Shrinivas Palakodety's Blog

I worked mostly in safety critical Process Plants and as such most of the time I look and plan to do a job safely. To some it might seem like too much obsession to safety. Right from Hazop classifications, zoning and the like to the idea of sufficient widths of roads and limiting distances while preparing the Plant layouts it has become a way of my professional life.

In a nascent plant I had devised the Work Permit culture. Prepared HSE  manual. Trained workers on erection site and improved safe working. To implement safety I had sourced some safety gear while I was working in a country where sourcing such material was a difficulty.

Safety First should be the catch word in the industry. I have seen in one plant where I worked minor accidents that occurred could have been avoided should everyone respect the HSE policy and wear PPE at all times when working in hazardous areas and observe safe working practices.

In construction industry I have seen accidents happening because of improper planning and then in one other project where I was in a very senior role I have from the leafs of my experience made safety  a must in the peer review of all planning and made safe working my objective.

I made review of safety preparedness a must before undertaking any job in the plant during turnaround activities and for implementing safety irrespective of importance of the job. Made safety First a catchword.

Work can be made safe, enjoyable and easy to accomplish when it is planned and performed as per safety plan developed for every work.

The Bagging Plant is one of the most untidy areas in a Fertilizer Plant in my opinion. It is the most neglected of the Plant Buildings when I took over. The corrosion protection had peeled off at places. Urea leached into the concrete, The coal tar epoxy coat had outlived its life, the structural steel is badly in need of strengthening, the windows were falling off and hanging from the hinges. The first time after taking over as in-charge and Head of Department in a Fertilizer Plant, that I went to check the Bagging Plant I felt as if here is a structure that is crying out loud to be taken care of, had been brutally disregarded and allowed to deteriorate.

I sounded like a doom master to our Director when I said I doubted the safety of the structure and that I should be allowed some additional budget to set the structure right. The Executive Director said that it was my botheration to set the structure right if I felt, within the sanctioned budget of my department.

I clicked and snapped photographs to study the structure in detail and mark up drawings to see the structural details- the rebar, the design and see how I could strengthen the structure to increase the life of the building- a vital installation in a thriving plant.

To understand how much the reinforced concrete is leached with Urea I had cut cores from RC floor and sent out for analysis- to my surprise the RC was leached to a large extent. I sent some sections of rebars for analysis and found that the original section was reduced by almost 15% in area, the steel plates were showing signs of lamination, the list goes on. Armed with the reports I again approached the Director who was concerned but he said that he had faith in me and wanted me to do something- yet he did not give me any money to do it.

I sent my staff on a mission to search the material yard all steel they could get and started to work on my budgets to see how I could save some money  out of on going works and annual commitments and allocate some money  to attend to the repairs of Bagging Plant.

The sections that were showing signs of distress I had to attend immediately and upgraded the corrosion protection.

I had given a facelift to the structure by effectively using some steel in the scrap yard as well as some sections of hot rolled structural steel at minimal cost to just increase the service life of the structure as much as possible.

I have left that plant in 2002 and I do not know if it got its structural enhancement as originally contemplated and reported. But I think I had done something for the Bagging Plant to enhance the service life that I think is worth mentioning.

I had added a bucket elevator to reclaim the urea spill on the floor of the Bagging section and reduced accumulation of urea on floor. This bucket elevator was lying in the yard  and was not installed earlier. This way the urea wastage was reduced and increased savings as well.

The Bagging Plant got a good facelift in my opinion during my time and I made it a point to visit it as often as possible to only ensure structural safety and integrity.

Every designer has a dream- to be able to design and build. Mere filling pages of design documents does not give the thrill. Even a small design project is like a new born baby and as a designer I felt each is special in its own way.

Be it a small foundation for a pump under the yard or a compressor foundation, small residential building to a high rise, modification to repair/rehabilitation everything presents unique opportunities.

I always thought that the best design is the one that meets the requirements and gives optimum value to the end user.

When I started my career, I had to design a small retaining wall of about 21 m long about 5 m away from a warehouse to safeguard the foundations of the warehouse and provide a ramp to connect to the road as a drive way;  mainly because the neighboring area was  excavated about 1.5 m below the finished floor level of the warehouse. I insisted on visiting the site. After visiting I made notes and  that night I dreamt of the type of wall I should design.

The next day I again insisted on visiting the area, the client thought I missed some vital details but I was only going there to see whether I could design as I dreamt.

The rainwater from the ramp would flood the road and create puddles near the side entrance to the warehouse. The warehouse was housing the finished goods.

I found the second visit was a vital visit as I saw that I had an alternative solution to fix the problem. I could have just designed the retaining wall and created a ramp to connect to the road and but that would not be a complete solution. A design assignment does not mean just fixing the parts it means it has to be a part of the whole.

