Technical & Practical
Volatility, Value and Visibility: Rethinking Raw-Material Strategies
Due to current global conditions, raw-material considerations — volatility in particular — are now being taken into account earlier, and integrated more intimately, into project planning and management strategies Over the past few years, raw materials have moved from the…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers
Flexible intermediate bulk containers (fIBCs) are large, collapsible woven containers designed for transporting and storing of dry, flowable materials, such as powders, grains and granules, in industrial settings. This one-page reference summarizes the available options for flexible IBCs. Normally made…
Customizing Bulk-Solids Mechanical Conveyors for the CPI
For effective mechanical conveying of bulk solids in the chemical process industries (CPI), equipment should be tailored to the specific needs of the solids-handling application The sheer diversity of bulk-solid materials encountered across the chemical process industries (CPI), including agricultural…
Recent Updates to Non-Metallic Piping Standards
As applications, risks and materials continue to evolve, it is vital that engineers stay abreast of revisions to the standards that govern non-metallic piping systems Recent advancements in standards developed by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME; New York,…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Biocompatible materials
Biocompatible materials are designed and engineered to be introduced into the human body, either temporarily or permanently, as part of a medical device, to bring about therapeutic medical benefits. Biocompatible materials include various types of metals, ceramics, polymers and composite…
What HAZOP Information Really Represents — and How It Should Be Managed
HAZOP data management should be treated as a systemic process-safety issue, as it can be a significant and invisible source of inefficiency. This article describes the principles required to create HAZOP records that can stand on their own over time…
The Role of Flowability in Powder and Bulk-Solids Safety
Flow behavior of solid materials can have a significant impact on safety. These case studies illustrate how a better understanding of flow behavior can reduce safety risks At least 75% of chemical process and manufacturing operations involve bulk solids in…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Generative AI Use Cases in the CPI
Many in the chemical process industries (CPI) view generative artificial intelligence (genAI) as a powerful augmentation layer for the modern chemical workforce, and one that can unlock insights faster, lead to leaner operations and provide a more intuitive interface between…
Drive to Zero Process Safety: Mapping Cultural Risk Factors
Proactive culture evaluation closes the gap between root causes and cultural factors to promote sustainable safety leadership while also preventing recurring accidents and chronic incidents Incident investigations commonly show that human factors have led to process safety issues. Yet, despite…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Discharging Solids from Bins and Hoppers
The chemical and physical properties of some solid materials render them prone to restricted flow and flow stoppages when discharging from bins and hoppers. This one-page reference outlines common solids-flow problems, as well as strategies and devices that can aid…