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Integrity of Aging Assets: Using Corrosion Data to Stave Off Extinction

Petroleum refineries built in the 1960s and 1970s have trouble dealing with the corrosive effects of modern feedstocks. Continuous monitoring of corrosion can prevent process equipment failures Aging assets that are past their original design life are becoming an increasingly…

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Get the Most Out of an Owner-Contractor Alliance

This article provides guidance for setting up a robust alliance between plant owners and EPC contractors to minimize risk and maximize synergies during complex, capital-intensive projects The most meaningful collaboration pathway among plant owners and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC)…

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PVDF: A Fluoropolymer for Chemical Challenges

When it comes to selecting materials of construction, keep in mind the favorable properties of fluoropolymers for corrosive service Since its commercialization in the mid-1960s, polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) has been used across a variety of chemical process industries (CPI) sectors…

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Technology Profile: Acrylonitrile Production from Propylene

This column is based on “Acrylonitrile Production from Propylene,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/acrylonitrile-e11a. The highly reactive compound acrylonitrile (AN) contains a carbon-carbon double bond conjugated with a nitrile group. The chemical became important…

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Facts at your Fingertips: UN Codes for Packaging Dangerous Goods

Shipping and transport of chemicals require specialized packaging to mitigate the hazards that the chemicals may present. Only packages that are certified to have met testing standards issued by the United Nations (UN) Economic and Social Council (New York, N.Y.;…

An Overview of Gas Flow Measurement

Many applications require accurate flowrate measurement for air or other gases. Installation requirements, calibration and maintenance are among the factors that must be considered when selecting a flow-measurement technology The measurement of air and other gases in manufacturing plants in…

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Avoid Safety Pitfalls During Plant Expansion and Modification

Follow this guidance to minimize risk when adding or modifying plant equipment In 2015, construction in the chemical process industries (CPI) soared. Capital spending surged 18.4% and 255 new chemical production projects were announced, according to the American Chemistry Council…

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Liquid-Gas Coalescers: The Effects of Retrograde Condensation

Modeling and pilot testing can minimize its impact during natural-gas processing Retrograde condensation (RC) occurs in multi-component natural-gas streams at relatively high pressures (for instance, pressures above 40 barg/580 psig). The presence of condensed liquids in such systems can have…

Biosludge Drying: System Design Schemes for the Sticky Phase

Drying biosludge from wastewater-treatment plants is complicated by the “sticky phase,” making the practice more of an art than a science. Discussed here are efforts to define the beginning and endpoints of this phase analytically The drying of biosludge from…

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Facts at your Fingertips: Pneumatic Conveying Flow Patterns

Pneumatic conveying is a ubiquitous mode of conveying bulk solids in a wide range of industries, including chemicals, plastics, grain, food, agriculture, mining, power generation and cement, among others. The flow patterns within conveying lines depend on the properties of…