Something I learnt then that as a designer I have to see the whole and the part and see whether the part becomes a part of the whole and the whole with the part designed becomes complete or not.

Since then I would welcome dreams as the subconscious mind gives food for thought- gives alternatives, makes one visualize the work and most of all gives a sense of involvement. No design can be complete without personal involvement. Be a part of the design assignment, to give life to a structure one needs to dream.

Welcome dreams to be a good designer.

In 2005, in one of the plants we had to erect used vertical SS lined tanks procured and convert into Latex Tanks. The Latex is used in the carpet manufacturing. The work involved – foundation design for tanks, tanks modified, foundations built, tanks erected and commissioned.

The area chosen was a fill site is never known and once excavation started I realized that the area was a low lying area filled up with debris, carpet waste and clippings. The firm ground was 1.2 to 1.8 m below the grade. The tanks were like 100 tons capacity each and the foundations would be loaded more than 110 tons on three legs. since the tanks were to be erected by the side of each other and alongside a building it had to be re-designed considering that the firm ground was 1.2 to 1.8 m below the grade.

The exact weight of the tank is also unknown as it was procured from an agency that was disposing off its assets. The tanks were double walled with SS internals. Certain modifications were done to use for storage of latex like stirrer installed, manholes made, outlet and inlet locations strengthened etc. All in all the weight of individual tank as estimated was 110 tons ( maximum operating).

I designed the foundations and got them cast with a local contractor. After the sides of foundations were coated with bitumen paint backfilling was done.

Then the tanks were erected. The tanks were later commissioned and it made a great impact on production.

I shall post few photographs in due course.

Every design problem brings with it a new direction, new angle,  new thinking and effort to understand the elements. Takes time but it means lots of study to get there. Once mastered everyone who has been explained see it as if it is child’s play. Flying and airplanes are now seen as if it is common thing- imagine how it would have been in 1903 and imagine how Leanardo might have seen it at a time – at least Chariots of Gods by Eric Von Daniken was not there to influence Leanardo.

To just ignore the fact that a designer is like a creator retelling the story a different way. The first time I saw the twisted torso in Malmo, Sweden I felt very much wonderstruck at the idea, how brilliant it is, how wonderful it looks.

When I saw the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Taj Mahal in India, Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Giza, Dom in Milan Italy,  and many others I felt very elated that here are designers par excellence who created master pieces, we remember the buildings but don’t remember the designers, the architects- we do remember the rulers and kings who supported such great  undertakings but never the main people behind the design, etc

We do forget to recognize the individual or individuals who contributed to our understanding, who made an impact, who created and made it happen. With modern construction methods, tools and means we can create edifices, but without them building something that is so gigantic and so wonderful is something everyone needs to appreciate.

These unknown creators, unknown architects, designers remain unknown as the seeker of knowledge does not crave for recognition. But can we apply that to now. The present situation is so different- people are ready to grab at the drop of a kerchief the work done by others, take credit for things they never did, spread lies and become big.

The creator of World Wide Web did not crave for recognition and is too humble and so too many others who created the magic of the web, the many tools that we use, the many programs that are available to us- some one else en cashes and earns millions through manipulations and mercenary intentions.

But truth always triumphs. Though it takes in some case ages but yet it does triumph ultimately.

Are we ready to embrace the truth is a question we need to ask ourself. Give credit to the right person for work done at least let us be honest.

In 1993, a separate five member cell was created for implementing the expansion project and I was one of them.
We started with basic work like defining the grade for the plant, integration with the existing plant, debottle-necking required, the services and utilities, the location, limiting distances etc all were to be thought of, easements, tie-in points, requirements, safety, barricading etc.
The one thing that we were certain is about the Technology, process license and so proceeded with more than minimal information in such stages when we were not even sure of expansion. It was just pitching that we are geared to undertake the expansion.
A similar team at Corporate Level is created in 1993 with few engineers to champion the case and secure expansion – sanction of funds, approvals, licenses etc.
While you are working towards doing good to society there are always impediments- this is an universal rule and this expansion project was no exception.
In most Process Industries once a project is built one tends to be like a Pheonix. One rises from one’s ashes to execute the project and once built becomes ash again- loose identity in the vast labyrinths of hierarchy.
I do not know why only pyramidal structures are thought of in all management books on organization structure which never is the case in practice. All management study I believe is an attempt to understand the cause but end up being causative to more confusion (by the way I myself have an MBA- I enjoyed studying). We had a host of managers, deputies, assistant and so on- a whole list of fancy designations. One could not jump the sequence however one might prove to be truly worthy. Only people with connections, manipulations, dubious means move ahead only to end up in situations where they hit the ceiling and burn out because their motivation is not of learning but of rising in corporate world at the behest of others work. To shine in the borrowed light of the great is one desire of the weak. Like moon they wax and wane.
Coming to the point- this project started off with few hiccups and slowly we were on the track to execute. Leadership was an issue and slowly vital people left for greener pastures. HR guys live in their own world – oblivious to reason. But these positions were filled up immediately- however caused some consternation- people were more willing to give up than work towards the project execution. We slogged and slogged. Doggedly built and commissioned the plant.
Interference from all corners, lack of leadership, motivation, screw-ups, all contributed to frustration- yet there is nothing that is impossible to achieve.

