Chemical Engineering Investigation
We are well known for our expertise in investigating fires and explosions which have occurred on petrochemical, chemical, gas, food and pharmaceutical process plants.
Our chemical engineers – who are drawn from a variety of industrial backgrounds and are now based in the USA, UK and the Far East – also investigate the causes of incidents on process plants which do not involve fires or explosions.
We also have unrivalled expertise in providing reports for the legal profession and giving evidence in court in the USA and overseas.
Services
- Investigating incidents which may result in claims for plant and machinery, business interruption and consequential losses.
- Dealing with disputes concerning whether plants were properly commissioned and whether plants were being operated within their design parameters.
- Considering incidents where there have been alleged breaches of confidentiality.
We have a large number of scientists and engineers with a variety of expertise and experience. The chemical engineering team can call upon specialists in fields such as materials science, fires and explosions, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering. We can also provide expertise on current safety legislation, standards and industry practices.
Experience
- Overpressurization of a reactor on an ammonia plant as a result of poor design
- Failure of the packing within the third stage column of a sulphuric acid plant due to iron sulphate deposition
- Steam explosion as a result of the failure of a thermostat in a large heater
- Overheating of a heat exchanger as a result of a failure to follow the start-up procedure
- Fatigue failure of a compressed air pipe due to pulsating operating conditions
- Escape of chlorine gas into the environment due to the failure of control valves