The heat transfer sufaces of coal-fired process heaters and boilers often undergo severe fouling. If left intact, such deposits, consisting of slag from mineral matter contained in the coal, can reduce heat-transfer-surface availability, reduce thermal efficiency and cause corrosion. If…
When a flowmeter is needed, the selection process should include studying the characteristics of respective measurement technologies and analyzing the advantages/disadvantages for different plant environments. This effort will help ensure that a meter with the right performance and reliability, for…
Despite the immense value and universal appeal of these additives for product designers, process engineers facing the day-to-day reality of full-scale production face a unique set of challenges. Dispersing these powdered additives into a liquid is one of the most…
Tie-in opportunities are few and far between. These rules of thumb will help make sure everything and everyone line up in time A majority of capital projects today are either debottlenecks or revamps that are intended to increase capacity, squeeze…
Figure 1. Vibratory feeders are particularly well-suited for fragile or friable materials, and hard-to-convey powders Figure 2. Today’s advanced electromagnetic drives address many shortcomings of earlier designs The need to move, convey and feed materials exists in virtually all segments…
A new correlation that matches most commercial trays The sieve tray has been in the distillation market place for many decades. It has been used extensively in distillation columns worldwide as a highly efficient vapor-liquid-contacting device. Many people have examined…
The whole-product-lifecycle approach for flowmeters presented here encompasses more than basic selection Typical discussions of flowmeter selection address specifications, technologies, accuracies and performance, but there are many other steps that are not normally considered. This article focuses on these often…
One of the most important factors to consider when evaluating a specialty metal for use in valves, fittings and instrumentation is its corrosion resistance or corrosion rate of the metal in the target media. Each material discussed here has its…
Evaporation of moisture or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from bulk solids usually takes place in two stages: one in which the drying rate is constant, and the second in which the rate decreases over time. Devolatilization during the first stage…
By continuously monitoring for abnormal situations, such as a fire, and combustible or toxic gas releases, fire and gas (F&G) detection and mitigation systems are the linchpins to maintaining overall safety and operation of industrial facilities. The premise of these…