Combining HAZOP Technique and Modeling of High-Energy Processes in Reflux Drum of Hydrocarbons Distillation Process as an Element of Process Safety Information Technology

Standard method of hazard identification HAZOP has several limitations: impossibility to identify hazards involving interactions between different parts of complex system; experts’ experience can fail while evaluating deviations of process parameters, their causes and consequences; it is nearly impossible to conduct manual calculations due to limited time for HAZOP session. These limitations can be potentially solved using quantitative risk analysis and assessment information technologies. The idea is to combine HAZOP study and mathematical modeling of an element of chemical technology system. So, the model of process tank has been developed. Reflux drum of hydrocarbon stabilizing fractionating column of the isomerization unit has been chosen as the object of study. Numerical experiment has shown that standard HAZOP study (without modeling) provided greatly overestimated conclusion about the possibility of reflux drum depressurization. Standard HAZOP suffers of significant lack of data about process deviations and dangerous conditions of equipment. Only modeling of process parameters deviations can give sufficient information for hazard identification and further quantitative risk assessment of process equipment depressurization.