FEATURE REPORTS
Topic: Asset Lifecycle Management for Valves
Summary: Asset strategies usually define how assets will be treated in the different phases of an asset lifecycle, from acquisition through disposition, and include corrective action for deficiencies. Valves not yet installed will have a set of engagement strategies that differ from in-service valves, decommissioned valves prepped for sale, versus disposition of the asset.
On the other hand, preventative maintenance (PM) strategies are a subset of the asset strategies that focus specifically on failure prevention: filter replacements, visual inspections, oil changes/analysis, vibration analysis and the resulting interventions to forestall a decline in performance. PM strategies and their relationship to overall asset strategies will be the focus of this article.
Related equipment and services: Valves, actuators and other associated components; sensors, software and other tools used to collect data and set up predictive maintenance schedules
Relevant industries: All sectors of the CPI use valves
Topic: Heat Exchange
Summary: Many industrial processes require heating or cooling and precise temperature control. Often, a heat transfer fluid (HTF) is utilized to achieve this goal. The use of such fluids may imply certain risks for employees and the environment, depending on the characteristics of the HTF. Beside the immanent risk deriving from high temperatures and elevated pressures also the chemical nature of the HTF in use will result in additional risks. This article will provide information to help illustrate how to properly handle and maintain HTF systems with hazardous properties.
Related equipment and services: Heat-transfer fluids, heat-transfer system components, temperature measurement devices and sensors
Relevant industries: Heat transfer fluids are used in many CPI sectors
NEWSFRONT
Topic: Turquoise Hydrogen
Summary: Interest in low-carbon hydrogen production is surging because of its potential as an energy source that does not emit greenhouse gasses. Low-carbon hydrogen production has come to be defined by a range of colors that correspond to the method of production. Blue hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced by steam methane reforming (SMR) that includes carbon capture and storage. Green hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced by direct electrolysis of water using renewable energy. Turquoise hydrogen refers to hydrogen produced by methane pyrolysis, with the co-production of solid carbon materials. This Newsfront article will focus on technological progress toward commercial production of Turquoise hydrogen.
Related equipment and services: Reactors, burners, solids-handling equipment, fuel cells, hydrogen transport and storage technologies
Relevant industries: Hydrogen, renewable energy, petrochemicals, petroleum refining, rubbers and so on
Topic: Modular Construction
Summary: Modular construction of production units and process skids has gained popularity in the CPI due to its benefits, including speed of delivery and predictability of cost and schedule. The term “modular” can apply to anything from a simple, pre-assembled process unit to larger skid modules that form entire production lines to multiple container modules joined together to construct an entire facility. Modules can be simple, off-the-shelf units or complex custom-engineered solutions. This article looks at the trends and challenges driving the implementation of modular units in the CPI.
Related equipment and services: Engineering and design firms who fabricate and supply skids; simulation and design software
Relevant industries: All sectors of the CPI might employ modular construction
FACTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Topic: Milling
Summary: Milling is a critical unit operation in the production of solid materials because it allows control over particle size and particle-size distribution. These properties help determine product performance properties, such as solubility, powder flowability and others. This one-page reference will review various types of milling equipment, and their common uses.
Related equipment and services: All types of mills, such as jet mills, hammer mills, pin mills and others, as well as solids handling equipment, powder testing devices and dust control systems
Relevant industries: Pharmaceuticals, chemicals, foods, supplements, agriculture, biomass, mining and other areas where solids are produced or handled
FOCUS
Topic: Industrial Housekeeping
Summary: For all chemical process plants, maintaining safe operations for workers, and managing industrial hygiene and housekeeping, are a high priority. This product roundup features equipment and systems that are used to safeguard operations and personnel
Related equipment and services: Spill-prevention and cleanup kids, barrier and protective structures, ventilation equipment, fire-prevention equipment, lighting, noise reduction, general cleaning products, waste-disposal products, lubricants and solvents, personnel-protective gear and more.
Relevant industries: All sectors of the CPI requirement effort to maintain safety and industrial hygiene
Editorial material for consideration should be sent to Gerald Ondrey, senior editor (gondrey@chemengonline.com) before October 5.
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER
Topic: Regulatory Compliance
Summary: Industry regulations, with their dynamic and ever-evolving nature, serve as both protectors and puzzles. They protect the environment, public health, and even the integrity of global markets. Yet, for professionals working deep within industrial confines — especially engineers involved in chemical processing — these guidelines often present intricate challenges that need untangling. Understanding these regulatory intricacies is more than just a professional requirement. It’s a cornerstone to ensuring that the chemical industry not only remains compliant but also thrives. This article seeks to shed light on this landscape, providing practical guidance for those at the frontline of chemical processing, and emphasizing the pivotal role they play in blending compliance with business growth.
Related equipment and services: Software, instrumentation and other tools designed to help sites comply with environmental and safety regulations
Relevant industries: All CPI sectors must meet regulatory compliance
APPLIED TECHNOLOGIES
Topic: Solids Flow Measurement in Specialty Chemicals
Summary: Sensing-plate weighing systems are often used for weighing free-flowing and very dusty bulk materials. Such solids flowmeters ensure reliable determination of material throughput rates even in harsh environments. This article describes an Austrian specialty chemicals manufacturer that is employing continuous flow measurement for process optimization of its additive production as well as for overload protection of separating sieves — over a wide measuring range.
Related equipment and services: Sieves, load cells, solids flowmeters
Relevant industries: All sectors of the CPI that work with powders and bulk solids