About PERD
Overview
The Center for Chemical Process Safety (CCPS) has been actively involved in pursuing equipment reliability data since the 1980’s. In 1989, the CCPS Guidelines for Equipment Reliability Data was published with the intent to support chemical process quantitative risk assessments.
At the conclusion of this project it was apparent that better data was needed. To obtain such data, it was further determined that the emphasis had to change from risk assessment to reliability and tools to improve maintenance decisions. Following this decision, the committee set about putting together an action plan meant to accomplish the following mission.
The equipment reliability database offers high quality, valid, and useful data to the HPI and CPI. This data allows you to analyze availability, reliability and equipment design improvements, maintenance strategies and life cycle cost determination.
The CCPS Process Equipment Reliability Database (PERD) Project has focused on developing the necessary taxonomies and infrastructure to support cost effective quality data collection. The PERD project technology allows collection of quality data by using a definable and reproducible taxonomy, providing a fundamentally sound structure to capture data in a format that allows immediate analysis, facilitating the understanding of what the raw data means or represents. Several taxonomies have been progressed to a quality that supports sale to the public, and additional taxonomies continue to be developed.
In 2007 the PERD Project demonstrated the feasibility of all aspects of the work process with spring operated relief valve data including; taxonomy development, data capture, mapping, and translation; data submittal and import to PERD software and finally, data analysis as reported by Julia Bukowski, Professor Villanova, in her paper, Statistical Analysis of Pressure Relief Valve Proof Test Data: Findings and Implications, during the CCPS 4th Global Congress. Beta version of the 2nd generation software is currently available with no technical hurdles remaining, and companies are ready to capture and contribute data with some assistance with data mapping and translation.
The year 2009 will bring full operation of a production quality database, initially with relief valves and then expanding to instrument loops to help support “proven in use” for safety instrumented functions and systems. Production quality software should be available by end of 1st quarter 2009 that will fully support desired work process for relief valves. Upon successful startup, work will proceed to add instrument loops to the software. Multiple companies are expected to be contributing data in compliance with documented quality plans by October 2009. Future plans include a concept book titled, Achieving the PERD Ladder of Success, the Proven in Use Gold Standard, as well as expansion of the taxonomies and supporting software.
Please direct any questions concerning PERD to Dave Belonger at dbelonger@verizon.net or to Scott Berger at ccps@aiche.org.