While some aspects of burner management systems may seem intuitive, overcoming misconceptions in their specification and design will help to elevate overall safety Boilers, burners, furnaces and fired heaters, along with any other fuel-burning equipment, are considered high-risk areas within…
Better upfront planning and management can lead to safer, more productive processes throughout every phase of operation A standards-based approach to process safety — one that actively addresses risks across a plant’s lifespan — can lead to safer chemical processes,…
This article describes an approach that uses data analytics for finding and addressing root causes of process deviations that reduce energy efficiency in key plant utility systems, and shares three case examples Discussion about climate change has been taking place…
Cybersecurity is no longer a far-fetched concept relegated to science fiction or conspiracy theories. It is a major and growing global risk across all industry sectors Given the increasingly central role of digital technologies, data and connectivity, cybersecurity is widely…
The kilogram is the last of the SI units (International System of Units) still defined by a physical object, rather than defined in terms of universal fundamental constants of nature. However, this will change in November 2018, as a multi-year…
This column is based on “Acetaldehyde Production from Acetylene,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/acetaldehyde-production-cost. Acetaldehyde (also known as ethanal) is an industrially important, highly reactive aldehyde, mainly used as chemical intermediate in the production…
Do not assume security is extensive enough to protect your critical data and processes. Take a layered security approach using different tactics to establish best practices for protecting network data Almost daily, the headlines tout the latest data breach that…
When multiple operators, co-owners, co-operators and third-party contractors are all managing different engineered systems at the same location, extra care is needed to manage potential environmental issues that may arise The obligations facing facilities throughout the chemical process industries (CPI)…
There are many differences between gas detection systems used for process monitoring and those used for protecting the safety of personnel Some types of gas detectors keep an eye on production processes. Others, relying on a number of different technologies,…
Effective and efficient process operation requires reliable temperature control. This imposes strict demands on the management of the heat-transfer-fluid (HTF) system. This one-page reference provides suggestions for proper maintenance of heat-transfer fluids. Design features necessary to properly maintain acceptable fluid…