Mobile Navigation

Construction-Cost Indices

Cost estimation is a critical dimension of project planning in asset-heavy industries such as the chemical process industries (CPI). Construction cost indices are useful tools in cost estimation and are used to compare plant construction costs from one time period…

A new IO-Link master for the Simatic controller

This company has developed a new IO-Link master for its Simatic S7-1200 controller, based on the current IO-Link specification V1.1. The IO-Link master connects field devices to the controller via IO-Link. The field device parameters are automatically backed up in…

Member Exclusive

Fine Tune the Design of Sour-water Strippers Using Rate-based Simulation

Sour-water strippers (SWSs) are common in petroleum refineries, as well as gas-processing and gasification plants, and are used to remove ammonia, hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide from contaminated process waters. The design of these units is typically done using the…

Member Exclusive

Combining the use of Rupture Discs with Relief Valves

Pressure-relief solutions are commonly used in the chemical process industries (CPI) to ensure safe working environments for personnel and to protect equipment and assets. Relief valves (RV) and rupture discs (RD) are the most commonly used pressure-safety devices and are…

Industrial Control Systems Security: The Owner-Operator’s Challenge

Ensuring the security of industrial control systems (ICS) can be a daunting and complex task, requiring expertise and experience in several areas from a variety of contributors. The rapid pace of improvements to both technology and practice adds to the…

Stuart Bradie becomes president and CEO of KBR…

Kane Sandmeyer Kelley Hambrecht Johnson Pittsburgh Corning Corp. (Pittsburgh, Pa.), a maker of specialized insulation and glass block products, names James Kane chairman and CEO, succeeding Phillip Martineau. R. Paul Sandmeyer III joins Sandmeyer Steel Co. (Philadelphia, Pa.) as materials…

Member Exclusive

Compressors for Specialized Applications

Compressors for specialized chemical process industries (CPI) applications — particularly high-pressure applications (involving large- and medium-sized machines) and those calling for small compressor units — present particular challenges to system designers and operators. This article discusses a variety of engineering…

Member Exclusive

Counterintuitive revamp results

At the 2011 Spring AIChE meeting (Chicago, Ill.), Sean Hennigan of BP gave a presentation regarding a column troubleshoot that yielded a counterintuitive result. A column bottleneck was ultimately traced to the presence of a vacuum cleaner in a tray…

Member Exclusive

AkzoNobel inaugurates membrane-electrolysis plant in Germany, and more business news

Plant Watch Kemira to build sodium chlorate plant for pulp mill in Brazil May 9, 2014 — Kemira Oyj (Helsinki, Finland; www.kemira.com) will supply sodium chlorate to Klabin’s new pulp mill in Paraná, Brazil. Kemira will build, own and operate…

Member Exclusive

Borealis invests in capacity expansion for crosslinked polyethylene, and more business news

Plant Watch Lanxess inaugurates new high-tech plastics plant in Brazil April 10, 2014 — Lanxess AG (Cologne, Germany; www.lanxess.com) inaugurated its new high-tech plastics plant in Porto Feliz, Brazil. The company has invested around €20 million in the facility, which…