How many years can a chemical processing plant be in operation?
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How many years can a chemical plant be in operation? How many years can it actually operate? How many years is the theoretical lifespan? How many years is allowed by regulations? Everyone is giving back-and-forth answers; I’m seeking advice
The service life of a plant and the service life of its individual equipment are not the same thing. Depending on maintenance needs and actual conditions, pipelines may need to be replaced after a few years, while some mechanical equipment might need to be replaced after 10 years. Towers and similar structures may have a longer lifespan, but they can still be replaced as well. The service life of a plant cannot be determined based on the lifespan of these individual pieces of equipment. The design life of conventional installations is currently 20 years; by the 15th year, all visible equipment may have been replaced, but the installation itself and its infrastructure can still operate normally. The device might still be in use in 30 years, but the equipment may have been upgraded several times by then
A chemical plant is permitted to operate for 20 years; in practice it can function for 40 years, theoretically for 25 years, while the regulation allows 20 years
Just like cars, after a certain number of years, apart from the engine, various parts such as panels, glass, tires, seat covers, and so on are replaced once or several times!
Generally, for the factories we design, unless there are expansions or renovations, their useful life is usually around 20 years. Some factories have been in operation for over 30 years, so it’s likely that all their equipment has been replaced by now. Foreign factories have a shorter lifespan than ours, especially those in the field of fine chemicals; in many cases, the standard lifespan is around 15 years~
No matter how many years pass, that damned company will still have to go under; it can’t survive the first 5 years, its lifespan is about 10 years, and with great effort it might last around 15 years. Died of natural causes after 20 years.
It can’t be generalized; each case needs to be analyzed on its own
Many devices have a depreciation period; different items have different depreciation periods, and many devices require regular inspection and maintenance
In our equipment register, there are several pumps that have been in use in the workshop for over 20 years! There’s an air compressor; its front part just broke, and there’s no place to buy the parts! During this safety inspection, the motors need to be completely replaced~