5 Recent Skid Mounted Process Systems Projects
When it comes to fabricating process equipment for your plant, traditional stick-built methods are no longer a viable option. As consumer demands for new product variations continue to grow, it has become increasingly important for manufacturers to avoid any lost production, including downtime caused by lengthy on-site equipment checkouts and installations. In recent years, our clients have told us that these interruptions significantly hurt their bottom line.
Skid mounted process equipment presents an attractive alternative. Modular process equipment manufacturing allows for more efficient process system fabrication by creating pieces of skid mounted process equipment. In doing this, entire systems and ancillary pieces of equipment alike, are fabricated and mounted on a modular skid offsite in a climate-controlled shop, a safe and ideal work environment, minimizing downtime at the plant and maximizing fabrication quality.
In this blog, we will provide five examples of skid mounted process equipment EPIC Systems has fabricated in the past 5 years. Among these systems are liquid-powder blending systems, distillation systems, safety shutdown skids, and pilot plants.
Liquid-Powder Blending Systems for Organic Food Preservative
This liquid-powder mixing system produces an organic food preservative for a U.S. biotechnology company. The skid mounted process equipment includes two tanks, an on-demand inline water heater, pumps, and mixers. This system can make product in one tank while washing-out the other. This innovation allows for increased production capacity and flexibility. This skid mounted process system is also designed with a compact, mobile footprint, so it can be transported and located in customer sites around the world.
Additionally, EPIC standardized the system’s designs so that 20+ skids could be fabricated at one time and deployed across the world. The food-grade sanitary stainless-steel systems were also made CE compliant so that there were no worries if being sent to European countries. The unique skid mounted process equipment has allowed the customer to rapidly deploy its product across the world, with hopes reaching their goal of eliminating food waste altogether.
Modular Safety Shutdown Systems for U.S. Refineries
Following an explosion at a US oil refinery, EPIC systems EPIC partnered with Mead O’Brien to execute the turnkey design/build of systems that have been duplicated
and deployed across the US. These skids integrate with upstream and downstream processes to determine if systems are potentially unsafe and if they find unsafe conditions a series of automated valves will shut the processes down, eliminating the risk of an accident. EPIC has fabricated 50+ skids for this project, and the work done by EPIC and Mead O’Brien continues to increase safety in refineries across the US.
Specialty Chemicals Pilot Plant Distillation Column
EPIC assisted in the finalization of design and fabrication for a distillation column that was added to a pilot plant of a large specialty chemical manufacturer. The customer contacted EPIC concerning this distillation column, which was to be added to an existing pilot plant and situated over a reactor that acted as a reboiler. The customer also needed this system to be flexible. The skid mounted process equipment had to be able to process multiple product SKU’s, as that is the purpose of their pilot plant. The modular design of this equipment simplified the fabrication, shipping, and installation of this system.
CO2 Removal Skid Deployed to National Carbon Capture Facility
EPIC partnered with Gas Technology Institute (GTI) to finalize the design and
fabricate an innovative carbon capture process skid. This system utilizes a series of heat exchangers and flash tanks to remove CO2 from flue gas. EPIC designed the skid mounted process equipment so it could be integrated into various R&D facilities across the US. Ultimately this system was deployed to the National Carbon Capture Center.
Using the modular skid mounted process equipment approach, EPIC was able to provide faster and safer skid fabrication and installation for GTI. This system also allows for GTI to pilot their plant and have the flexibility to scale up throughout the testing process.
Global Rollout of Modular Skids for Flavors & Fragrances Industry
An international fragrance company contacted EPIC to design, build, and ship a series of skid mounted systems across the US 
and the world. These systems were all unique, included CIP skids, and up to five batch mixing skids. These systems precisely dosed and mixed a series of fragrances and capsules in order to encapsulate the fragrances.
Due to shipping constraints all the modules were designed and fabricated in such a way that they could be disassembled and shipped within a shipping container; easily reassembled on-site; and required minimal space and effort to use.
Skid Mounted Process Plant Design
In addition to individual unit operations, in some cases, it makes sense to fabricate a completely skid mounted process plant. Skid mounted process plants come in a various sizes, from pilot scale to full commercial scale, and include the same high-quality controls and output capabilities as traditional process plants. To learn more about EPIC’s skid mounted process plant capabilities, visit our process skids design/build page.
Conclusion
Modular skid mounted process equipment is not limited by plant schedules or weather. By leveraging modularization these manufacturers were able to meet their production goals, innovate new products, and provide safer work environments. Modular fabrication typically allows for a faster production schedule, and can ultimately provide cost savings by reducing plant shutdown time.
EPIC Systems has 20+ years’ experience fabricating skid mounted process equipment. From large-scale batch mixing systems, to pilot-scale separation skids EPIC’s team of engineering and fabrication experts are well equipped to handle all types of skid mounted process equipment projects.
If you have a project for our team to look at feel free to call us at 314-806-1678 or fill out a contact form.