What is static equipment? Everything you need to know
Core principles of static equipment
Core principles of static equipment
- Types: Pressure vessels, heat exchangers, distillation columns, storage tanks, pressure piping
- Standards: PED 2014/68/EU, EN 13445 pressure vessels, EN 13480 piping, ATEX 2014/34/EU
- HECHT supplies: Static process equipment in AISI 316L with EHEDG certificate for food/pharma
- Inspection: Periodic inspection by Kiwa, Bureau Veritas, or TÜV compliant with Dutch Warenwetbesluit (Commodities Act)
- Service life: 20–40 years with correct materials, proper installation, and periodic maintenance
Static equipment forms the backbone of every process installation — selection and quality determine decades of operational reliability. Learn more about HECHT static pressure vessels for all process applications, discover our complete line of hygienic static process equipment, and view HECHT CPS containment systems around static equipment with hazardous contents.
FAQ — static equipment
What is static equipment?
Static equipment is process equipment without moving parts. The main categories are: (1) Pressure vessels — storage and processing of media under pressure or vacuum; (2) Heat exchangers — heat transfer between two process streams via fixed partition walls (shell-and-tube, plate, spiral); (3) Separation columns — distillation, absorption, extraction via packed beds or trays; (4) Storage tanks — atmospheric or low-pressure storage of liquids; (5) Pressure piping — transport of media under pressure compliant with EN 13480.
What is the difference between static and rotating equipment?
Static equipment has no moving parts and therefore requires no lubrication, bearing inspection, or dynamic balancing — maintenance is limited to periodic pressure and wall thickness inspection. Rotating equipment (pumps, compressors, impellers, turbines) has moving parts that experience wear and require regular maintenance. In practice, the ratio of rotating to static equipment determines maintenance costs: more rotating equipment = higher OPEX.
What inspection requirements apply to static equipment in the Netherlands?
In the Netherlands, in accordance with the Commodities Act Decree on Pressure Equipment and BRZO (Severe Accident Hazard Decree) for pressure vessels above PED threshold values: (1) Inspection upon commissioning by a recognized inspection body (Kiwa, Bureau Veritas, TÜV); (2) Periodic re-inspection every 2–10 years depending on category and medium; (3) Annual owner inspection compliant with inspection plan. For BRZO facilities, additional requirements apply in accordance with NEN 3140 and NPR 7910-1 for electrical safety.