Most engineers know what viscosity is, but may have trouble explaining it. To be brief, viscosity is resistance to flow. For handlers of all materials that flow, either while being processed or in an end-use, it is important to think…
Many branches of the chemical process industries (CPI) make use of impact comminution to process solid matter, such as minerals, foodstuffs, pharmaceutical products, and above all, products for the chemicals industry. Impact comminution is also used for coarse crushing, but…
Cooling water systems that rely on cooling towers are a critical component at chemical process industries (CPI) facilities. However, during operation, these open recirculating systems concentrate the contaminants in the makeup water, and as a result, scale formation and biological…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…