Moving from engineering student to engineering employee can be a challenge, but there are strategies to help facilitate the transition New college graduates provide a continued source of engineering talent to companies, government agencies and other organizations. However, integrating new…
Chemical recycling refers to a set of technologies that convert plastic waste into raw materials by breaking down long polymer chains into shorter molecules (monomers), enabling the creation new chemicals, fuels or virgin-quality plastics. Key chemical recycling methods for plastics…
Hydrogen requires careful handling. It is colorless, odorless and highly flammable across a broad range of concentrations. As the lightest gas, it rises quickly and can accumulate in hard-to-detect areas. Without proper precautions, even a small leak can lead to…
Pressure vessels are weakened when nozzles must be introduced, and reinforcement is required to compensate. Presented here are two methods for calculating the necessary reinforcement When pressure vessels are penetrated for introducing nozzles, the vessel is weakened and must be…
Conscientious operation and maintenance is critical for steam-generator system reliability. Here, important details for softening and reverse osmosis systems are explained and compared As steam generation technology and higher pressure and temperature boilers evolved in the 20th century, improved makeup-water-treatment…
Air classification of powdered materials offers a way to control particle size distribution in solids-handling operations. Information on key performance metrics and operating practices of size classification equipment is presented here The handling and processing of solid particulate materials are…
Storing energy to smooth the intermittency of wind and solar power can be accomplished in a number of ways, including mechanical (pumped hydro, flywheels, compressed air and others), thermochemical (phase-change materials and molten salts, for example), chemical (conversion of electricity…
Process analytical technology (PAT) approaches allow continuous monitoring and real-time control of processes. Among the key monitoring technologies is Raman spectroscopy, which offers inline measurement that can reduce personnel time and sampling complexity The chemical industry faces new challenges with…
Selecting pressure regulators can be complicated because many different types exist and each has specific functionalities. Presented here is guidance for evaluating pressure-control needs based on process conditions, and for selecting the best regulator Delivering consistently on-specification products is a…
Uncontrolled exothermic reactions present significant safety risks, including over-pressurization of a reactor. Presented here is information about how runaway reactions occur, and what can be done to avoid them Synthesis reactions are a cornerstone of chemical manufacturing and engineering. Due…