Corrosion is an obvious factor to consider when selecting materials of construction for process equipment. However, the chemical environment of the process is only the starting point in selecting an acceptable material. A set of other factors can complicate corrosion-resistance…
Changes in the availability of source data for the CE Plant Cost Index periodically necessitate updates to how the index is calculated The Chemical Engineering Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) is a widely used tool for comparing plant construction costs in…
This column is based the report “LDPE via High-Pressure Tubular Process – Cost Analysis,” published by Intratec. It can be found at the following URL: www.intratec.us/analysis/ldpe-production-cost. Polyethylene (PE) is the world’s largest-volume commodity polymer, due in large part to the…
Areas of recent activity for pressure-relief systems include new calculation methods and updates to existing codes and standards. Included here is an overview of recent developments and a look at the results from a recent study of pressure-relief system deficiencies…
Several methods are available for sizing two-phase pressure-relief valves (PRVs). Here, the API 520 homogeneous direct integration method is compared to a potentially simpler alternative that does not require integration Two-phase pressure-relief valves (PRVs) have been studied by many researchers.…
All chemical process industries (CPI) operations involving combustion need to be concerned with the emission of combustion products, due to their potential environmental and health impacts. This one-page reference provides information about several of the most common combustion byproducts from…
The new European Union Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulation explained, and what it means for the chemical process industries The European Commission’s Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Directive 89/686/EEC is over 20 years old and is now being superseded by the…
This column is based on “Isopropyl Alcohol Production from RG Propylene – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/isopropyl-alcohol-production-cost. Isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol) is among the most commonly produced lower alcohols — ranked third in…
A practical look at the need for validation, as well as conceptual considerations and a case study This article addresses the need for experimental validation of computer-generated distillation column simulations , and discusses the main concepts involved with experimental validation.…
Process industry plants install sophisticated air-pollution control systems, but they can be ineffective if the flowmeters on which they rely deliver inaccurate or unreliable data. This one-page reference provides information on measuring the flow of gaseous combustion products in large…