The Plant after having been built had to be commissioned and after lots of toil we did system testing and hooked up when we noticed red urea. It was so disappointing- then we washed the bi-carbamate tanks, flushed the lines, drained the tanks and so on and after 8 hrs of such work again hooked up the system at about 2 AM we had fine white prills of urea on the scrapper floor and on the conveyors. We then sent samples for testing and found the grade to be perfect.

There was jubilation and we celebrated in the control room and the whole night passed away peacefully.

It is another project that I had participated that was successfully commissioned.

In two sites I had to dredge and reclaim. One site required about 2.7 million cubic meters spread over an area of about 40 hectares and the other very small quantity of 50,000 cubic meters in a thickly populated area along an expressway spread over an area of about 3 hectares.

The dredging in one case was from a burrow pit and in other was from Lagoon. In one case the discharge line was 3 km while in other it was 1.8 km. Both works were done by a IHC Beaver cutter suction dredgers.

There were teething problems in the dredging work of 2.7 million cubic meters work due to insufficient water in the burrow pit. So had to dig trenches to Lagoon and also from the dredging site to recycle he water. The situation improved and dredging continued.  By recycling we reduced the environmental impact and also it boosted production.

Numerous problems later the work of 2.7 million cubic meters has moved ahead and was completed.

While the 50,000 cubic meters work did not have any problems and was completed in 1.5 months and the area fill was allowed to settle.

Both areas are now ready for further development. The area with larger fill is for development of industrial area while the other was for development of high rise building for office and residential purposes.

I shall post photographs of these works later.

In 1997, I was entrusted to build a parabolic silo that was 300 m long in six sections of 50 m length, 50 m from hinge point to hinge point and crown at 22 m elevation from grade level.

It was a very interesting job.

The design was like a two hinged arch inclined around 52 deg to horizontal (ground surface) on the inside or 38 deg to vertical with arch beams and RC walls 110 mm at the base to 75 mm at the crown. An expansion joint at 5.5 m above grade on both sides running longitudinally. There was a reclaiming conveyor on one side (which was like provided almost about 200 m long)  and the distribution conveyor  running at the center of the silo almost the entire length. The end wall on one side towards the conveyor system had a beam- column structure and wall that was designed as a retaining wall. The other side end wall towards the entrance had a deep beam like an end plate and beam and column arrangement till 6  m elevation above grade and  below that is an opening with hinged doors approximately was 8 m wide. The central section of the floor had RC I beams that formed the foundation for the Scrapper. Over these I Beams were fixed rails of 90kg weight /m.

The inside of the silo concrete was coated with coal tar epoxy ( not any more recommended) and the rails were fixed with epoxy grouted bolts and aligned such that the 6 mm tolerances both across the rails and longitudinally  is maintained. The scrapper was erected in position.

The conveyors with idlers on stringer beams, tail-end motors, head ends and electrical were all installed and test run.

The outside of silo was coated with elastomeric multilayer water proofing.

The Silo was built in 18 months. I shall post few photos in due course.

In 2002, we embarked on building a world class petrochemical plant in Africa within a Free Trade Zone. Land was allocated and clearing started with earnestness. Equipment was mobilized and the work  inched forward- I write inched forward because in Nigeria, most of the earth moving machinery is what is called Tukumbo (means in local language second hand) ingeniously made to just move;  yet do little- for instance I deployed one excavator whose bucket size was reduced – so load on the engine was reduced. For some one not worldly wise it appears that the equipment is working well- but for me I had to replace this piece of junk from my site.

The trickiest part of the work was to clear about 40% of the area that had thick vegetation and at places was swampy. Infested with wild animals, pristine forest being cleared is a worst nightmare to any Engineer who is a lover of nature. Nature has great resilience and heals itself from abuse.  Every tree that was pulled down, I would say a silent prayer – it was like most remorseful and reflective time – I became philosophical I felt like a butcher about to  kill a live animal. Given a chance I would have left it as it were. I promised myself that I would repay nature and plant as many trees as possible. Lucky for me the group I worked for had a similar philosophy and we planted more trees than we pulled down along avenues, in designated green areas and along the fences. To a large extent I felt relieved.

