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…
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,…
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)…
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…
Whether to remove solid contaminants from a liquid or separate a solid product from a solvent, solid-liquid (S-L) separation is a common unit operation across the chemical process industries (CPI). This one-page reference provides an overview of S-L separation methods,…
This column is based on “MTBE production from Raffinate-1 - Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/mtbe-production-cost. Methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) is an organic compound used mainly as a fuel additive to enhance octane…
The ability to reduce fugitive emissions through the use of strategic design modifications not only protects workers and the environment, but reduces losses of valuable process materials The industrialized nations of the world have all placed increased emphasis on the…
Changing employment situations can leave affected employees trying to redefine their career paths. The positive experiences shared by these authors can provide some options and strategies The corporate world can be challenging because business fluctuates with time, and employment reductions…
Simulations demonstrate the complex, changing properties of materials within the evaporator. Such information can help in both designing and selecting the proper evaporator A wiped film or agitated thin-film evaporator is very effective with difficult-to-handle materials. The evaporator consists essentially…
Properly selected and executed sampling techniques are essential for assessing, controlling and mitigating internal corrosion of pipes and other assets in the chemical process industries (CPI). Key data for evaluating an asset or piping system for internal corrosion include the…