Start from the process layout and the solvent handling areas it defines, then check that the electrical classification, ventilation, building construction, separation from other areas, and fire protection on each discipline’s drawings describe the same plant. AI can flag conflicts; the process engineer, the engineer of record, and the authority having jurisdiction decide compliance.
What does NFPA 36 cover?
NFPA 36 is the Standard for Solvent Extraction Plants. NFPA’s page states that it provides design, construction, and operational requirements to mitigate fire and explosion hazards in plants involved in the extraction processing of animal and vegetable oils and fats using Class I flammable hydrocarbon liquids.
NFPA’s official NFPA 36 page identifies the 2025 edition as current when checked on October 10, 2026. Confirm the edition, local amendments, and project scope that actually govern the work. The publisher’s newest edition does not establish local adoption.
Solvent storage and handling outside the process often follows the NFPA 30 guide, and the classification drawings the NFPA 497 guide. Record which areas the owner treats as the extraction process before comparing.
Gather the process documents and the building set
Collect the process flow diagrams, the equipment layout, the site plan with the extraction building and its surroundings, the hazardous area classification drawings, the electrical plans and equipment schedules, the ventilation drawings, the building construction and wall type drawings, the solvent storage and unloading drawings, the fire protection drawings, and the specifications.
Process designers and building designers often work from different backgrounds. Upload the current equipment layout with the building set so classification and ventilation can be compared with the equipment actually placed.
Follow the solvent through the plant
| Review question | Sources to compare | Decision to record |
|---|---|---|
| Process areas | Process flow diagrams, equipment layout, floor plans | Confirm the extraction areas named in the process documents match the building plans. |
| Site layout | Site plan, equipment layout, adjacent buildings | Check that the extraction building and solvent storage sit in the same place on every site sheet. |
| Classification | Classification drawings, electrical plans, equipment schedules | Find electrical equipment inside a classified area whose schedule does not reflect it. |
| Ventilation | Mechanical drawings, process documents, specifications | Match the ventilation described for solvent areas with the mechanical drawings. |
| Separation | Site plan, wall types, floor plans | Ask the engineer to confirm how the extraction area is separated from other areas and that sources agree. |
| Fire protection | Fire protection drawings, equipment layout, specifications | Identify protection drawn for an earlier equipment arrangement. |
Explosion prevention and venting are covered in the NFPA 69 and NFPA 68 guides. These questions come up in manufacturing and industrial projects.
Example: a desolventizer moved without updated classification
Hypothetical example. A plant expansion relocates a desolventizer-toaster to a new bay. The equipment layout and process flow diagrams show the new location, while the classification drawing and electrical plans still treat the new bay as unclassified.
The equipment layout moves the desolventizer-toaster into a new bay, but the classification drawing and electrical plans still show that bay unclassified. Please confirm the classification and coordinate the electrical equipment, ventilation, and fire protection.
The engineer of record reviews the classification and reissues the drawings. Compliance is decided by the engineers and the authority having jurisdiction.
Review a solvent extraction plant with Groundbook
Upload the current project PDFs and relevant specifications to Groundbook. Identify the governing issues and add the applicable NFPA 36 reference from a copy you are licensed to use, where the license permits uploading it. State the edition, amendments, review area, and known exclusions in your instructions.
Compare the process flow diagrams, equipment layout, site plan, classification drawings, electrical plans and schedules, ventilation drawings, construction drawings, solvent storage drawings, fire protection drawings, and specifications. Flag process areas, siting, classification, ventilation, separation, and protection that differ between sources. Use the supplied NFPA 36 edition where applicable and cite both sources.
Groundbook links each potential finding to the sheets involved and the reference you uploaded.
Document review does not classify areas, perform a process hazard analysis, or approve the plant. Those decisions remain with the engineers and the authority having jurisdiction.