Applying mass and energy balance calculations yields critical operating insight Cooling towers are an important unit operation in chemical process industries (CPI) operations. Applying mass and energy balance calculations enables process engineers to evaluate evaporation loss, blowdown and makeup-water requirements,…
Detection of gases is a critical task in many chemical process industries (CPI) facilities to avoid hazards to personnel and to the environment. Gases may present risks of explosion, flammability, toxicity, environmental pollution and displacement of breathable air. This one-page…
How to protect, preserve and enhance workers’ safety Safety eyewear (Figure 1) is among the most prevalent types of personal protective equipment (PPE) worn across the chemical process industries (CPI). It protects an individual’s most valuable sense — vision —…
Pneumatically conveyed solid materials inevitably impact pipe walls and other particles, which can create processing and equipment problems. Provided here is an outline of potential problems related to particle impacts and the physics behind them Among the defining features of…
A look at the hidden dangers of lens fogging and how to prevent them Fogging is the number one problem faced by safety eyewear users in the chemical process industries (CPI; Figure 1). Across applications, both indoors and out, the…
This column is based on “Sulfuric Acid Production from Sulfur via Double-Contact Process – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/sulfuric-acid-production-cost. Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) is among the most important industrial chemicals, with large-scale uses…
Insights into the basics of process design of atmospheric storage tanks and an example of how to prepare a process datasheet are presented here Storage tanks are widely used in the petroleum refining and petrochemical sectors to store a variety…
Follow this guidance to specify a control valve accurately during the design phase Control valves are one of the most common and important instruments used in the chemical process industries (CPI). They help to ensure smooth and efficient operation…
For intermediate and specialty chemicals, the incorporation of biotechnology-based processes has become a viable option for the chemical process industries (CPI). This one-page reference discusses some of the benefits and challenges of fermentation-based processes. Fermentation advantages Among the potential advantages…
From initial conceptualization to final calculation, designing compressors requires not only engineering intuition and robust simulation tools, but also a bit of creativity As technology has evolved, so has the refrigeration industry. What were once holes in the ground filled…