Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center

PSMSuite Users Guide

May 2011

Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center Chemical Engineering Department

Texas Engineering Experiment System Texas A&M University System

College Station, Texas 77843-3122

Contact: Dr. M. Sam Mannan, PE, CSP Phone: (979) 862-3985

E-mail: Mannan@tamu.edu http://process-safety.tamu.edu

Getting Started Guide to PSMSuite

1. Introduction

This guideline is offered to starting users of PSMSuite, which covers most of the functions in this

software system. PSMSuite This quick started guide does not include all the functions and the reference

manual should be used for detailed information. The reference manual has not been translated from

Chinese to English, but the translation will be implemented if the software attracts enough interest from

the industry in U.S.

The main functions of the PSMSuite software include HAZOP (Hazard and Operability) analysis, PSI

(Process Safety Information) management, public data maintenance, and user management.

The HAZOP analysis section includes information management of the process analyzed,

I/O and modification of HAZOP deviation data, report generation, record of group

meetings, etc.

PSI management, including equipment, materials and design data, is integrated into the

HAZOP analysis section.

Public data maintenance includes management of risk matrix, deviation matrix, device

properties, reaction types, staff attributes, etc.

User management includes account management, user permissions, group, etc.

The software runs on the server platform. It allows for multiple users to access it remotely, so the data

can be shared with other colleagues immediately. It is unnecessary for users to install any program on

their local computer to use the software. Only a web browser and network are needed to access the

HAZOP software. The software interface, currently developed for Microsoft Internet Explorer 8.0 (IE8),

is shown in Fig.1. (Note: A list of main web browsers and official websites is shown in the bottom of the

login screen. After testing, this system can be run normally in most current popular browsers.) The user

interface can be divided roughly into three parts: main menu on the top, project list and function options

on the left, and the work area on the right.

Fig.1 PSMSuite run in IE8.0

2. Basic Concept and Terminology

HAZOP analysis is a systematic method used to analyze the risks existing in a chemical process. It will

try to find all potential risks by checking every piece of equipment, process parameter and deviation,

and will provide related improvement methods.

The HAZOP analysis process is described as:

1) Divide the process into several nodes depending on the process units or pieces of equipment;

2) Divide each node into several pieces of equipment;

3) Divide each piece of equipment into several different process parameters;

4) For each parameter, list all the possible deviations from the normal value.

There are some established guide words (MORE, LESS, NONE, etc.), and a deviation in

the HAZOP analysis is the combination of these guide words and process parameters, for

example, a combination of the word “MORE” and the process parameter “FLOW RATE”

means a derivation of “Excess of flow.”

5) For each deviation, analyze all the causes, consequences, probability, hazards, risks, etc.

6) For each consequence with a large risk, discuss the effective safeguards and re-analyze the

probability, hazards, and risks after safeguards are applied.

7) For each consequence without safeguards or with ineffective safeguards, provide some

recommendations.

3. Icon Help

Below are some common icons. These symbols are universal throughout the software platform.

New/Add Fold all Delete

Confirm Cancel Help/Tips

4. Quick Tutorial

This section briefly introduces the parts of the software platform and helps new users get started quickly,

and view and grasp the basic uses of the system platform through examples. In addition, the common

icons, operations, and terminology will be introduced in this section.

A detailed description of the various parts of the platform will be given in the following chapters. If you

are an experienced PSMSuite user and are familiar with the basic data operations, you can skip this

Section.

Register and login

This software is a multi-user platform. An account is needed to access this system.

Fig.2

To access it, a website address should be put into the web browser, and a login interface will be shown,

Fig.2. If you already have a valid account, you can input your username and password, and press the

“LOGIN” button to access this system. If you do not already have an account, please contact your

system manager. After you login, a working interface with a blank working space is shown, Fig.3.

Fig.3

Step 1 - Create a HAZOP Project

In this system, all of the HAZOP analysis data will be organized as a project. A new project should be

created for every HAZOP analysis. A new project can be created by clicking “Project->New project” in

the main menu (Fig.4), and a dialog window named “Project basic info” will appear (Fig.5).

Press “Add” after completing all necessary information labeled with an asterisk (*) and a new project

will be created. The new project will open automatically, as shown in Fig.6.

To perform a detailed HAZOP analysis on any project, usually corresponding to an analyzed chemical

process, the information about the nodes, equipment, parameters, and deviation should be input into

this system.

In the next sections we will walk through a pre-built blank project as an example, where no process

information has been included. The whole process should be broken down into different nodes and

pieces of equipment, and the parameters and deviations should be specified for each piece of

equipment dependent on the technology and process information, then input the information into the

software system. In the following sections, this tutorial will show you how to input the data.

Fig.4

Fig.5

Required field

Required field

Required field

Fig.6

Step 2 - Add Nodes

Click the “New/Add” icon or the menu button on the right of the project name “PSC-TEST -

001.TEST-001,” a pop-up menu will appear, (Fig.7).

