure wind speed and direction at 25-m and 2-min resolution within a 30-km range, capturing the interactions between three neighboring wind plants. These measurements show that the wake of one wind plant extends at least 15 km downstream under easterly wind and stable atmospheric conditions. Though the wake wind speed increases within the first 10 km, it plateaus at 90% of the freestream wind speed. The spanwise velocity distribution within the wake initially shows the clear signature of the wind plant layout, which is smoothed as it propagates downstream, indicating spanwise momentum transfer is a key mechanism in wind plant wake development and recovery. These findings have important implications for wind plant siting decisions and resource assessments, and provide insights into atmospheric interactions at the wind plant scale.

How Industry 4.0 technologies can contribute to plant layout design and management: a systematic literature review

How Industry 4.0 technologies can contribute to plant layout design and management: a systematic literature review

Application of Kaizen Principles to a Small Scale Industry in India

This case-study presents the application of Kaizen concept to Chempromech Engineers Pvt. Ltd. in Butribori, Maharashtra, India. The work carried out focuses on Kaizen approach to the Plant Layout of the industry to make it more efficient and desirable to work in as well as gives a formula to the industry to calculate its production in kg/hr theoretically. Chempromech Engineers Pvt. Ltd. Is a small scale industry present in the Butibori MIDC area in Nagpur, Maharashtra which specializes in manufacturing of circlip washer wires and washers. Being a small-scale industry, it is faced with problems pertaining to limited workspace, so a new layout is designed which helps groups machines based in their product type and thus freeing out space for future expansion. Product Based Plant Layout is preferred for this industry as its products vary in size and weight. Key words:- Kaizen, Plant Layout, Product Based Plant Layout, Washers and Washer wire.

Impact of Plant Layout on Microclimate of Summer Courtyard Space Based on Orthogonal Experimental Design

With the rapid development of urbanization and industrialization, many green spaces have been replaced by urban buildings, resulting in decreased green spaces in courtyard space. Nonetheless, as an enclosed green space integrated with the natural environment, courtyard space plays a vital role in regulating environmental microclimate, so it is necessary to study its microclimate through vegetation greening. Therefore, this study took courtyard spaces in humid and hot areas as an example, and with the help of ENVI-met 5.5.1 software, introduced an orthogonal experimental design to simulate various plant layout models, including tree layout (TL), shrub layout (SL), grass layout (GL), and the interaction of their combined layout, and analyzed the simulation results of temperature, humidity, and wind speed. The results show that first of all, plant layout plays a crucial role in cooling and wind control, and the more uniform the plant layout, the better it is for cooling and ventilation. Secondly, plant layout showed a changing pattern of cooling and wetting in the morning, noon, and afternoon periods. Furthermore, TL had the best cooling and humidifying effect in the morning and midday, and the combined interaction of TL, SL, and GL and of SL and GL significantly affected the wind speed in the courtyard space. During the afternoon, the combined interaction of TL with SL and SL with GL outperformed the single-plant-element type of layout regarding cooling and humidification efficiency. Finally, scattered-form tree layout, single-form shrub layout, and 20% grass layout were the best combinations of plant layout for cooling, humidity reduction, and ventilation. The results provide reference data and an empirical case for the microclimate optimization of summer courtyard spaces.

Co-optimization of power and spinning reserve in multi-area electrical networks with wind farms

Integrating wind farms into electrical networks reconfigures energy matrices and poses new challenges to system operators. For instance, wind farm owners must now guarantee spinning reserves stipulated in grid codes. This prompts an urgent quest for optimizing power and reserve allocation in liberalized markets using advanced models. In this sense, this paper introduces an optimal power flow (OPF) model to co-optimize power and spinning reserve in multi-area electrical networks with wind farms. The granularity and layout of the wind plant are considered for a correct calculation of the spinning reserve in each variable speed wind turbine. Unlike classical OPF studies, where generator participation is free and mandatory in system reserves, this new approach considers both power and reserve as variable factors in the optimization process, which depend on reserve costs, system load, and wind speed. The approach is evaluated through comparative analyzes on two power networks: a small 12-bus, two-area network with two wind farms and a larger 100-bus, four-area network with four wind farms. Multi-period 12-hour look-ahead analyzes are conducted with variable conditions of demand and wind speed. The studies demonstrate the advantages of the new model compared to the classical OPF, showcasing its ability to optimize power dispatch with wind farms actively contributing to the spinning reserve requirements of the power network.

Jilin city central wastewater treatment plant renovation design scheme

Jilin City is one of the top ten famous Chinese cities worth introducing to the world. To further improve the construction of urban infrastructure and meet the needs of the economic and social development of Jilin City, the Jilin City Government Joint Development and Reform Commission and the Ecological Environment Bureau decided to expand and renovate the former Jilin City wastewater treatment plant. This study designs a wastewater treatment plant by comprehensively considering the policy needs and the local basic background characteristics of Jilin to solve the wastewater overflow problem. The design modified the anaerobic tank and Carroussel oxidation ditch processes, which have more advantages than traditional treatment processes, mainly including better BOD, nitrogen and phosphorus removal efficiency, less power consumption, and lower operating costs. This treatment plant design contains two special characteristics: the design considers the overall plan and pipeline layout of the wastewater treatment plant, and the size data of each module are calculated through theoretical study conforming to the real case.

