Author Description

This work is the result of keen interest in cost estimation during my working career in America, Britain and India. It is basically a workbook for practicing engineers and students. Process plant, like chemical engineering, is all-embracing. It covers chemical equipment, mechanical equipment such as pump and compressor and electrical equipment of various descriptions. "Process plant" and "chemical plant" are often used interchangeably. In the present text "process plant" is used in a broad sense and includes not only "chemical plant" but also plant for food and beverage, gas, petroleum, power and steel industries. Likewise, a chemical engineer is concerned not only with his own discipline but also with electrical, mechanical, metallurgical and even nuclear engineering. Cost estimation is a fascinating subject. It is not a science and is basically empirical. Perhaps it can still be considered an art. An Estimator is a class by himself and a good one must exercise the highest degree of judgment — almost bordering on the "sixth sense". Cost Engineering has come of age and several Associations cater to it. International symposia on the subject have become a regular feature. The use of the computer has simplified the purely routine work but the judgment will always remain with the estimator! The computer does what it is told and does it faster, but the accuracy can obviously be no better than that of the input data. The total capital cost of a project consists of fixed capital and working capital. This book is concerned only with fixed capital cost. The major components*of this are software, hardware (equipment), and buildings.