Technical & Practical
Facts at your Fingertips: Redefining the Kilogram Standard
The kilogram is the last of the SI units (International System of Units) still defined by a physical object, rather than defined in terms of universal fundamental constants of nature. However, this will change in November 2018, as a multi-year…
Technology Profile: Ethylene Dichloride Production
This column is based on “Ethylene Dichloride from Ethylene and Chlorine,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/edc-e11a. Ethylene dichloride (also known as 1,2-dichloroethane, as well as EDC and DCE) is by far the most widely…
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…
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…
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)…
Maintaining heat-transfer-fluid quality
Effective and efficient process operation requires reliable temperature control. This imposes strict demands on the management of the heat-transfer-fluid (HTF) system. This one-page reference provides suggestions for proper maintenance of heat-transfer fluids. Design features necessary to properly maintain acceptable fluid…
Selection of Silos for Bulk Storage
To determine what kind of storage silo is best for your site and your materials, begin by answering the following five questions Selecting a silo for your bulk-solids storage needs isn’t like picking out a pair of socks. It’s a…
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…