Pilot Plants: Principles of Design, Operation and Maintenance
Online
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May 13 - 15, 2025
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Course Code: 16-0502-ONL25
- Overview
- Syllabus
- Instructor
Overview
This course is held online over 3 days on the following schedule (All times in Eastern Time Zone):
10:00 am to 6:00 pm Eastern
After participating in this course, you will be able to:
- improve your knowledge of common types of pilot plants in various branches of industry
- familiarize yourself with the main design principles of pilot plants, their construction and efficient operation
- apply updated information on how to follow the startup procedures and data acquisition
- recognize the need for systematic analysis of capital and operation costs of pilot plants operating in
batch or continuous operation mode - acquire an awareness of safety associated with the operation of pilot plants and the protection of personnel and the environment
- make your company products more profitable by increasing the reliability of design procedures and data validation
Description
The design of a commercial plant can be rather risky and prohibitively expensive if the available experience is not extensive enough to scale up the information from bench-scale laboratory tests. Unless one has extensive experience with similar materials and products, it is advisable to verify the laboratory results in a pilot plant.
An old saying: "Make your mistakes on a small scale and make your profit on a large scale," can be applied to situations where the pilot plant represents an intermediate stage between the laboratory studies and the industrial plant.
The pilot plant is understood as a small-scale simulation of future industrial operations. Based on the experience with a pilot plant, the decision to proceed with the full-scale plant project will be based on a proven process and a more reliable economic estimate.
This course will cover all aspects of the consideration of pilot plants, including design, construction and operation. It will explain the main design principles of pilot plants, the selection of appropriate materials for fabrication and the selection and installation of the vital components of equipment.
Discussed will be the elements of financial aspects of pilot plants: systematic analysis of capital and operation costs of pilot plants will be provided.
Substantial attention in the course will be devoted to instrumentation and control systems as well as to all important aspects related to the safety of personnel and the environment.
Who Should Attend
The course will benefit engineers, technicians, supervisors and plant managers who need to be familiar with the design, construction and operation of pilot plants in various industries: chemical, petrochemical, metallurgical, biochemical, pharmaceutical, agrochemical and others.
It will also be valuable for engineers, consultants and contractors who are in charge of making decisions about the overall costs of construction of pilot plants and supervising the costs of their continuous operation, as well as for technical managers responsible for interdisciplinary engineering projects interested in analyzing cost-effectiveness.
More InformationTime: 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Eastern Time
Please note: You can check other time zones here.
Syllabus
Day 1
Importance of Pilot Plants
- Demonstration of technical feasibility
- Process and product development
- Development of marketing values
Pilot Plant Concept and Objectives
- Pilot plant prerequisites and size selection
- Preliminary mass and energy balances
- Planning of testing and laboratory experiments
Relationship with Laboratory Investigations
- Method of scaling up
- Analysis of prototype
- Prototype implications
Classification of Pilot Plants
- Classification by size
- Classification by purpose
- Classification by number of units
Technical Factors and Equipment
- Selection of equipment based on the nature of fluids
- Material selection and protection
- Equipment layout and dimensions
Cost-Effective Economical Factors
- Estimate of costs of design, construction and operation
- Economic issues and cost minimization
- Budget constraints consideration
Pilot Plant Project Administration: Management and Planning
- Role of pilot plant management
- Action planning and support services
- Operating manuals and data recording
Day II
Design of Pilot Plants
- Size selection
- Preparation of block diagrams
- Initial mass and flow balances
Overview of Design Approaches: Site and Plant Layouts
- Types of space for housing pilot plants
- Estimate of space requirements
- Site selection and environmental issues
Selection and Installation of Process Equipment and Piping Systems
- Selection of equipment size and performance
- Piping systems and accessories
- Equipment installation and protection
Selection of Instrumentation and Control System
- Velocity, pressure, flow rate and other measurements
- Calibration of instruments and results validation
- Control system requirement
Connection to Utilities
- Requirements for: Electricity, Water, Steam, Compressed Air
- Best options for supply
- Technical and economic issues
Effluent Treatment and Waste Disposal
- Treatment of liquid effluent
- Disposal of solid waste
- Environmental Protection Aspects
Day III
Operation of Pilot Plants
- Batch or continuous operation
- Advantages and disadvantages: limitations
- Monitoring system requirements
Pilot Plant Control Systems
- Typical control system requirements
- Automation and control
- Types of computer control systems
Startup Procedures
- Optimizing startup procedures and resources
- Verification of equipment and calibration
- Inspection and leak detection
Operating Data Acquisition and Recording
- Instruments and devices required
- Backup systems
- Distributed control systems
Safety Issues in Operation
- Hazard evaluation and analysis
- Safety inspections and safety standards
- Specific safety problems
Maintenance Organization
- Predictive vs. reactive maintenance
- Aspects of good planning
- Guidelines to reduce downtime and costs
Questions and Answers and Feedback to Participants on Achievement of Learning Outcomes
Concluding Remarks and Final Adjournment
Instructor

Dr. Mike Ivanovic is the President of UBAMIP Consulting and a former Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Toronto. With over 30 years of experience in various branches of mechanical engineering, he has established himself as a leader in the field. His career includes significant contributions while working in the consulting group of ANSYS Canada Ltd. He currently heads UBAMIP Consulting, where he specializes in the analysis and problem-solving of equipment operations within the process and petrochemical industries, as well as thermal and HVAC engineering.
Dr. Ivanovic's expertise encompasses safety aspects in the operation and maintenance of rotating machinery, pressure vessels, and piping systems across diverse industrial applications. His consulting projects primarily focus on risk assessment of potential equipment failures and the development of accident prevention methods, informed by inspection results and fitness for service studies.
In addition to his consulting work, Dr. Ivanovic is actively involved in providing technical training courses tailored to industry professionals in Canada, the USA, and internationally. These courses address various levels of complexity, ensuring comprehensive professional development.

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Fee & Credits
$1995 + taxes
- 2.1 Continuing Education Units (CEUs)
- 21 Continuing Professional Development Hours (PDHs/CPDs)
- ECAA Annual Professional Development Points
Group Training
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