Operations & Maintenance
Tower Doctor: Can Trash Interfere With a Cure?
Henry Kister shares lessons learned from troubleshooting distillation towers Construction of new production units has an undesirable byproduct: trash. Sometimes the hard question is— Who will clean? The author was the startup superintendent on a new unit in an olefins…
Vent Away Condensate Pump Frustrations In A Flash
The guidance provided here can help to mitigate problems occurring in pumping systems used for condensate recovery Condensate recovery is crucial to energy reduction and water conservation in a steam-using plant. It reduces effluent discharge and treatment requirements, as well…
More Sustainable Cleaning Solutions Increase Efficiency
Processors no longer need to sacrifice efficiency or effectiveness when selecting eco-friendly housekeeping methods Commitment to environmental, social and corporate-governance programs coupled with a pandemic-induced need for more effective sanitizing are forcing chemical, pharmaceutical, food-and-beverage and other processors to reevaluate…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Predictive Maintenance Methods
Predictive maintenance (PdM) programs can provide advanced warning of equipment problems and potential failures. This one-page reference provides brief descriptions of six common predictive maintenance methods. Infrared thermography Continuous monitoring of equipment temperature over time has the potential to identify…
Corrosion Under Insulation Gets Attention at CPI sites
Corrosion under insulation (CUI) remains a persistent challenge at chemical process industries facilities, but the issue is receiving renewed attention amid a host of technologies, materials and methodologies for detection and prevention of CUI Corrosion of process equipment, piping and…
Centrifugal Pumps:When to Repair, Replace or Modify?
When a pump operates inefficiently, or fails all together, the challenge is to make the most economical decision on how to remedy the situation. Some guidance is provided here Centrifugal pumps are widely used throughout the chemical process industries (CPI).…
Selecting Expansion Joints in CPI Applications
In order to maximize longevity and minimize process downtime, it is imperative to understand the factors that determine the proper selection of expansion joints. The following guidelines can help with selection decisions for expansion joints Although sometimes overlooked or treated…
Boring: Horrible for Romance, Perfect for Process & Control
Managed Services helps industrial organizations optimize maintenance processes, reduce unplanned downtime, and improve overall operational efficiency by turning data into timely, actionable insight. In this whitepaper, you’ll learn how to leverage digital technologies to drive greater efficiency and sustainability, ensure…
Closing the Safety Gap
The chemical process industry plays a crucial role in our modern society, producing a wide range of products ranging from ammonia to sodium hydroxide that are essential elements of day-to-day commodities. However, the production and handling of chemicals come with…
Quantifying varnish removal in lubricated systems
In lubricated systems, varnish and deposits can form on metal surfaces as lubricant oils degrade, often leading to inefficient operations and equipment failure. There are many chemical cleaning products to break down varnish, but the effectiveness of these compounds in…