Abstract
The cost of chemical process equipment per ton of product depends strongly on the original choice of materials of construction, and on the proper application of these materials. Inappropriate material selection or improper fabrication methods raises the process cost because of the downtime and maintenance costs required to repair corrosion damage. Where processes involve hazardous chemicals, incorrect materials usage can also jeopardize the safety of plant workers. Computer-based intelligent information systems can provide relevant material selection and fabrication advice in a readily accessible format. If made available to plant personnel who are not materials specialists, such advice can contribute to reduced equipment costs and minimized safety hazards.
The Materials Technology Institute of the Chemical Process Industries (MTI) with the support of the Nickel Development Institute is sponsoring a project at the NACE-NIST Corrosion Data Center in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), formerly the National Bureau of Standards (NBS), to develop expert systems concerning materials for handling hazardous chemicals. Expert systems are computer programs that provide expert advice within a specific domain. Useful not only by themselves, expert systems can also be incorporated within intelligent information systems which may include other expert systems, databases, full-text search and retrieval from technical articles, subroutines for calculations, and other types of computer programs. This paper will summarize expert system technology, describe an MTI-NACE-NIST system which provides advice on the use of materials for shipping, handling and storing concentrated sulfuric acid and oleum, and suggest other areas in which this technology may develop.
