Historically designs for complex plants were engineered in a model and scaled up. With modern computer packages complex 3D component based models can now be generated allowing engineers and clients to visualise the facility prior to manufacture and construction.
Now more than every companies such as Gensrv are looking to streamline the engineering design process. Today we use packages such as Autodesk Plant Design and PDMS to detail model deliverable solutions.
All designs start as Process flow diagrams which are evolved in to the plant Piping and Instrument Diagrams. From these P&ID's our engineering team use other mathematical tools to determine pipe, heat exchanger, turbine, duct and pump sizes. Each item of equipment can then be dimensionally modelled and imported in to the overall design. With all items of equipment in place according to the layout methodology and design interconnecting pipework can be routed. After initial routing of pipework and cable trays valves and other mechanical fittings are added. At the end of this stage the 3D model will closely reflect the desired plant design.
Moving on the 3D model developed above is refined to include pipe supports and hangers along with secondary steel work. This model is then passed to a structural analytical package for load verification. With the complication of adjustments for load and pipe expansion the model is used to generate the piping isometric drawings which will be used to pre spool items of pipework. The same model is also used to export bills of materials for each connecting run.
Further refinement may be added by the inclusion of instrumentation and building services such as HVAC. Again the dimensional accurate 3D model allows for development of electrical bills of quantity.
A simplified version of the 3D model is also provided to our clients to enable the verification of human factors such as maintenance space and access requirements.
