Experiments are done to quantify cause-and-effect relationships between adjustable parameters (inputs, factors, x) and the results (outputs, responses, y). They help to answer questions like: How do the ingredients and proportions of a mixture (inputs) influence its properties (outputs)? How…
Figure 1. During tightening, hydraulic pressure load within a bolt should be uniformly and accurately applied to avoid gasket damage and other issues that can create leakage Common knowledge dictates that planning ahead ensures effective results, regardless of the task…
Fabricated metal-wire mesh is one of the major categories of filter media. Woven metal cloths are often used to support a filter aid coating or a bed of granular or porous material. Proper selection of wire cloth can have a…
Methionine is an essential amino acid that is not synthesized by animals, so it must be obtained from their diets. Synthetic methionine is traditionally commercially available in two varieties: D,L-methionine (DLM), a racemic mixture of the two stereoisomers, and methionine…
Burners are mechanical devices that are utilized for mixing proper quantities of fuel and air, and also for maintaining a stable flame inside fired equipment. Burners are critical components that must be periodically maintained to ensure the reliability of fired…
SKF USA These all-spherical, two-piece washers optimize bolt mounting for machinery and bolted equipment. They automatically adjust under compression to compensate for up to 4 deg. of angular deviation, creating an exact parallel plane between the inner faces of the…
Charles Ross & Son The CDA-100 dual-shaft mixer is a 100-gal model that enables efficient powder dispersion and batch temperature control in the manufacture of both high- and low-viscosity formulations. The CDA-100 is equipped with an air-oil hydraulic lift for…
PLANT WATCH Kemira inaugurates its largest water-treatment chemicals plant October 9, 2014 — Kemira Oyj (Helsinki; www.kemira.com) has inaugurated its biggest manufacturing plant for water-treatment chemicals. Located in Dormagen, Germany, the facility will produce 14 different specifications of acidic and alkaline…
A group at Texas A&M University (College Station, Tex.; www.tamu.edu) is developing a process that converts organic municipal solid waste (MSW) into straight-chain alkanes, a primary component in gasoline. The four-step process (diagram) begins with a proven industrial waste-sorting method…
Before the end of 2016, Neste Oil Oyj’s (Espoo, Finland; www.nesteoil.com) refinery in Rotterdam, the Netherlands will start producing 30,000–40,000 ton/yr of biopropane. The feedstock is a sidestream from the company’s 800,000-ton/yr renewable diesel-fuel plant. The refinery, which started up…