Click the “Add node,” and the input window “Add a node” will appear in the working space on the right,

(Fig.8).

After completing the necessary information (Fig.9) and pressing “Save,” this node will be added to the

project tree, (Fig.10). If it does not appear, you can click the refresh button on the right top of the

project tree.

If you click the node named “N0001.Feed in storage” in the project tree, the node information can be

viewed and edited, (Fig.10). Please note that the “Save” button has been replaced by the “Modify”

button, and the color of the node information is now gray. You should click the “Modify” button before

inputing new information. Then, “Modify” will turn into “Save” and “Save” should be clicked after the

modification is complete.

Repeat the above steps to add different nodes to the project (Fig.11). These nodes will be automatically

sorted by their name in the project tree.

New project added

Fig.7

Fig.8

Fig.9

“New/Add”

icon

Required field

Required field

Fig.10

Fig.11 Fig.12 Fig.13

Add

Refresh button

Step 3 - Add Equipment

For each node, you can click the “New/Add” icon or the menu button on the right of the node

name.

Click “Add equipment” in the pop-up menu (Fig.12) to add new equipment.

The input window, “Add equipment,” will appear in the work space on the right, (Fig.13).

The equipment type is the only required input data. You can also select the device type in the

drop-down list. You also may input one or several characters in the text box and a closely

matched equipment type will be selected automatically.

The other items are optional. However, it is better to specify as many details as possible. This

equipment data will be used to help search the closely matched cases in the following case-

based HAZOP analysis process.

After completing the data input, click “Save” to add new equipment to the database.

The project tree on the left will be updated automatically (If not, please click the refresh button on the

top of the project tree). At the same time, the working space will also be refreshed, and the “Save”

button will be changed to “Modify.” You can also modify the equipment after clicking “Modify,” just

like in the “Step 3 - Add node” section.

Repeat the above steps to assign different pieces of equipment to different nodes (Fig.14).

Fig.14

Step 4 - Add Parameters

For each piece of equipment, you can click the “New/Add” icon or the menu button on the right

of the equipment name.

Then click “Add parameter” in the pop-up menu to add a new parameter. An input text box will appear

below the equipment name in the project tree, (Fig.15).

You can input the parameter manually or select one from the drop-down list (such as FLOWRATE,

PRESSURE, LEVEL, TEMPERATURE, etc.) to reduce spelling errors and keep the parameters

consistent in the whole software platform.

After the input or selection the parameter, click the button on the right to confirm the changes,

(Fig.15).

Repeat the above steps to assign different parameters to different pieces of equipment (Fig.16).

Fig.15 Fig.16

Add parameter

Confirm

Step 5 - Add Deviations

For each parameter, you can click the “New/Add” icon or the menu button on the right of the

parameter name.

Then click “Add deviation” in the pop-up menu to add a new deviation. An input text box will appear

below the parameter name in the project tree (Fig.17).

Users are not permitted to input the deviation manually. The deviation must be selected from the drop-

down list (such as NONE, MORE, LESS, etc) on the right to reduce spelling errors and keep the

deviations consistent across the whole software platform. The list of deviations may be different

depending on the parameters.

After selecting the deviation, click the button on the right to confirm the changes made, (Fig.17).

Repeat the above steps until different derivations have been assigned to different parameters.

Fig.17

Add derivations

Confirm

Step 6 - Input HAZOP Analysis Data

Click on each deviation and a related HAZOP data form will open in the work space (Fig.18).

There is only one blank row in the form. Click the cell in the form and edit it. Users can input any

description data for Deviation detail, Cause, Consequence, Safeguard, Recommendation, Responsibility,

etc. When adding any data to the cell, another row will appear to ensure that the last row is blank for

input. For example, when two cause descriptions are input, it will look like Fig.19.

Afterwards, you can input some descriptions of consequences for each cause. If there is more than one

consequence description for the first cause, you press on the keyboard the “Ctrl” and “Enter” button

simultaneously after completing the first consequence description, and a new blank row will

automatically appear below to input the second consequence description (Fig.20).

The descriptions for Severity(S) and Probability (L) can be input by selecting from a drop-down list, as

in Fig.21 and Fig.22. Then, the description for Risk (R) will be calculated and filled automatically,

(Fig.23).

Fig.18

Fig.19

The last row is blank for input

Fig.20

Fig.21 Fig.22

Fig.23

Risk (R)

The second

consequence

description

Drop list for

Severity(S)

Drop list for

Probability(L)

The method to input the description for AS, AL, and AR is similar to that for S, L, and R. AS, AL, and

AR are the severity, probability and risk after safeguards are applied. You can also use the keyboard

buttons “Ctrl” and “Enter” to create a new blank row for data input. The layered structure of the data

organization is shown below:

Deviation description

└─Cause

└─Consequence

├─S

├─L

├─R

├─Safeguard

│ ├─AS

│ ├─AL

│ └─AR

├─Recommendation

│ ├─Recommend type

│ └─Responsibility

└─Note

After completing the data input following the above steps, click the “Save” button to save this data.

