Combustion in industrial burners is a critical operation in the chemical process industries (CPI) for supplying thermal energy for heat transfer, fluid heating, steam generation, distillation, endothermic chemical reactions, metal melting and others. Burners are mechanical devices utilized for mixing…
This column is based on “LLDPE Production via Gas-Phase Process — Cost Analysis,” a report from Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/lldpe-production-cost. Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) is a copolymer of ethylene and longer-chain alpha-olefins, manufactured on commercial scale via…
A major part of field work lies in troubleshooting problems: finding out why a system is not operating the way it is intended. This article provides guidelines for effective troubleshooting and contains many practical examples of their successful use Effective…
When vortex formation limits outflow from a tank, consider a disc-type vortex breaker Chemical engineers have long said that, while it is easy to get liquid into a tank, it can be difficult to get liquid out. Large line sizes…
Two methods are presented and compared for quickly calculating this important, yet neglected parameter Over the last few decades, a considerable effort has been directed to toward the evaluation of thermophysical and transport properties of air for a wide range…
Electropositive filters take advantage of surface-charge effects to filter nanometer-sized particles. Provided here is an overview of how they work and where they can be used Electropositive filters take advantage of surface-charge effects to filter nanometer-sized particles. Provided here is…
A handful of compounds derived from natural gas and crude petroleum are converted into a vast array of industrial petrochemicals. Starting materials for most petrochemical intermediates include synthesis gas, ethylene, propylene, butadiene and BTX (benzene, toluene, xylenes). This one-page reference…
This column is based on “Calcium Carbonate Production from Limestone: Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/calcium-carbonate-production-cost. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is a mineral that occurs naturally in chalks, limestones and marbles. Its largest use…
The latest NFPA standard applies to many industry sectors, and aims to address the fragmented nature of the industry-specific standards currently in place On September 7, 2015, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA; Quincy, Mass.; www.nfpa.org) issued NFPA 652 (Standard…
An overview of the tools available to reliability professionals for making their organization the best-in-class Since the 1960s, process facility operators have made concerted efforts to improve the overall reliability and availability of their plants. From reliability theory to practical…