Technical & Practical
February 2011 Letters
Steam thermodynamics Brad Buecker’s article, Steam Generation Thermodynamics (November 2010, pp. 44–47), was excellent — good information without getting bogged down with too much theory and formulae. I never had formal education in thermodynamics so some of the examples he…
Inspecting Underground Piping
Piping integrity is always a major concern in the chemical process industries (CPI), but the level of concern elevates when piping is buried underground. Soil conditions not only exacerbate general external corrosion, but also increase the difficulty and cost of…
Design Underground Piping For Safety
Buried piping — especially lines carrying hydrocarbons — shoulders many more risks in terms of plant safety and environmental protection than aboveground piping does. Leaks in buried pipes are much harder to detect and, yet, are no less catastrophic. Ironically,…
Owners and contractors: Key Metrics Improve Performance
Throughout the chemical process industries (CPI), project owners often track key performance indicators (KPIs) to ensure that all participants are able to attain or improve important performance objectives associated with their investments. For instance, for complex projects involving various contractors…
Reboiler Circuits For Trayed Columns
The reboiler generally supplies most of the energy required to effect component separation. If too much heat is supplied, the tower may flood; conversely, if too little heat is available, separation performance may decrease via poor reflux ratio (pinching), excessive…
Hansen Solubility Parameters (HSP)
In recent years, a number of factors have further emphasized the importance of solvent selection in the chemical process industries (CPI). These include the increasing regulatory scrutiny leveled on industrial solvents, and an effort by CPI companies to reduce the…
Consider Wet Agglomeration To Improve Powder Flow
Agglomeration is the process of converting fine powder particles into larger particles by the introduction of external forces. Agglomeration is often desirable because the process yields a product that has a higher bulk density, contains less dust, and has improved…
Get the Most out of Vibration Analysis
With productivity, growth and reliability as constant drivers, the proactive evaluation of all machinery is critically important. In order to gain useful insight, the maintenance team must capture comprehensive data related to machinery operation and carry out a logical interpretation…
Earthquake fractionation
Some columns sway with the wind; some columns sway with the waves. In fact, hundreds of columns now reside offshore, on platforms and on barges. Most dry and sweeten gases. Some distill. The trays and packing distributors of such columns…
Effective Plant Safety Management
Although plant safety should be a top priority every day, there are certain times when extra vigilance is needed to make sure that safety practices are being maintained. This article outlines three periods deemed to be “critical” for plant safety…