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.;…
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…
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…
A general overview of industrial photochemistry and the design of large-scale stirred-tank photochemical reactors Photochemical processes complement or may even substitute conventional (thermal) processes. The radiant energy initiates the reaction, for example by forming radicals, and in most cases, no…
Fluid seals for chemical process equipment are commonly made from a host of elastomeric and plastic materials. Selecting a seal material requires careful consideration of several criteria. Presented here are short descriptions of the major criteria for seal selection and…
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…
This column is based on the report “Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate Production – Cost Analysis,” published by Intratec. It can be found at the following URL: www.intratec.us/analysis/sles-e11a. Sodium lauryl ether sulfate (also known as SLES and sodium laureth sulfate) is…
Producing a perfect batch is easy for some products but harder for others. Using analytics to dig into production data can help operators identify where variability might be creeping into a process For many batch manufacturers in the chemical process…
The ability to achieve an optimal steam balance can help to improve the overall thermal cycle efficiency of any steam-production system In any chemical process plant that produces steam, carrying out a steam balance is the most efficient way to…
Understanding boiler performance calculations can allow engineers to improve the operation of their facility’s steam system and better engage with boiler-system vendors Chemical plants, petroleum refineries, power plants and cogeneration systems use oil-and-gas-fired steam generators, fluid heaters and waste-heat boilers…