Technical & Practical
Facts at Your Fingertips: Crystallization
Crystallization is a method of solid-fluid separation in which pure chemical crystals are formed. Crystallization kinetics consists of three major phenomena: nucleation (the birth of a crystal), transfer of the solute from the supersaturated solution to the crystal surface, and…
Facts at your Fingertips: Valves
Gate Gate valves are designed to operate fully open or fully closed; When fully opened, there is very little pressure drop across the valve, and when fully closed there is good sealing against pressure. With the proper mating of a…
Engineering Practice: A Lessons-Learned Knowledge Management System for Engineers
An organizational lessons-learned system facilitates the transfer of knowledge from one project team to another Lessons learned is a method of collecting the unique and important knowledge gleaned from experience. While most engineers have heard of this often cited, even…
Engineering Practice: Predicting Physical Properties of Hydrocarbon Compounds
The continuing growth in the importance of chemical processing, including oil-and-gas processing, increases the need to understand prediction methods for chemical properties and chatacteristics and the impact that these properties have on unit operations, process simulation and design. A variety…
Cover Story: Making Energy Efficiency Pay
As fuel prices continue to rise, energy management is everyone’s business Market trends suggest that the demand for energy resources will rise dramatically over the next 25 years with the global demand for all energy sources forecast to grow by…
Novel and Conventional Approaches to Sterilization
The techniques used for sterilization have a major impact on product quality and safety where pristine processing is needed The inactivation and elimination of bacteria are pressing issues in the chemical process industries (CPI) where high-purity conditions are needed. High…
Solids Processing: Prevent Caking and Unintended Agglomeration
Learn what causes caking and how testing methods can help identify critical parameters for controlling it Caking occurs when an easy-flowing powder becomes cohesive after storage or transport, forming agglomerates comprised of individual particles that are bonded together. As a…
Facts at your Fingertips: Vacuum Pumps
Vacuum is any system of reduced pressure, relative to local (typically atmospheric) pressure. Achieved with a pump, vacuum systems are commonly used to: Remove excess air and its constituents Remove excess reactants or unwanted byproducts Reduce the boiling point Dry…
Cover Story Part 1: Level Measurement Technologies For the CPI
Plant performance and safety are key issues for the chemical process industries (CPI) and level measurement plays a crucial role in both. Level measurement helps maintain material inventory at economic quantities, improves product quality and ensures a smooth continuous…
Cover Story Part 2: Liquid-Level Measurement Options In the CPI
Many types of industrial processes utilize liquid level sensors to provide the information needed to monitor and control a process. This enables the design parameters to be maintained in order to produce the end product at the desired level of…