ABSTRACT

The objective of performance testing is to obtain accurate data that will allow specific detailed comparisons of the actual plant performance, realized against the various original design criteria, and to summarize these data in compiling an overall plant test record. The key to successful process unit performance testing is good organization by the project manager and his team. The project manager and staff must address many areas of testing, which can include product quality, hydraulic capacities, utility consumption, equipment performance, and catalyst performance. If a full-scale official test run is not possible, a demonstration run can often accomplish the same objective. The project management team faces various alternatives when multiunit complexes must be tested. By shop testing rotating equipment the project team can be best assured that most pump and compressor problems can be found and corrected prior to delivery to the site. In the plant design phase, critical pieces of equipment are selected for possible field testing.