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…
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…
Chemical functional groups are critical determinants of the properties and reactivity of compounds. The following provides a review of the structures of common organic functional groups, along with some notes and examples. Alkyne. Acetylene is used as a fuel for…
Activated sludge processes are inherently complex. Proper system design, operation and maintenance are essential to adequately break down target organic materials Since its discovery more than 100 years ago in 1914 by Ardern and Lockett [ 1 ], the activated…
To minimize problems associated with handling all types of bulk solids, engineers must adopt a systematic approach to characterizing the flow and mechanical properties of the materials under a variety of operating conditions Bins, hoppers, feeders, and conveyors handle bulk…
Transportation is vital to the CPI, so here are some tips to keep your products moving as the market for hazardous-materials shipping continues to tighten All shippers strive to keep costs under control while simultaneously running smooth, efficient and time-sensitive…
This column is based on “Economics of Methanol Production from Natural Gas,” a report published by Intratec Solutions. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/products/methanol-production-processes. Methanol (methyl alcohol) is an important chemical commonly used as a solvent, as a starting material…
Size range is a defining consideration when it comes to choosing a particle-sizing technology for your product or process. However, whether measuring droplets or powders, on plant or in the laboratory, for quality control (QC) or to troubleshoot – there…
Following this step-by-step approach will ensure that the heat exchanger will perform as required when finally fabricated Shell-and-tube heat exchangers are among the most commonly used equipment in the chemical process industries (CPI), especially in petroleum refineries and chemical manufacturing…