Concise tips on selecting the right valve A typical chemical plant contains miles of piping and hundreds, if not thousands, of industrial valves (Figure 1) that are essential for the plant to operate efficiently and safely. Unlike the simple consumer…
Attenuation for high-noise control valves need not be difficult or expensive The world does not lack for noise. It pummels us from all sides, emanating from traffic, political commercials, and your annoying neighbor’s backyard party. Industrial plants have their share…
In crossflow membrane filtration (CMF), feed flow is parallel to the filtration surface (rather than perpendicular to it, as in conventional filtration). During a given pass, a portion of the feed permeates the membrane, while a larger portion is retained…
A new protocol for safer chemical design is helping to overcome gaps in ‘traditional’ toxicology and improve upon federal regulations for endocrine-disrupting chemicals Research over the past two decades shows clearly that some chemicals manufactured for product functionality can have…
Milling active ingredients combines equipment selection, material characterization, and process characterization, with the aim of improving and controlling the properties of the solid crystalline drug substance. These topics are discussed here Milling is a common technique used for the reduction…
Membrane-supported processes can bring many benefits in water-treatment applications where membranes have not traditionally been used Reverse osmosis (RO) is the standard treatment technology for purifying water supplies for potable water applications and many industrial processes. One of four crossflow,…
To ensure that wastewater discharge meets all compliance requirements, plants should adopt a multi-tiered approach, rather than assuming that the downstream treatment facilities can handle all potential contaminant loads Most industrial manufacturing facilities are required to meet strict limits on…
When evaluating capital projects in the chemical process industries (CPI), there are many scenarios in which there are important differences between the alternatives in terms of capital, operations and maintenance and decommissioning costs. In these cases, decisions must be made…
Using proper installation practices and adhering to maintenance schedules helps ensure reliable operation of safety-relief valves Safety-relief valves are critical components of any pressurized system. In fact, a functioning safety-relief valve could be the most important piece of equipment on…
Henry Kister shares lessons learned from troubleshooting distillation towers In my courses, I discuss the effect of column operating pressure on flooding and capacity. There are two counteracting effects: The volatility effect increases in importance at higher pressures and for…