The equilibrium phase distribution ratio (K value) is necessary for designing and assessing the performance of distillation columns. This paper proposes a simplified approach to calculate the K value that is suitable for preliminary design work and for…
Steam traps have been around for a hundred years or so, and for the most part, nothing revolutionary has come forward to change the basic way a trap functions. Any operation that uses steam to produce a high-quality,…
Chemicals, plastics, pharmaceutical, food, agricultural chemicals, coal and bio-chemical industries have a wide array of processes where the raw materials, intermediates and products are in particulate form. Hazards associated with particulate solids are unique, and in most cases…
Improvements in cartridge dirt-holding capacity has led to new designs, as well as to new equations for filter selection and specification, which are linked to dramatic improvements in the time between turnarounds and filter changeout. Cartridge filtration serves…
Predicting an adiabatic-temperature rise is useful to chemical engineers for a number of purposes. One use is with combustion reactions whereby it is useful for determining the adiabatic-flame temperature. The adiabatic-temperature rise can be calculated for any reaction…
Regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) are commonly used for controlling volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from a broad spectrum of industries. An RTO is basically a thermal oxidizer that uses ceramic media as the heat exchanger medium, providing high…
Accidents do happen. While not everything can be predicted, addressing safety concerns throughout the design of a process can help to prevent accidents from occurring. Designing with safety in mind can also help to minimize potentially serious consequences…
Understanding why rupture disks fail can help ensure that they don’t Even with the best process design, the unexpected can happen. Anticipating this, rupture disks are often installed as the last line of defense against the over-pressurization of equipment used…
Consider these points when selecting and specifying equipment that separates material according to particle size Screening is an integral part of many dry material processes, ensuring an end product that is free of fine or oversized material, or in some…
New crystallization-system designs rely on previous successful installations and rules for scaling-up systems to adapt to slightly different conditions. However, guidelines or rules of thumb have underlying assumptions that might have been ignored when scaling-up a system during…