Technical & Practical
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…
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…
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…
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…
Tech Profile: Sodium Lauryl Ether Sulfate Production
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…
Facts at your Fingertips: Seal material properties
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…
Improving Data Analytics in Batch Manufacturing
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…
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…