Conceptual design is the first or a very early phase of the design process. The conceptual design of a project involves the choosing of a certain solution among the many possible which must be studied in order to solve a particular problem. In the conceptual design phase designers explore ideas for the project using a variety of technology and process to achieve project goals and overcome project limitation including site plan, project budget, local regulation, level of automation and operating cost.

The following documents are provided during the phase of the conceptual design:

• Process flow diagram for definition of the functionality, capacity and configuration of the system or plant.
• Basic 2D layout with optimized arrangement of process equipment and building
• Utility requirement list for dimensioning the energy supply systems
• Plant inlet and outlet specifications
• Production plan und capacity analysis
• Milestone schedule for the project