At which stage of the process life cycle is the chemistry and type of equipment established?

The stage of the process life cycle where the chemistry and type of equipment are established is during the Design and Construction phase. This is the point where comprehensive planning and design activities take place, focusing on various aspects including process chemistry, equipment selection, and overall system design.

During the Design and Construction phase, engineers and designers analyze the requirements of the process, determine the chemical processes to be used, and select the appropriate equipment to ensure safe, efficient, and effective operations. The choices made in this stage have long-lasting impacts on safety, efficiency, and sustainability throughout the life of the facility.

In contrast, during Research and Development, the focus is primarily on exploring new ideas and technologies rather than finalizing equipment and chemical processes for a specific design. The Operation phase involves running the established processes using the equipment designed and built previously, while Decommissioning deals with safely shutting down and dismantling the facility. Thus, the initial establishment of chemistry and equipment is not part of these latter stages.