Technical & Practical
Powder and Bulk Solids Handling: Particle Size and Distribution Analysis
The size and size distribution of particles are important determining factors in the design and operation of many process operations involving dry particles and powders. Follow this guidance to understand the impact of these key characteristics Bulk solids are dry…
Keeping Your Power Plant Cool
General guidelines for selecting the appropriate power-plant cooling system are presented here The main purpose of a power plant is to convert a source of energy into electric power. Most power plants rely on heat as the energy source (thermal…
Technology Profile: Calcium Hypochlorite Production (sodium method)
This column is based on “Calcium Hypochlorite Production via Sodium Method – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/calcium-hypochlorite-production-cost. Calcium hypochlorite, Ca(OCl)2, is among the few metal hypochlorites that is stable enough to be…
Facts at your Fingertips: Filter Aids
Cake filtration is a common operation across many sectors of the chemical process industries (CPI). In cake filtration, the solid being filtered acts as a screen so that particles of the suspension are retained by the medium, resulting in the…
Emergency Shutdown Valves: A Functional Safety Approach to Selection
The relationship between valve selection and safety certification still causes confusion. A focus on functional safety can help to elucidate Among the many varied viewpoints on the topic of emergency shutdown (ESD) valves, there are several aspects that continue to…
Protect water tanks from corrosion and abrasion
Stonchem 444 is a spray-applied vertical lining system (photo) formulated to resist corrosion and abrasion and protect underlying substrates from a broad range of chemicals, including most petroleum-based products, salts, acids and alkalis. Approved for potable water storage tanks of…
Technology Profile: Vinyl Acetate from Acetic Acid and Ethylene
This column is based on “Vinyl Acetate from Acetic Acid and Ethylene — Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/vinyl-acetate-production-cost. Vinyl acetate (vinyl acetate monomer; VAM) is an important vinyl ester, primarily used in…
Valves: Emissions Standards and Current Practices
New industry standards aimed at reducing fugitive emissions have necessitated updates to valve-testing procedures and a renewed focus on high-performance sealing and packing technologies While reducing fugitive emissions is a leading concern in the fight against climate change, emissions continue…
Facts at your Fingertips: Air Separation Processes
The components of air (Table 1), especially nitrogen (N2) and oxygen (O2), are critical for many modern industrial processes. Primary metals production, chemical manufacturing, gasification processes, clay, glass and concrete production, welding and other processes depend on O2 from air,…
Minimizing Leakage on Heat-Exchanger Girth Flanges
Thermal distortion in heat-exchanger internal components can lead to leakage, but several design measures can be taken to mitigate these concerns Leakage of bolted flange joints results in additional costs at any facility in the chemical process industries (CPI), and…