HOW PLANT LIFE FOR DIFFERENT CHEMICAL PLANTS CALCULATED? CAN YOU OPERATE A PLANT AFTER ITS DESIGN LIFE OR PLANT LIFE? IF POSSIBLE WHAT STEPS ARE TO BE TAKEN?
Normally refineries and chemical plants ,operatiing life is taken as 20 years,when making feasibility studies,that is about 5% depreciation on equipment cost .
These values can be found in Process Plant Economics,by Peters& Timmerhaus- McGraw-Hill.
Real times,will depend on maintenance procedures,and some refineries have been operating for over 50 years! ,with high maintenance cost,and is more feasible to the owner than buying a new plant.
