Application of extended Hazop and event‐tree analysis for investigating operational failures and safety optimization of distillation column unit

Abstract

Abstract Process safety has a high priority in the chemical industry. And the distillation is the most widely used unit operation in the chemical‐processing industries. The use of dynamic simulation for safety‐related studies for a distillation column has great significance for the study of operational failures. In this article, a systematic framework based on Extended Hazop and Event‐tree analysis is applied to a distillation column unit of a chemical plant. Over pressuring of column is studied and different safety system alternatives are generated and evaluated using Event‐tree analysis. This article describes the details of an effective method used for a distillation column but it can also be used for other hazardous unit operations. © 2007 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 2007