There is increasing pressure on industry to reduce both energy usage and the associated CO2 emissions. An important and profitable action that industry can take is to recover more process energy and thus improve the efficient use of that energy.…
I would like to draw your attention to a few points on the November 2008 article, Pressure Relief System Design (pp. 40–45): 1. Pressure drop and pressure loss: The inlet pressure “drop” that the author refers to under Relief system…
As an energy resource, global coal reserves represent 2,000 billion barrels of oil equivalent. In 2007, global oil reserves were about 1,300 billion barrels of oil. World wide, oil demand will grow 40 to 50% by 2030. But coal offers…
Here, we present criteria needed for the intelligent, effective specification of trays for a distillation or stripping column. Among the key parameters and accessories during specification are column diameter, tray spacing, number of trays, number of passes, type of downcomers,…
Here, a design approach for continuous stirred-tank reactors is outlined for both reversible and irreversible second-order reactions Multiple CSTRs (continuous stirred-tank reactors) are advantageous in situations where the reaction is slow; two immiscible liquids are present and require higher agitation…
Ceramic filters are well suited for high-temperature processes that are subject to strict emissions limits, including those for dioxins About Incineration Incineration processes are being widely used more and more to deal with the disposal of waste materials. In many…
In today’s fast track schedules for constructing new capital facilities, the process of designing, delivering and erecting piping often falls in the project’s critical path. This is particularly true for facilities constructed in emerging economies, where the facility generally resides…
Frequently, in chemical processing equipment it is possible to place the shaft support bearings in the chemical that is being processed. In some cases, this precludes the use of oil- or grease-lubricated bearings because the operating conditions are not conducive…
In a fired thermal fluid heater, a thermal fluid is heated by the metal surfaces of a fired heater or fluegas heat-recovery exchanger. Generally, the heat input rate is controlled to achieve some desired bulk-fluid temperature exiting the heater. However,…
Organic-based thermal fluids provide relatively trouble-free service for significant periods of time. However, there comes a time when any fluid (either aromatic- or aliphatic-based) needs to be replaced. Since aromatic-based fluids generally cost more and are complicated to dispose of,…