WARNING: if you do not save your data, it will be lost. The software is set to save input data every 10

minutes automatically to avoid the loss of data.

Every column can be hidden when the responding title bar is double clicked. Click the “Show all

columns” on the top of the data form to show all hidden columns. You can also modify the font, size, or

style by click the buttons on the top right of the data form, (Fig.24).

Fig.24

Step 7 - Retrieve and Reuse Data

When the equipment, parameters, and derivations have been input, the system will search for similar

older cases from the database automatically. For example, on the top right of the HAZOP data form,

there is a button labeled “Found 1 Similar Cases;” this number will change depending on how many

cases are found, (Fig.25). This message means that 1 HAZOP analysis record similar to the current

equipment, parameters, and derivations was found in the system database.

Fig.25

Fig.26

Fig.27

The similar cases found in the database may be used directly or just as a reference. Click the “Found 1

Similar Cases” button, and the information for the similar case(s) will be shown in the HAZOP data

form. The project name, node, equipment, case, and the calculated similarity will be listed in the form,

(Fig.26). Click any case to open a pop-up form, and the detailed HAZOP analysis data, including the

derivation detail, causes, consequences, safeguards, recommendations will be shown, (Fig.26). Click the

button “Use the case” to import all the records into the HAZOP data form. Users can keep the useful

data and delete the unnecessary data.

After saving the input data, the color of the list in the project tree will change to green. If the data input

is not complete, the project tree will be yellow. If there is no data, the tree will be red (Fig.27). For

example, the equipment pump P0502 is complete and green, while the equipment heater E0522 is not

complete and yellow, even though the parameter temperature is complete, but because the parameter

flowrate is still empty it is not considered complete.

Users can follow the above method to input the data for different nodes, pieces of equipment,

parameters, and derivations until all the HAZOP analysis is completed.

Step 8 - Generate Reports

Users can generate reports for any analyzed project by clicking “Generate reports” in the main menu

“HAZOP.” Users will be able to specify the report style by making selections in the new opened tabbed

page in the work space (Fig.28). First, in the “Choose entries” region, users can check “Cause,”

“Consequence,” “S,” “L,” “R,” “Safeguard,” “AS,” “AL,” “AR,” “Recommendation,” and “Notes” to

include them in the generated report. Next, in the “Table division rule” region, “every node” is selected,

so users can select the wanted nodes in the “Choose nodes” region. In the “Format settings” region,

users can specify the page size, page orientation, and the output file format (e.g., RTF, Microsoft Excel,

or HTML). Finally, click the “Generate report” to open or save the generated report. The generated

report looks like the examples in Fig. 29 and Fig. 30.

Fig.28

Fig.29

Fig.30

Step 9 - Tracking Recommendation Function

The “Tracking Recommendation” provides post-proceeding treatments for recommendation records in

the HAZOP analysis data. Click “tracking recommendation” in the pop-up menu of any node in the

project tree as shown in Fig.7, and a form will open to show a list of the practical progress for the related

recommendations, (Fig.31), which is a very important step after HAZOP analysis. In this software

system, the practical progress of these recommendations can be recorded by “Tracking recommendation.”

The column “Source” lists the source of these recommendations, which is read-only. By clicking the

link, the related record can be opened. The contents in other columns, however, can be modified and

updated. Attention: the data in the HAZOP data form will be updated synchronously. For example, if

users change the recommendations, recommended type, response or related data, the data in the HAZOP

data form will be also changed at the same time.

Alternatively, a tabbed interface (Fig.32) to show the recommended records can be opened from “Edit

the response menu” in the main “HAZOP” menu. A list of existing recommendations will appear that a

selection can be made. Other information related to the selected recommendations will be shown as seen

below. To modify the data, click “Modify”. Attention: after modification, click “Save” to update the

data. If you switch to another recommendation, save the data first or the input data will be lost.

Click the “Generate response menu”, and a report setup page will appear. Users can generate the report

for part or all of these recommendations with specified page sizes and page orientations, (Fig.33). The

output file format is RTF, which can be open with Microsoft Word.

Fig.31

Fig.32

Fig.33

5. Summary

This document is meant to be a quick tutorial for new users to help use PSMSuite, including data input,

use of similar cases, and generating reports.

Keep in mind the following: some operations cannot be cancelled or redone; save your data after

modification (automatic save function every 10 minutes); input data will be lost after switching to

another page if not saved. Also note, there is a maximum number of five tabbed pages that can be

opened at the same time. If you want to open additional pages, you must first close other pages not in

use.