An expert system for hazard identification in chemical processes

Hazard identification is one of the most important task in process design and operation. This work has focused on the development of a knowledge-based expert system for HAZOP (Hazard and Operability) studies which are regarded as one of the most systematic and logical qualitative hazard identification methodologies but which require a multidisciplinary team and demand much time-consuming, repetitious work. The developed system enables design engineers to implement existing checklists and past experiences for safe design. It will increase efficiency of hazard identification and be suitable for educational purposes. This system has a frame-based knowledge structure for equipment failures/process material properties and rule networks for consequence reasoning which uses both forward and backward chaining. To include wide process knowledge, it is open-ended and modular for future expansion. An application to LPG storage and fractionation system shows the efficiency and reliability of the developed system.