This column is based on “Methionine Hydroxy Analog Production Process - Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/methionine-production-cost. Methionine is an essential amino acid that is widely used as an animal feed additive, especially…
Companies need more creative ways to deal with complex and ever-changing market and technical challenges Low natural gas prices and high global demand for hydrocarbon-based chemicals have resulted in resurgence in the construction of new and existing chemical process…
Some practical tips regarding the design and fabrication of piping systems and equipment for high-purity applications are presented here Chemical processing, and the chemical process industries (CPI) on the whole, have evolved lightyears beyond their very beginnings — beginnings in…
Proper gas sampling is essential to meet operating and regulatory objectives Flares are used extensively in chemical process industries (CPI) facilities and petroleum refineries, to combust flammable hazardous gases. When designed and operated properly, they provide a proven mechanism to…
Mixing and blending of bulk solids is common in pharmaceutical and food manufacturing, specialty chemicals, explosives, fertilizers, glass and ceramics, detergents and resin industries. This column provides information on batch versus continuous blending mechanisms. Batch versus continuous Batch blending processes…
This column is based on “Ethylene glycol production from Syngas - Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/ethylene-glycol-production-cost. Ethylene glycol, also known as monoethylene glycol (MEG), is a major chemical commodity, widely used in…
Plant layout is as important a part of process plant design as it ever was, but it is rarely taught as part of chemical engineering courses While process plant layout is a critical aspect of chemical process industries (CPI) operations,…
A better understanding of what pressure instruments do and how they work can help improve measurement performance, especially in troublesome applications Effective use of process instrumentation is critical in any chemical manufacturing environment. These instruments are strategically located throughout various…
Be vigilant about parallel pumping conditions that can lead to catastrophic failures During my career, I have seen several massive centrifugal pump failures caused by pump users attempting to operate pumps in parallel without the proper equipment review, procedural review…
Users should consider both options when selecting a DP device. Understanding the differences can help make the decision for a given set of process conditions Differential pressure (DP) measurements are used in many branches of the chemical process industries (CPI)…