15 minute read
The Crucial Role of the Commissioning Process is Achieving Project Goals. Ever pondered the intricate dance behind launching large and complex projects? Well, there's more to it than meets the eye! Each project is a unique puzzle, demanding a tailored plan to ensure success. Yet, the overarching process to strategize, commission, and kickstart a project remains consistently vital.
Join us as we unravel the essential steps in the commissioning and startup journey!
Step 1 – Pre-Commissioning
Numerous activities occur off-site before the commissioning team mobilizes to the project site during both the design and construction phases. Within this period, the commissioning schedule and sequence of activities play a crucial role in determining the necessary construction milestones, thereby facilitating project schedule planning. These construction milestones, in turn, delineate the required design milestones. Through this structured sequence of milestones, the project team gains clarity on essential activities that must be completed and their respective deadlines, ensuring the integration of all project components into a final system ready for testing.
Formation of commissioning team
Takes place during the design and construction phase. This involves identifying core members of the team and determining the necessary support resources from other project segments. An integral part of the commissioning team comprises the Owner’s operations team, as commissioning activities offer a prime opportunity for them to acquaint themselves with the systems and understand new operating requirements before taking over. Key members of the commissioning team include discipline leads in electrical, mechanical, and automation, consultant subject matter experts, contractors, vendor representatives, and owner’s representatives.
Commissioning documentation
Documentation needs to be prepared. Such Documentation should include the following:
Training Plans
Testing procedures and Plans
Checklists
O & M Manuals
Drawings
BOM
When commissioning in the field you will possibly run into deficiencies with the installed machinery you are working on. Cataloged on a deficiency tracking list and classified as:
Type-A (requiring immediate resolution)
Type-B (to be addressed before handover to the owner)
Type-C (minor defects to be rectified after handover)
These are also essential documents to have on hand before starting commissioning.
Specialized test equipment and tools, if required, are defined and prepared in advance. Methods for gathering test results, either through data logging systems or manual recording, are determined to manage the substantial information produced during commissioning.
Effective communication is vital, and stakeholders must be regularly informed about commissioning progress, highlighting successes and addressing encountered issues. Agreement on the type and recipient of information to be conveyed should be reached among all stakeholders before commissioning commences.
Lastly, safety management systems, including energy isolation procedures (Lock Out Tag Out ), must be established before initiating any commissioning activities. Points of contact responsible for the safety process should be identified and communicated.
Step 2 - Factory Approval Testing
In the design and procurement phase of a project, a crucial step preceding the delivery of equipment to the site is Factory Approval Testing (FAT). FAT serves to confirm that the equipment adheres to specifications before leaving the factory. Identifying and addressing any issues at this stage is more convenient and cost-effective than delaying testing until the equipment is installed on-site. Some most well known inspections that are used to certify equipment are as follows :
ESAFE (CSA SPE-1000 for Canada)
TUV (For U.S.A.)
FAT may encompass hardware verification, such as conducting dielectric tests on major equipment or inspecting the panel wiring of control cabinets. Additionally, it can involve integrated testing, where automation or protection/control logic is loaded into the hardware and validated for correct design and functionality. If stipulated in the contract, integrated FAT must be completed before the equipment departs from the factory.
Simulating interfaces becomes necessary during bench testing in the absence of field devices and wiring. Integrated FAT, being the most thorough verification, minimizes schedule risks by detecting errors before on-site testing. However, this approach requires the prior completion of automation design. Therefore, it is crucial during the procurement phase to plan schedules that allow ample time for integrated FAT.
Often, panel wiring and field device designs are incomplete, and logic is challenging to finalize without the entire hardware and mechanical design in place. Despite these challenges, a comprehensive FAT greatly enhances the efficiency of on-site commissioning. Knowing in advance that the delivered hardware aligns with the logic design contributes significantly to the success of on-site testing and commissioning processes.
Step 3 - Mechanical Completion
The mechanical completion phase signals the conclusion of construction, occurring once all equipment is installed. This phase often involves a formal handover process, requiring the signing of forms to confirm that the equipment aligns with the design specifications. A joint walkthrough is conducted by the construction and commissioning teams to inspect the installation thoroughly and verify the absence of deficiencies. Any identified deficiencies are documented and added to a deficiency list, categorized accordingly.
Confirmation of basic installation is a key aspect of this phase, encompassing checks such as ensuring valves are installed in the correct direction and validating the completion of point-to-point wiring checks and megger tests. Field tracing of P&ID drawings is undertaken to ensure the availability of all air/oil/water auxiliaries. The construction team ensures that drawings are appropriately marked up (red-green drawings) to reflect the as-installed condition. Mechanical completion marks the moment when these red-line drawings are handed over to the commissioning team.
During each mechanical completion, a deficiency list is generated, and any Type-A deficiencies are promptly addressed before progressing into the pre-commissioning phase. This meticulous approach ensures that the equipment is not only installed but also meets the required standards and specifications, laying a solid foundation for the subsequent stages of commissioning.
