PLOT PLAN

Objectives:
At the end of this session you will be able to know

What is a Plot Plan

Major Roles of a Plot Plan

Users of Plot Plan

Basic data required to develop a Plot Plan

Steps in developing a Plot Plan

What is a Plot Plan

A plot plan is an engineering diagram which shows schematically the location of overall
dimensions of all processing units and utility units along with the position of roads,
various buildings and other constructions inside an industrial plant with their dimensions
and distances in between.

Plot plans are normally initiated in the pre-contract, conceptual and development
stages of a proposal, based on process licensers recommendations

This early stage plot plan usually is very limited in detail, containing only enough
dimensional data to define the outer limits of the available property selected for
plant development.

Once approved by the client, almost every group including Engineering,

Scheduling, Construction, Operations, Cost Control, Estimating and Material
Control use the plot plan as a pictorial reference for their work.

Development of the plot plan in the very early stages is usually accomplished
through the use of preliminary project design data, approximate equipment sizes
and a process flow diagram to establish rough sketches. These sketches are
used to determine structure configuration and relative equipment positioning.

In addition to depicting relative and specific positioning of equipment, plot plans

help in the establishment of support facilities and are used to determine the most
cost-effective construction sequence and methods.

The general scale chosen for Plot plan depends on total area to be
accommodated in one single A1 size drawings. The recommended scales are
1:250, 1:500, 1:1000, depending on the plot.

Major Roles of a Plot Plan

Plot plans are essential for obtaining permits and determining environmental and
personnel safety.

Plot plans are considered key documents to projects

They are the key documents used in assessing fire protection.

The plot plan becomes a universal document used by all groups to interface with
one another and the client.

Prevailing wind direction and tower and structure heights must be considered in
developing a plot plan. Although wind direction is never constant, prevailing wind
is used as a basis to evaluate safety within the client's complex.

Tower and structure height and their positioning are major considerations,
especially when units are located near airports or in flight paths.

Plot plans are also used to assure proper operation and maintenance access
while maintaining engineering economy.

Plot plans are used for operational needs such as training and emergency
access, as well as facilitating insurance ratings.

How Plot Plan is used during detailed engineering:

Piping Design:
The plot plan is used to produced equipment arrangement studies that facilitate the
interconnection of above and below ground process and utility piping systems and to
estimate piping material quantities. Plot plan is also used to plan total pipe rack network
throughout the plant.
Civil Engineering:
The plot plan is used to develop grading and drainage plans, (storm water as well as
industrial waste drainage) holding ponds, diked areas, foundation and structural designs
and all bulk material estimates. Foundation designs for rack, clear height requirements
of bottom of steel of rack while road crossings?
Electrical Engineering:
The plot plan is used to produced area classification drawing to locate switchgear and
incoming substation and motor control center, to route cables and to estimate bulk
materials. It is also used finalize cable route from sub station to all units either on racks
or cable trenches.

Instrument Engineering:
The plot plan is used to locate main control room of the plant analyzer house and cable
trays, assist in the location of the main control house, and estimate bulk materials and to
plan cable trenches between racks and units or control rooms.
Process Engineering:
The plot plan is used to facilitate hydraulic design line, line sizing and utility block flow
requirements.
Scheduling:
The plot plan is used to schedule the orderly completion of engineering activities
including development time required to complete leveling, temporary road, compound
wall etc.
Construction or project group:
The plot plan is used to schedule the erection sequence of all plant equipments, access
of different capacities cranes for ease of erection, which includes rigging studies for
large lifts, contractibility reviews, marshaling and lay down areas throughout the entire
construction phase.
Estimating or cost control group:
The plot is used to estimate the overall cost of the plant including cost of development
Client use:
The plot plan is for safety operation and maintenance reviews and to develop an as built
record of the plant arrangement.

Basic data required for development of plot plan

Civil survey map and contour map

Soil investigation report

Maximum, minimum and normal temperature during the year

Rainfall, flood level

Intensity and direction of the wind

Seismic zone

Electrical details about voltage supply required to the plant and available near the
plot.

Locations of non plant facilities like administrative building, canteen, vehicle parking,
ware house, fire station, weigh bridge, parking in front of main gate etc.

Size and capacity and total number of the process units as well as utility units.

Type of plant indoor / outdoor

Sequence of process flow to locate the process unit in the proper manner

Hazardous nature of the plant to keep proper distances (Area classification)

Overall operating philosophy

of the plant such as fully automatic / partially

automatic/ manual

Raw material receipt and product dispatch philosophy.

Storage facilities above ground / underground

Effluent plant capacity and discharge points including final disposal location.

Number of flares and its locations (in consideration of upward wind direction)

Supply points of raw water by state Industrial corporation or companys propose

pump house on river etc.

Quality of water (Analysis) in different seasons.

Requirements of different types of utilities such as steam, air, nitrogen, DM water etc.

Rack and sleeper width

Step to be considered while developing the plot plan

1.

Study map and develop grade levels. (RL Reference Level) and decide
excavation/ filling required.

2.

Mark grid lines in X-Y direction at 10 mtr. each. Or 100mtr each if the scale is
very large.

3.

Establish the area along the plot boundary as per the statutory norms including
green belt and CCOE rules.

4.

Work out the area requirement for the green belt parking etc. as per the norms.

5.

The process units shall be located in the sequential order of process flow so that
material handling minimum also try to reduce rack length.

6.

Arrange units considering wind directions as per the requirement.

7.

Group storage tanks as per process and flash point classifications.

8.

Centralized control room shall be located in safe area close to process units.

9.

Two adjacent process units shall be located based on annual shut down
philosophy so that hot work shall not affect the operation.

10.

Locate electrical station at center of the plot for minimum cabling.

11.

Process unit shall be located on higher ground away from the unwanted traffic
and also for ease of drains and slopes required towards ETP.

12.

Process units shall be served by peripheral roads for easy approach.

13.

Utility block shall be kept at safe area close to process plants.

14.

Receiving stations, loading and unloading stations shall be placed near the
supply points.

15.

Ware houses shall be located close to the material gate to avoid truck traffic
around the process area.

16.

Locate fire tanks and near to main gate fire pump house.

17.

Locate ETP away from process and utility are and downward direction of wind.

18.

Locate Workshop, contractors shed, storage yard, etc. near outermost peripheral
roads.

19.

Normally provide two gates one for man entry and other of material handling.

20.

Provide Weigh Bridge at material handling gate preferably two weigh bridges
interconnected by computer terminals.

21.

Locate Admn. Building, Laboratories near man entry gate and barricaded from
main plant area.

22.

Inter unit distances as per statutory authorities guide lines.