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Environment, Health, Safety & Security

Causes of Overpressurization

The failure of a device or of a group of components can lead to overpressurization and subsequent adverse events, such as fire, explosion, spill or release. The most common causes of overpressurization are listed below. Understanding the circumstances surrounding overpressurization…

Chementator: Bio-based succinic acid    

Royal DSM N.V. (Heerlen, Netherlands; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-542) and the French starch and starch-derivatives company Roquette (Lestrem, France; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-543) have joined forces to implement and commercialize the fermentive production of biorenewable succinic acid. A demonstration plant with a capacity of several hundred…

Editor’s Page: 2008: Climate Still on the Plate  

In a ceremonious sense, the marking of a new year thankfully lets us put certain things to rest and look ahead to a fresh start. At the same time, a majority of the previous year’s challenges are still at hand…

Controlling SO2 Without Corroding the Bottom Line

Among the many types of pollution-abatement systems that are in use today, wet fluegas desulfurization (FGD) systems — also known as wet scrubbers — are notoriously capital- and maintenance-intensive. These systems are widely used by electric power plants and chemical…

Chementator: Fine Particles  

Last month, the European Parliament (Brussels, Belgium) approved a new air-quality directive, which sets, for the first time, binding standards for fine particles. The directive on air quality is one measure outlined in the 2005 Thematic Strategy on air pollution…

Chementator: Bioethanol  

Gulf Ethanol Corp. (Houston, Tex.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7368-541) recently acquired an exclusive license to the vortex-implosion-disintegrator technology developed by Meridian BioRefining (Dallas, Tex.). This high-velocity, high-pressure process can turn biomass into an easily processable cellulose powder in 5 – 10 s. The…

Chementator: A Fat Shortage in 2008?  

Animal and vegetable oils and fats are a key renewable feedstock for making detergents, soaps, lubricants, paints, coatings, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, as well as additives for plastics, rubber and textiles. However, a consequence of the current EU renewable-energy policy is…

Feature Report: The Role of Chemical Engineers in Green Engineering

What we can do to support its goals Green engineering, as explained by chemists and bio-scientists, includes production of energy and materials from "green" feedstocks, such as biomass and microorganisms, with the intent of reducing energy, waste, greenhouse gases (GHGs)…

Engineering Practice: Accurate Wetted Areas For Partially Filled Vessels  

This article introduces a simple yet accurate way to calculate the wetted surface area of a partially filled horizontal vessel with semi-elliptical heads. This information is often needed for the sizing of relief devices. API Recommended Practice 521 specifies that…

Focus On: Gas Detection  

A gas analyzer suitable for hazardous areas Now approved by ATEX and CSA-C/US certifications, the X-Stream flameproof process gas analyzer is suitable for Class I, Zone 1 and Group IIB + H 2 hazardous areas without the need for pressurization…