Using flowsheet simulation to model processes involving granular solids — either those that are entirely separate from fluid processes or those that are combined with them — has many advantages for improving the process design. These include avoiding unplanned downtime,…
In today’s environmentally conscious world, industrial energy management is increasingly recognized as an essential business practice and economic necessity, rather than an on-again, off-again activity driven by energy prices and geopolitical crises. In this article, we examine the key elements…
The average large project in the chemical process industries (CPI) overruns its sanctioned budget, including contingency, by 21%. Even more alarming, 10% of large projects overrun their budget by more than 70%. These are findings based on research by the…
Process simulation methods are used to evaluate the performance of proposed distillation systems and improve the performance of existing ones. The most common approaches for modeling distillation processes can be broadly divided into equilibrium and non-equilibrium methods. This article provides…
The alcohol n-butanol is applied in the production of butyl acrylates to supply the coatings and adhesives industries. It is also used in plasticizers or directly as a solvent. It is commercially produced from propylene and synthesis gas (syngas) by…
FIGURE 1 Fire-water pump assemblies are typically skid-mounted to ease installation and operation. Shown here is an example of a skid-mounted, diesel-engine-driven, fire-water pump package Fire-water pumps are critical machines that save lives and prevent chemical process industries (CPI)…
This letter is in reference to the article, Forces Acting on a Gasket [ Chem. Eng. October, 2014, p. 32a]. I need to clear my understanding on the seating stress required for the proper sealing. As per the article, seating…
Fabricated metal-wire mesh is one of the major categories of filter media. Woven metal cloths are often used to support a filter aid coating or a bed of granular or porous material. Proper selection of wire cloth can have a…
Bulk solids are frequently used as reactants, catalysts or products in chemical process industries (CPI) operations. Often, they must be heated or cooled so that they can be handled safely or processed at a desired temperature. Traditionally, heat transfer to…
Experiments are done to quantify cause-and-effect relationships between adjustable parameters (inputs, factors, x) and the results (outputs, responses, y). They help to answer questions like: How do the ingredients and proportions of a mixture (inputs) influence its properties (outputs)? How…