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Technical & Practical

Pump Safety: Flirting with Disaster

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…

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Sampling for Internal Corrosion

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…

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Re-Establishing Course

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…

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Carbon Fiber Production from Pitch

This column is based on a report published by Intratec titled “Carbon Fiber Production from Pitch — Cost Analysis.” The report can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/carbon-fiber-production-cost. Carbon fibers (CF) are defined as fibers containing at least 90% carbon by weight,…

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Dust Management in Bulk-Material-Handling Operations

Dust management can be divided into three main categories: prevention, containment and suppression. Understanding the key considerations for each can help bulk solids handlers arrive at an optimal dust control solution Dust management is an ongoing issue faced by virtually…

Considering Fugitive Emissions During the Conceptual Design Stage

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…

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Heat Transfer in Wiped Film Evaporators

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…

Coupler Technologies for Secure Chemical Handling

Significant improvement in reducing fluid loss, optimizing flow paths and easing operation are among the advances in next-generation coupler technologies According to the National Response Center’s (NRC) “Spills and Accidents” database, which collects data on toxic chemical spills and other…

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Aluminum Chloride Production

This column is based on “Aluminum Chloride Production Process – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/aluminum-chloride-production-cost. Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) is among the most widely used Lewis acids in industry, and is also one…

Using Excel VBA for Process-Simulator Data Extraction

Engineers can make better use of the results of process simulations by automatically exporting data into heat and material balance tables in Microsoft Excel Chemical engineering projects require process simulation to validate the chemical reactions and mechanical operations of the…