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July 2021 / 7 PBE INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE Editor's note: This is one of a series of commentaries by Powder and Bulk Engineering's Editorial Advisory Board members and other experts. The editorials express the individual writer's views of trends affecting powder and bulk industries today. Powder and Bulk Engineering welcomes your response. O ver the past few years, I've seen an increased number of requests from clients to submit a pro- posal for all engineering phases at once: basic engineering, detailed engineering, and execution. Most of the time, these requests also ask for a fixed, lump- sum price. This trend may be applicable to cookie-cutter projects or repeats of existing installations that require limited new engineering, but it isn't the best format to ensure proper equipment selection for a project. Suc- cessful basic engineering requires that you leave no stone unturned. Not doing so can lead to major rework, inadequate throughput, costly equipment changes during operations, and maintenance headaches. One problematic aspect of combining the engineer- ing phases is that it leads to cutting corners during basic engineering. The basic engineering phase is the most impactful phase of a project, as it's the ideal time to make sure you select the right equipment while con- sidering process requirements and layout restrictions as well as the project's capital and operating expense objectives. A lump-sum, turnkey contract isn't condu- cive to implementing the best solution unless the basic engineering phase is well in hand first. To deliver an optimal basic engineering project phase, bulk solids handling experts and equipment suppliers must work with their clients to properly define important project parameters, such as the materials' flow, physical, and chemical properties; required tonnages; and the inclusion of certain upset conditions in the process design criteria. Changes to these parameters can have a huge impact on the type, size, and layout of equipment required to reliably handle the materials. Often, a few equipment types naturally take the lead as good candidates for a given set of parameters, but that doesn't mean they'll perform equally well. This is when a bulk solids handling expert can help navi- gate the technical concerns about equipment types and make sure the layouts are functional for material flow and maintenance. During the basic engineering phase, tests should be executed with suppliers and laborato- ries to confirm material properties and feasibility. At this time, you can establish benchmarks to gauge the feasibility of more challenging applications. Consulting experienced professionals during a proj- ect's basic engineering phase will steer your project in the right direction. You want to have a thorough understanding of the work and be able to make deci- sions when they're easier to implement. Engineering a reliable material handling system for a facility may require iterations as you define and improve the proj- ect's scope and scrutinize trade-off studies. Cutting corners during the basic engineering phase leaves no room for optimization, which can lead you to carry fatal flaws into the detailed engineering phase. In my experience, it's crucial to take the time to execute basic engineering in a contractual format that allows iteration, optimization, and analysis of the selected technological solutions. You'll gain from consulting experts who can execute at least minimal testing, as this will reduce risks and ensure that all ideas and options have been evaluated. At that point, you'll have the opportunity to use the contract type of your choice for the remaining project phases, knowing that you've done your due diligence in the basic engineering phase to ensure that your facil- ity will have the right equipment for your application. Colin Barbeau, bulk materials handling specialist, Hatch Leaving no stone unturned in basic engineering