The numerous flame sources in CPI facilities necessitate the installation of advanced flame-detection technologies Fire is a primary and very real threat to people, equipment and facilities in the chemical process industries (CPI), especially in the refining and storage of…
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…
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…
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…
This column is based on “Economics of Aniline Production from Nitrobenzene,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/products/aniline-production-processes. Aniline, also known as amino benzene or benzenamine, is an aromatic amine with the formula C6H5NH2. It is…
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…