Hydrogen is used in numerous refining and petrochemical processes. In refining, hydrogen is needed to upgrade crude oil, which is becoming increasingly heavier and more sour. In petrochemicals, hydrogen is needed as a necessary reactant for various synthesis reactions.
In both cases, hydrogen supply has to be reliable to ensure smooth and steady operation of these continuous production processes, because disruptions in hydrogen supply can compromise the entire production process, resulting in very serious consequences. In this regard, hydrogen supply has to be as dependable as electricity and water supply.
Hydrogen plant reliability is determined by both the design and operation of the plant. The overall goal of a robust plant design is to minimize both the frequency and duration of an unscheduled plant outage. In the initial engineering design phase, significant decisions have to be made to ensure the best possible design at the lowest possible cost to achieve a pre-determined level of plant reliability. During the operation of a plant, preventive maintenance programs, the level of experienced personnel, and the amount of overall technical support determine the reliability of a hydrogen plant. Since hydrogen plants are based on highly complex processes that entail significant capital investment, which have to be justified over a long period of time, the design of such a plant needs to be carefully considered and systematically evaluated. The capital investment, operating cost, and plant reliability have to be examined holistically, as these factors are all inter-related.
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