Ford, Bacon & Davis, LLC. (FB&D), has a long history of providing engineering and construction services for a wide variety of
process (chemical and petrochemical) facilities.
Facilities have been completed for virtually all types of process functions, including:
catalytic reaction, polymerization, distillation, superfractionation, alkylation, flaking,
solids, and viscous-liquids handling.
FB&D professionals also have extensive experience in engineering and constructing facilities for various types of solids handling, such as crystallization, casting, conveying, and prilling and bagging. Projects that involved extensive material handling systems have included:
- Flaking of resins, hydroxylamine, caustic and iodine
- Crystallization of tris amines
- Casting of magnesium recovered from brine
- Production of silica pigments, polyethylene, white phosphorous, PVC, resins, synthetic rubber, carbon black, soda ash and potash.
Process engineering, piping, equipment layout,
process/mechanical equipment, and vessel design represent over 80% of the efforts of the
FB&D Design Teams. Our experience employing traditional unit operations and applying
sound chemical engineering practices extends across a broad spectrum of process industries
and an extensive range of raw materials, intermediates, and end products.
Chemical Process Engineering:
FB&D has a core of chemical process engineers to provide
a full range of process capabilities. This core group supports more traditional chemical
engineering and conceptual design efforts such as:
Pilot Plant Studies
FB&D has been involved in several pilot plant design and construction projects. For
instance, FB&D has provided services for process design through construction of a
pilot plant for synthetic gypsum.
Troubleshooting & Debottlenecking
FB&D process engineers have a background in plant operations. This expertise is
frequently provided to our clients as process troubleshooting and assistance.
Process Studies
FB&D process engineers provide preliminary process concepts and designs, budgetary
estimating data, utilities, and other information required for the client to make
technical and economic decisions. Computer techniques used by the process engineers result
in rapid optimization of process alternatives.
Typical studies completed for various clients include:
- Conceptual design, from Client-furnished lab and pilot plant data, for both organic and inorganic batch reactor systems
- Preliminary engineering for a proprietary licensed process
- Consulting for centrifugation, hydrolysis, distillation, and hydrogenation of fatty acids
- Evaluation of production and material handling equipment for suitability to application
- Fuels study for plants to determine alternate fuel sources and improve plant efficiencies
Organic Chemicals & Petrochemicals
Downstream of the refinery, FB&D engineers
have gained experience in the design of organic synthesis and commodity petrochemical
production facilities. This background has been supplemented employing feed stocks from
coal-based processes. Our experience in petrochemicals includes a wide range of
commodities and unit operations such as:
| Products |
Unit Operations |
- Ethylene
- Aromatic Hydrocarbons
- Ammonia
- Fertilizers
- Styrene
- VCM & PVC
- Formaldehyde
- Formaldehyde Resins
|
- Steam Cracking
- Catalytic Refining
- Catalytic Combustion
- Prilling and Granulation
- Copolymerization
- Polymerization and Drying
- Vapor Phase Catalytic Reaction
- Polymerization and Drying
|
FB&D has also dealt with such highly exothermic reactions as nitroparaffin with
sulfuric acid to produce hydroxylamine sulfates and reactions of chlorine, hydrochloric
acid, and silicon to produce chlorosilicates.
FB&D Design Teams have become accomplished working with both proprietary technology
held by our clients as well as transforming third party technology into a modern and
cost-effective production facility.
Inorganic Chemicals
FB&D has extended its process engineering
experience into the inorganic chemicals industry, becoming well-equipped and knowledgeable
in the application of heavy industrial processes such as crystallization, drying,
electrolysis, evaporation, and bulk materials handling. Typically, our process engineers
and mechanical designers have encountered a wide range of acids and alkalies demanding a
thorough knowledge of materials of construction, safety procedures, and other special
precautions. Inorganic raw materials and finished products include:
- Chlorine Dioxide
- Titanium Dioxide
- Sodium Chlorate
- Aluminas
- Silicates
- Sodium Bicarbonate
|
- Calcium Carbonate
- Carbon Black
- Elemental Chlorine
- Kaolin
- Soda Ash
|
Specialty Chemicals
Recipe driven batch organic synthesis, small bore piping, high value inventories, exotic materials of construction, and toxic and hazardous intermediates are all characteristic of the specialty chemicals industry. FB&D Project Teams have successfully completed projects in this complex industry and have been rewarded with repeat assignments from satisfied clients. Typical of these types of facilities are the production of:
- Tris Amine Crystals
- Dimethylether
- Hydroxyl Ammonium Acid Sulphate
- Polyacrylate Resin
- Dimethyl Diallyl Ammonium Chloride
- Amine Monomer
- Hydroxylamine Flakes
- Piperazine
- Urethane
- MDI
- TDI
- Polyolf
These projects have ranged from simple DCS/PLC modifications assignments to the design of grassroots facilities. The facilities produce engineered plastics, polymers, and a multitude of products employed in consumer goods.
Environmental
FB&D has been involved in numerous environmental studies since the early days of the Solid Waste Disposal Act. Initially, our work related to management of solid wastes through analysis of remedial action options and development of permitting documentation. Today, our capabilities include:
- Compliance studies
- Waste characterization studies
- Air/water/solids
- Risk analysis
- Impact assessment