Step 4 - Commissioning : On Site
After achieving mechanical completion for each segment of the work and resolving any agreed-upon deficiencies, pre-commissioning activities can commence.
In the case of mechanical systems, pre-commissioning involves tasks such as cleaning and flushing pipes, conducting pressure tests, and leak testing. Rotating equipment, like pumps, undergoes bump tests, signifying their first on-site rotation to verify current draw, pressure, and flow rates. There might be an initial run-in period for motors and pumps to assess vibration, heating/cooling, and confirm the absence of any initial operational issues.
For electrical systems, pre-commissioning activities encompass panel energization, communication checks, loop checks (both internal and external), and verification of any wiring to the central control room if necessary.
Detailed electrical checks on automation or control/protection circuits may be needed to confirm that any minor updates since Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) are uploaded to the equipment, and that correct protection settings are applied to protection devices. Current injections are performed on current transformers to verify correct polarity and calibration before applying primary power to major equipment. Pre-commissioning checklists are completed for each piece of equipment, and a consultant Subject Matter Expert (SME) may witness to ensure tasks are executed accurately.
Upon completion of pre-commissioning checklists, the commissioning phase can commence. Commissioning is the on-site process to confirm that equipment remains undamaged since the completion of FAT. All field devices are now installed, confirming the correctness of field wiring. A subset of FAT tests is repeated to ensure communication with all field devices and equipment calibration.
Mechanical commissioning involves dry commissioning, confirming proper mechanical system function without process fluids, followed by wet commissioning, where process fluids and chemicals are introduced to validate operation.
In electrical commissioning, the initial step is pre-energization safety. When the system is first energized, it must be ensured that power is safely isolated from any adjacent equipment still undergoing construction. Once isolations are confirmed, equipment racks are powered up, and system integration takes place. Field devices are verified on Human Machine Interface (HMI) screens, and control from the central control location is validated. End-to-end communications are confirmed to be accurate and reliable.
Upon the completion of all mechanical and electrical components, system commissioning begins, where all the electrical and mechanical equipment work together as a system for the first time. Auxiliary systems are brought online, followed by major apparatus, and interfaces are verified for all equipment. This stage marks the readiness for the startup of plant processes.
Commissioning checklists are completed. As in previous stages, the deficiency list is updated with any newly discovered issues, and all Type-A deficiencies are rectified before proceeding to the next steps.
Step 5 - Commissioning : Process / System Startup
At this juncture, the commencement of the plant's process is now feasible. This may encompass various systems such as a power transmission system, a Heat Treatment Line, or any other industrial manufacturing or specialized system.
Mechanical processes are gradually initiated, and piping is configured to align with the initial operating scenarios. Flows are initiated and vigilantly monitored to ensure accurate and proper operation. Electrical interfaces undergo verification, and power is increased to reach operational levels. Automation processes are executed, and fault scenarios undergo deliberate testing and validation.
At each stage, equipment undergoes analysis to ensure the plant process adheres to specified operational parameters. Consultant Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Owner representatives are present to verify the correct operation of the plant process. The plant is now fully operational and functioning as a system, poised for fine-tuning to optimize the overall process.
Step 6 - Commissioning : Performance Optimization
The commissioning team, in collaboration with consultant SMEs and the owner, conducts any necessary fine-tuning of the plant process operation. After this adjustment, the contract may stipulate a trial period during which the plant process is required to operate continuously without interruption. The duration of this trial period, for instance, 24 hours or 30 days, depends on the specifics outlined in the contract. In case of any system interruptions during the trial period, the clock for the trial restarts. Upon the successful completion of the trial period, the contractor is issued a Provisional Acceptance Certificate (PAC).
Additionally, the contract may outline a performance guarantee period during which the plant processes must meet specific contractual criteria over a defined period. The outcome of this performance guarantee period may have commercial implications based on the achieved performance levels. Upon the completion of the performance guarantee period and determination of any commercial impacts, the contractor receives the Final Acceptance Certificate (FAC).
Step 7 - Commissioning : Project Completion
Once the Final Acceptance Certificate (FAC) is issued, the project officially concludes. When designed, installed, and commissioned effectively, the assets should endure for many years into the future.
As evident, commissioning and starting up an industrial plant involves numerous intricate steps. Although it constitutes a complex initiative, it represents the most rewarding phase of the project as the original design comes to life. Applying the outlined steps to each project allows for the breakdown of complex projects, enabling the application of industry best practices at every stage.
Despite the uniqueness of each project, these steps can be tailored to incorporate the distinctive aspects of each undertaking. Approaching the commissioning process with the outlined steps makes it more manageable and less overwhelming. Hopefully this has helped you gain more knowledge and in return help you with your next project.
Automation & Control Solutions by True Logic Group Inc
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