Environment, Health, Safety & Security
Vacuum Systems: Recommendations For Safe Operation
This article is the first in a two-part series, in which the types of process vacuum equipment (steam ejector systems and mechanical vacuum pumps) are discussed.1 Emphasis is given on how they are constructed and operate, and how to design…
This waterproof flashlight is for hazardous areas
The LE-217 explosion-proof halogen flashlight is designed for hazardous locations. Its polypropylene body and Tufflex lens are resistant to breakage and water. The flashlight features an oversized faceted reflector to optimize the use of the two halogen bulbs, which produce…
CSB deploys to fire and explosion at Chevron refinery
A seven-member investigative team from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB; www.csb.gov) is deploying to the scene of an explosion and fire that occurred Monday, August 6, at the Chevron Refinery in Richmond, Calif. The team will be headed by…
Achema 2012 takes a forward view
Achema 2012 — the 30th International Exhibition Congress on Chemical Engineering, Environmental Protection and Biotechnology that occurred in late June in Frankfurt am Main, Germany — took a decidedly forward-looking stance, focusing on a set of topics that the chemical…
DOE announces awards to advance clean-coal projects
As part of President Obama’s all-of-the-above approach to American energy, the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE; Washington, D.C.; www.energy.gov) announced today the selection of eight projects to advance the development of transformational oxy-combustion technologies capable of high-efficiency, low-cost carbon dioxide…
CSB releases new video on inherently safe design and technology
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB; www.csb.gov) has released a new safety video that examines the concept of inherent safety and its application across industry; “Inherently Safer: The Future of Risk Reduction” stems from the August 28, 2008, explosion that…
CSB to hold a public hearing on the Macondo blowout and explosion in Gulf of Mexico
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB; www.csb.gov) has announced a public hearing to support its continued analysis of effective safety-performance indicators and to release preliminary findings into the agency’s investigation of the Macondo well blowout, explosion and fire in the…
Overpressure Protection: Consider Low Temperature Effects in Design
Understanding the inherent limitations of current overpressure protection analyses is key to developing a more robust heuristic In designing and sizing relief-device and effluent-handling systems, one commonly overlooked aspect of the performance is examining the potential for low temperatures that…
Working with the CSB After a Major Accident
After a serious accident at a chemical plant, petroleum refinery or other freestanding industrial facility, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB; www.csb.gov) may immediately initiate an investigation, often getting “in the air” while the emergency is still unfolding. The CSB…
Convert wastewater and CO2 into chemicals with this technology
Electrochemical and chemical-precipitation technology from New Sky Energy (Boulder, Colo.; www.newskyenergy.com) allows the conversion of salty wastewater and CO2 from fluegas into valuable process chemicals, such as soda ash, calcium carbonate, sulfuric acid, bleach and other chemicals. New Sky’s customizable…