Chemical Engineering
Impact of Particle-Size Control on Bulk-Solids Flow Behavior
Crushing and screening of solids are essential to many solids-handling processes, but engineers must be mindful about how those actions will affect flow behavior of the bulk material When it comes to processing bulk solids, (particle) size matters. Almost all…
Tower Doctor: Can the Cure be as Bad as the Illness?
Henry Kister shares lessons learned from troubleshooting distillation towers During a course that I was presenting in Houston one year, a participant asked me the following at the end of one of the sessions: “Do you have experience with BX-type…
Materials of Construction for the CPI
The proper selection of materials of construction is crucial. The example presented here shows how to use standards to help narrow down the options Since the late 1800s, a steady body of pressure technology codes and standards have been under…
Standard Operating Procedures are Critical for Boiler and Steam Operations
An overview on the importance of standard operation procedures (SOPs) and how to write them Today, it is necessary to have standard operating procedures (SOPs) for steam and condensate systems, boilers, deaerators and even steam process units (Figure 1). An…
Digitalization progress and hurdles
At the 7th Connected Plant Conference, held June 25–28 in New Orleans, (CPC; www.connectedplantconference.com), attendees heard about significant progress made toward the digital transformation in the chemical process industries (CPI) along several fronts. However, complex challenges remain as organizations seek…
Facts At Your Fingertips: In-Service Heat-Transfer-Fluid Testing
Regular heat-transfer-fluid monitoring can prevent fluid problems that lead to equipment failure, costly downtime and repairs. Parameters to watch include viscosity, acid neutralization number, moisture, solid or residue content, thermal degradation and flash point. This one-page reference provides information on…
McDermott selected for petrochemical expansion project by IOCL
McDermott International Inc. (Houston) has been awarded a project management consultancy (PMC) and engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) contract for the Naphtha Cracker Expansion (Phase II) polypropylene expansion and new ethylene derivative unit project from Indian Oil Corp. Ltd.…
BASF and Huntsman announce separation of joint MDI production in China
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany) and Huntsman Corp. (The Woodlands, Tex.), together with their Chinese partner companies – Shanghai Hua Yi (Group Company), Sinopec Shanghai Gaoqiao Petrochemical Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Chlor-Alkali Chemical Co., Ltd. – announce the planned separation of…
Air Products to increase production capacity at its LNG equipment-manufacturing facility in Florida
Air Products (Lehigh Valley, Pa.) announced it will be making a significant investment to meet industry demand with increased winding capacity at its liquefied natural gas (LNG) equipment manufacturing facility located in Port Manatee, Florida. Air Products expects that this…
Toray Advanced Composites to expand manufacturing plant in California
Toray Advanced Composites, developer and producer of advanced thermoplastic and thermoset composite materials, announced the planned expansion of its Morgan Hill, Calif. plant operations. The new facility will add 74,000 square feet (6,800 square meters) to the existing campus facilities.…