Assessment of the role of green hydrogen as the commodity enabling a new green dialogue among the Mediterranean shores

The Mediterranean basin has been characterized by a net flow of fossil commodities from the North African shore to Southern Europe and the Middle East for decades; however, decarbonizing the energy system implies to substantially modify this situation, turning the current “black dialogue” into a “green dialogue” (i.e., based on the exchange of renewable electricity and green hydrogen). This paper presents a feasibility study conducted to estimate the potential green hydrogen production by electrolysis in three Tunisian sites. It shows and compares several plant layouts, varying the size and typology of renewable electricity generators and electrolyzers. The work adopts local weather data and technical features of the technologies in the computations, and accounts for site specific topographical and infrastructural constraints, such as land available for construction and local power grid connection capacities. It shows that configurations able to produce large quantities of green hydrogen may not be compliant with such constraints, basically nullifying their contribution in any hydrogen strategy. Finally, results show that the LCOH lies in the range 1.34 $/kgH2 and 4.06 $/kgH2 depending on both the location and the combination of renewable electricity generators and electrolyzers.

Tidal current power in Capalulu strait, North Maluku: A feasibility study

The Indonesian government has set goals for increasing the use of renewable energy in the coming years. Currently, Indonesia relies heavily on non-renewable energy sources, which poses a threat to the environment due to the country's growing energy needs. This study aims to assess the potential for developing a tidal power plant in Capalulu Strait, North Maluku. Using hydrodynamic modelling, the study identified two potential locations at coordinates 1.877°S – 125.328°E (Capa-2) and 1.863°S – 125.323°E (Capa-4) which were selected for having median current speeds exceeding 1.8 m/s and maximum current speeds exceeding 3.5 m/s. The study tested a hypothetical implementation of KHPS Gen5 instrument(s) by Verdant Power, a 5 m diameter turbine with a rated nominal power of 37 kW and a maximum rated power of 56 kW. A power plant layout was designed to be placed at Capa-2 and Capa-4, each location accommodating 45 turbines. The development of this power plant is estimated to produce up to 22 GWh per year. Financial analysis resulted in a LCOE of IDR 5,930/kWh. However, this price is still high compared to the national electricity tariff of IDR 1,027.70/kWh. Variations in the number of turbines also may not result in a lower LCOE than the national tariff. Nevertheless, the estimated cost of generating electricity is still competitive compared to diesel, which is around IDR 5,804/kWh.

Assessing the attractiveness of chemical and process facilities to terrorism using a situational crime prevention approach

As intentional attacks to industry have been on the rise in the last years, researchers and institutions put effort in addressing risks of industrial assets exposed to acts of interference. One of the key steps of security risk assessment is the evaluation of the attractiveness, i.e. determining which installation or part of it could be of interest to a potential attacker. As security concerns are intrinsically tied to human intention, attractiveness does not only depend on technical characteristics of the facility, but also on the type of threat and its geographic, economic, and socio-political context. Therefore, interdisciplinarity is among the key features of a team tasked with assessing attractiveness. This work is the result of the joint effort of Physical Sciences and Engineering experts and Social Sciences and Humanities experts, and it presents a methodology for the assessment of attractiveness of process facilities to physical terroristic attacks developed using a “terrorist thinking” approach. Technical factors such as plant layout and physical protection systems were combined with modern criminology principles (namely Situational Crime Prevention, i.e. how actors take advantage of situated opportunities to commit a crime) to obtain a comprehensive picture of the possible motives behind a physical terroristic attack to a chemical and process facility (meant as facilities where chemical substances are present and where chemical and/or physical processes occurs). The methodology was applied to a case study featuring facilities located in a critical context; a ranking among facilities was obtained, and the robustness of the results was tested through a Monte Carlo-based uncertainty analysis. The results revealed that it is not possible to obtain a clear ranking of critical facilities accounting only for technical or non-technical factors, but both are necessary. The method developed was demonstrated easy to apply and could be used not only by plant security managers, but also by Institutions and Governments to prioritize critical assets in threatening contexts.

Quantitative sustainability assessment of plant layouts for mechano-chemical remanufacturing of waste tires into rubber sheets with integrated pyrolysis-distillation

Waste tires are a major contributor to the solid waste stream globally. However, waste tires can be recovered and remanufactured into valuable products, such as rubber sheet, steel, and nylon. This study proposes a novel strategy of incorporating pyrolysis–distillation (P–R) lines into remanufacturing plant layouts for the mechano-chemical remanufacturing of waste tires into sheet rubber to add energy products as an additional output to diversify the profitable product range. A quantitative sustainability assessment was performed to evaluate batch, semi-continuous, and fully continuous P–R reactors with capacities of 5–50 t/day for pyrolysis and 5–20 t/day for distillation, which are integrated to develop 99 pre-design options to remanufacture 15–50 t/day of waste tires into energy products. The pre-designs were optimized quantitatively and reduced into eight alternatives for introduction at specific positions in the plant layouts to increase the capacity of the plant by approximately 40% (to process an extra 180 t/day of waste tires) based on European Union experience in producing energy products from waste tires. Accordingly, yields of energy products of 84,768 L/day of diesel, 63 t/day of charcoal, 27 t/day of waste steel, and 8.1 t/day of raw asphalt.can be obtained, thereby yielding 13.734–34.219 million USD/year profit. Furthermore, a high technical feasibility index of 0.82, very high economic sustainability satisfaction factor of 0.98, very high environmental sustainability satisfaction factor of 0.97, and very high social sustainability satisfaction factor of 0.91 indicate that the proposed remanufacturing process is viable as a quadilateral-bottom-line sustainability strategy.