Ongoing advances in both adsorbent materials and system engineering allow today’s pressure swing adsorption (PSA) systems to produce nitrogen of varying purities and volumes at relatively low cost compared to cryogenic air separation Nitrogen production that is carried out using…
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 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…
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…
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…
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…
Focusing on a ‘reliability culture,’ mechanical availability and optimum costs leads to top performance Three factors drive manufacturing performance in the chemical process industries (CPI). These factors establish an operational culture that creates maximum availability of assets (mechanical availability) at…
This column is based on “Styrene-Butadiene Rubber Production: Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec Solutions that can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/styrene-butadiene-rubber-production-cost. Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is an elastomer that was originally developed prior to World War II as a replacement…