Coming back to the subject. I was like watching equipment sink, difficult conditions, slow progress and challenged every moment. I deployed at one time 125 pieces of equipment and yet the end of the day the progress was almost like nothing. At other sites that I did a similar work the output was much more and comparing figures I felt very disturbed at the progress. It was a very disturbing time overall.

At one point of time I wanted to deploy buggy excavators meant for swampy places and even requisitioned one from a far away place. The low bed transporting it had bogged down along the highway half way to site. A set back I would not lie low and take. I wanted action. When I was deep in thought I was disturbed by one operator who was trying to speak to me.

This person was Ishiaka, who was an operator of a CAT D225 excavator, a very resourceful guy. He said he could reach the end of the plot but needed my help should his equipment sink and said we should try other way of reaching the boundary. He was serious and then we started looking at ways and means to do it. We came up with a solution  which we had to try. I said to him I would give incentive should he end up at the boundary by the fall of the day.

So myself and this operator worked and planned for sometime and came up with a solution- which was cut all palm trees of length greater than the tread of the excavator- about 100 of them. this he would place in the swamp and roll over the palm tree logs. Excavate the muck while the dozers pushed sand to fill up the space so that the muck would not flow into the hollow. He would then take the other lot of logs to place before the excavator and roll over it, the logs on the rear now he would remove and stack on the filled ground within the reach of the boom. He would repeat it while dozers worked. This was how it was repeated and by the end of the day we inched to the end of the plot. Once it started to work the others also wanted to try. I said everyone of them would try it out once we reach the boundary this way. Wanted to ensure it works.

It was the first sign of victory after many desperate attempts at tackling the mud and I rewarded the entire gang involved in the work.  In  a co-ordinated way they all worked. All operators came to me to applaud for giving them a way to do it. I considered the pressure on the ground due to the excavator, to improve the friction had to use logs of palm trees, checked the depth of the muck, extent of the log placement so that the excavator stays put on the logs and even when rolling of logs in the mud away from the excavator would not sink the equipment.

It was the most exciting moment in the clearing work. Slowly the other operators picked up the art and I declared a nominal incentive to all. Save your equipment from sinking and reach the boundary and claim your incentive. To help the operators and the team I nominated one senior person as  supervisor of the gang. Made plans for refueling of the equipment, water, food etc and work moved ahead. It was like a war front and everything worked with precision and after a while we could see a great patch of clearing in an otherwise dense growth.

It was a very happy moment for all of us to see the area cleared. The muck that was removed was used to create the artificial hills near the Corporate Headquarter.

Few photos are posted below

In 1984, I was involved in building residential complex – a sattelite township for workers and officers in a remote no-industry district, approximately 36 km from a nearest town and 190 km from the nearest airport- so remote that everything had to be sourced from places 200 km radius to build the complex. It had a 25 bed hospital, a school fit for 2500 students, clubs for recreation, shopping complex with 25 shops, expats hostels and guest houses, treatment plants for sewage, bank building and post office, maintenance building, substations, overhead water storage tanks, underground sumps, pipe networks, playgrounds, green areas- all within a gated compound.

It was like a mini- town and had to be self sufficient in order to create facilities for residents so as to attract and retain staff to run huge Fertilizer Plant.

I had then joined them as a graduate Engineer and entrusted with the responsibility to review design, construct and handover the facility.

First job entrusted to me was building the water tank, sumps, pipe networks, sewage network and treatment plants. When they realized that I could be given more work I was also given additional charge for building almost 500 residential units, school, hospital, shopping complex and expats hostels around 1985. Then when they realized that I could be given more responsibility I was given more work with support staff. I was given almost whole of the residential area spread over 180 hectares by 1986.

When the land of 504 hectares was allocated for the Project, the rider was that we would develop about 55 hectares of greenery under the aegis of social forestry initiative.

The entire area of 180 hectares was developed with 18 km of water network, 15 kilometers of sewage, 32 km of drains, 18 km of roads, boundary wall of about 12 km, sewage treatment plant of 60 cubic meters/hr based on extended aeration, incinerator for hospital, scrubber for sewage treatment plant and a host of other things were added and slowly the facility was occupied and reached full occupation by 1990.

Whilst these works were going on I was given additional charge of factory works – design review and execution, quality control etc which are in other posts.

The work was one of building a massive facility with all amenities. One of the photographs of the development is posted below.It brings back good memories, the struggles and frustrations, the suffering (it was a malaria infested area) and the elation in creating a facility in a remote and under-developed area.