Technical & Practical
Guarding Against Fires and Explosions Caused by Self-Heating
The two experimental methods presented here can be used to quantify powder self-heating hazards in layer and bulk conditions in industrial processes Bulk storage of heated powders and powder accumulations on hot surfaces or in heated environments can potentially lead…
Improve Energy Efficiency using Hydraulic Power Recovery Turbines
This mature technology can be used to save energy, generate revenue and reduce emissions With the Paris Agreement entering into force last November, the Parties to the Convention established their goals to implement measures to reduce the amount of greenhouse…
Storage Tanks: Heating and Cooling System Design
Various heating or cooling options are described here, along with the factors and design parameters that need to be considered. A sample calculation regarding coils is included Tanks constitute important equipment in the chemical process industries (CPI). Various types of…
Technology Profile: Ammonia Production from Natural Gas
This column is based on “Ammonia Production from Natural Gas – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/ammonia-production-cost. Ammonia (NH3) is among the most important industrial chemicals, produced by reacting nitrogen and hydrogen in…
Facts at Your Fingertips: Pressure-Based Level Measurement
Liquid-level measurement in storage tanks or other vessels is important for avoiding spillage and process upsets. One class of technologies for liquid-level measurement involves measuring the pressure exerted on a gage by the weight of the liquid, and this one-page…
Powder Testing: Tips for Assessing Alternative Options
The advantages and limitations of three powder-testing techniques are reviewed here Powder testing is deployed to characterize products including pharmaceuticals, foods, metal powders, powder coatings and cement — at every stage of the product lifecycle. The resulting data-support product development…
Proper Use of Conventional PRV Discharge Coefficients
In order to correctly size pressure relief valves (PRVs), a robust understanding of discharge coefficients for vapor, liquid and two-phase flow is crucial A pressure relief valve (PRV) is used to prevent the pressure in a process vessel from exceeding…
Cooling Towers: Estimate Evaporation Loss and Makeup Water Requirements
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,…
Crossflow Membrane Filtration Essentials
Several aspects of crossflow membrane filtration, including process design, equipment selection and control, are detailed here A membrane, also referred to as a semipermeable membrane, is a thin layer of material that selectively passes one or more components of a…
Gas-Phase Filtration Media Properties: What to Know
There are many physical properties that can impact the ultimate performance of adsorbent media in gas-phase filtration applications Gas-phase filtration media specifications may list numerous physical parameters, such as shape, moisture content, bulk density, impregnation level, size and hardness (crush…