Development of a maintenance strategy to optimise maintenance in a world scale bioethanol production facility

Effective maintenance management systems can provide the right maintenance on the right assets at the right time [1]. Maintenance management at a bioethanol production facility can prove to be difficult. The combined nature of chemical plant and solids handling creates issues with varying levels of maintenance required. The aim of this paper is to determine the correct maintenance, at the correct time for the bioethanol facility by developing a new maintenance structure and the use of mathematical models to enhance decision making in maintenance. It is not uncommon for chemical plants to run six yearly campaigns, but a solid handling plant needs regular interventions to maintain operations. In order to gain a strategic advantage in the marketplace, ensuring the best maintenance and reliability practices are key to the long-term future of the factory and by keeping a focus on maintenance management improvements can be made to the position of the business both operationally and financially. The financial gains will be seen in the reduction of plant downtime for repairs and maintenance that is delivered on the correct frequency and thus lowering the costs of replacement machinery or parts and as the cost reduction is seen, the operation gains will be realised via the previous too. World scale refers to the factory being second largest producer in the EU27 and UK of bioethanol and the UK’s largest producer of animal feed.