A three-dimensional visualization tool to support HSE management of chemical facilities

Chemical and process facilities may feature complex procedures to manage health, safety, and environmental (HSE) related documentation in real time. These procedures may sometimes have negative implications on plant management and on inspections/audits. Therefore, the aim of this work is to show the benefits in developing and applying an innovative software framework to support the integrated management of HSE aspects of industrial installations. The tool is a three-dimensional technology designed to monitor and control the activities in industrial facilities by collecting process and environmental data in real time. The software is aimed to collect, monitor, and manage general process variables, status of maintenance and reliability of equipment, and many other aspects related to HSE aspects. A consequence assessment module, based on literature integral models, is also implemented in the software to perform real-time consequences analysis, and to display the evolution of the credible events resulting in case of accident. Either prefixed conditions or real-time input data (e.g. meteorological conditions, information on release features, etc.) may be implemented in the software. Real time three-dimensional consequence assessment may be carried out to support emergency response, training, and also risk based inspection and maintenance activities. The potentialities of the developed tool are tested though the application to an industrial case study.