What Is Modular Plant Design - How It Works, Pros & Cons ?

January 31, 2023 - Reading time: 6 minutes

Utilizing a modular plant design has become an increasingly popular way for engineers to build and operate process plants. Modular designs use modular units that are purpose-built offsite before being shipped to the site where they will be used. Modular plants have several advantages over traditional methods of building a process plant, such as scalability, cost savings, environmental friendliness and better safety in place. But there are also potential drawbacks that should be reviewed carefully by any engineer considering this approach. 

In this article, we will discuss the basics of modular plant design, how it works, explore the advantages and disadvantages of this method compared with other approaches to industrial facility engineering and construction.

What Is Modular Plant Design?

Modular plant design is an approach in which the plant areas are divided and fabricated into modular units offsite or in a controlled environment before transporting these modular units to the facility site for installation with a traditional plant or with other modular units.

How Does Modular Plant Design Work?

The first step in the process is to design the modular plant which involves conceptual design, detailed design and 3D layout. Once the design is completed, the components are fabricated offsite in a factory setting. These components are fabricated to exact specifications, taking into consideration all the necessary safety requirements, engineering specifications and the 3D modular plant layout. The components shall be made from materials that are fit for its intended purpose. Once all the components are built and tested in the fabrication facility, they are transported to the site where they will be hooked-up. Once on-site, the components are carefully fitted together according to the design specification and any additional adjustments necessary for a perfect fit are made. This entire process allows a much faster installation and setup of the plant than traditional construction methods, thus saving valuable time and money.

What Are the Advantages of Modular Plant Design?

There are several advantages in using a modular plant design over traditional industrial facilities engineering and construction approaches. These include:

(1) Quality

The components used in modular plant design are fabricated to precise specifications and tested thoroughly in a factory setting. Compared to traditional construction methods, this ensures a higher degree of quality control and consistency and thus, reduces the risk of faulty components or errors in the installation process. Besides, it means that the parts fit together perfectly when assembled on-site and meet all safety requirements. 

(2) Cost Savings

Due to the highly efficient fabrication process, modular designs allow for significant cost savings over traditional stick-built approach. In contrast to traditional construction methods, modular assemblies can be completed in the fraction of time required by a traditional construction method and with lower labor costs. Such savings can be seen in reduced site labor cost, reduced bulk material costs and faster construction times. 

(3) Scalability

Due to their modular nature, components can be easily added to or removed from a plant design as needed. This scalability makes it easy for a facility to be templatable or expand its operations with minimal effort. Compared to modular plant designs, traditional methods may require an infrastructure overhaul.

(4) Environmental Friendliness or Sustainability

The factory setting used to fabricate the components ensures fewer emissions are created, improve air quality and resources are conserved compared to traditional construction methods. It also creates less waste and plant site disturbance in contrast to the traditional methods which often require vast amounts of resources, bigger plot area and temporary facilities leading to a larger environmental footprint.

(5) Better Workplace Safety

The construction of a plant in traditional conditions has been known to lead to workplace accidents. However, this process is greatly minimized in modular plant design as fewer workers are on-site whilst the components are pre-fabricated and tested in a controlled, safe environment. In such an environment where there is also better working conditions, there is also a greatly reduced risk of injury due to fewer moving parts and other accidents due to weather-related damage. 

(6) Flexibility

The modular nature of a plant design also makes it highly flexible, allowing for quick changes in the layout or size if needed. It is especially useful in the event of unforeseen circumstances or if operations need to be altered quickly. In contrast, traditional construction methods would require long lead times and high costs for such changes. 

What Are the Disadvantages of Modular Plant Design?

Despite the many advantages of using modular plant design, it has its drawbacks. These include:  

(1) Higher Initial Investment 

The upfront cost associated with factory-built modular units and their transportation toJimmy Lea P/L provides modular plant design services as well as traditional chemical plant design services. Prior to performing the detailed design, our chemical engineers will deliver the front-end engineering design (FEED) services which is the first phase that involves the selection of the chemical process, technology, process conditions, collection of required data, issuing of process flowsheets, selection, specification, and chemical engineering calculations of equipment and preliminary cost estimation. the site can be more expensive relative to the traditional construction methods. Such a situation arises due to the specialized equipment and resources needed to manufacture the modular units.

(2) Limited Design Options

The modular approach to designing a plant limits the scope of design options as components are created in a factory setting and cannot easily be altered. As a result, it can lead to a lack of creativity in design, which may only meet the needs of some operations. In comparison, traditional construction methods allow for greater flexibility in design. 

(3) Labor Availability

As modular plants are fabricated in a factory setting, there is a greater need for skilled labor to assemble the components on-site. It can sometimes be difficult to recruit and may require extra training for those workers.

(4) Transportation Difficulties

Due to their large size and specialized nature, some components may need help to transport. It can make the process of transporting them from the factory to the site more time-consuming and costly. Traditional construction methods do not have this same issue as components are built on-site. 

Bottom Line: Why Should You Go Modular?

If the operations intention permits, modular plant design offers numerous benefits to operations. It can lead to significant cost savings, faster construction times, and a reduced environmental footprint. It can also provide greater workplace safety and flexibility in design. Therefore, modular design is the way to go if you are looking for a more efficient and cost-effective way to build your plant. 

About us

Jimmy Lea P/L provides modular plant design services as well as traditional chemical plant design services. Prior to performing the detailed design, our chemical engineers will deliver the front-end engineering design (FEED) services which is the first phase that involves the selection of the chemical process, technology, process conditions, collection of required data, issuing of process flowsheets, selection, specification, and chemical engineering calculations of equipment and preliminary cost estimation.