Complying with the Directive 39 requirement to complete and post the Dehydrator Engineering and
Operations Sheet (DEOS) at each dehydration facility can be a very time consuming activity. Tasks
include gathering and validating field data, performing the calculations, and generating and posting the
DEOS sheet. Here are some tips for improving this process:
- Provide a clear data form for operators to complete. We recommend not pre-filling any
information in the forms to ensure that data that is received is as current and accurate as
possible. A confusing or misleading form will lead to unnecessary clarifications and delays.
- Careful validation of field data is a necessary step – whether this is done in-house or externally, it
is important that whoever is reviewing the field data has a solid understanding of the process so
that they can recognize poor data. We also recommend comparing to the previous year’s data so
that unexpected changes (e.g., a different pump model) can be flagged and corrected.
- Once the data is validated, calculations can be completed. Simulation software such as Glycalc
and HYSYS is very useful but is not error-free. It is crucial that close review of simulation results
be done to ensure that results are reasonable. Again, this requires a solid understanding of the
process as well as the conditions under which the simulators can fail to give good results.
- After calculations are completed, the DEOS can be created; it is recommended that significant
departures from the standard form provided by the ERCB be avoided. The process of creating the
DEOS can potentially be automated resulting in significant time savings.
- All field data, analyses, and calculated data should be stored in a common location; while it is
possible to manage separate files and Excel spreadsheets, it is far more efficient to manage the
data in a central database. Managing the data in one location also helps to ensure that the overall
effort of complying with Directive 39 for many units can be managed effectively.
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