FEATURE REPORTS
Topic: Maintenance and Reliability
Summary: Proper maintenance of equipment used in the chemical process industries (CPI) is crucial to preventing failure, increasing profitability and improving safety. Part 1 of this month’s two-part Feature Report on maintenance concerns industrial hoses. Specific guidance is provided on making decisions surrounding hose replacement. Part 2 discusses predictive maintenance routines that can help extend the life expectancy of physical assets, an important factor to consider when making an investment in current sensor technologies.
Related equipment and services: Digital platforms used for predictive maintenance and asset management; sensors and related instrumentation for collecting asset data; industrial hoses and associated connectors and fittings
Relevant industries: All sectors of the CPI are concerned with maintenance and reliability.
Topic: Overpressure Protection
Summary: Issues caused by overpressurized or wet steam can have a destructive effect on processes, resulting in severe erosion and damage to valve components, which are integral components within the factory environment. By reducing flow capacity and eroding the valve itself, flashing can cause unplanned maintenance, reduced reliability, and unacceptable critical safety risks. Similarly, wet steam erosion caused by inadequate drain arrangements, incorrect bypass operation, improper valve calibration or inadequate pre-warming processes can also hamper facility productivity and efficiency. This Feature Report examines the importance of valve maintenance in avoiding such phenomena and provides best practices for facility management.
Related equipment and services: Valves and overpressure-protection equipment used in steam systems
Relevant industries: Any CPI sector that handles steam
NEWSFRONT
Topic: Advances in Steam Reforming for Hydrogen Production
Summary: Despite all of the interest and news coverage on “green” hydrogen, the fact is that most of the hydrogen produced today is made by steam methane reforming (SMR). This process takes place at high temperatures and pressures, and thus requires the combustion of fossil fuels for heating the catalyst-filled reformer tubes. This month’s Newsfront presents recent developments in SMR for making the process more efficient and sustainable.
Related equipment and services: Catalysts, furnace technology, process technology (engineering and construction), steam handling, and all of the associated equipment (pumps, valves, compressors, heat exchangers, process control and instrumentation and much more)
Relevant industries: Many sectors of the CPI require large amounts of hydrogen, including petroleum refining, fertilizers, metals and steel production, edible oils processing, pharmaceuticals and more.
Topic: Software
Summary: Software tools are used throughout chemical plants, from simulating new processes and products to controlling processes, achieving environmental compliance and scheduling maintenance. This month’s Equipment Newsfront will cover some of the newest developments in software products for the CPI.
Related equipment and services: All types of software products used for process simulation, process and product design, process control, data analysis, predictive modeling and much more
Relevant industries: All CPI sectors use software products
FACTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS
Topic: Seals & Gaskets
Summary: For reasons of safety, environmental responsibility and process efficiency, gaskets between flanged joints are critical pieces of hardware. This one-page reference will review important parameters of gaskets in chemical processing applications, including compressibility, chemical compatibility, permeability and others.
Related equipment and services: All types of seals, gaskets, O-rings, expansion joints, as well as leak prevention devices, systems for sealing flanges, piping and more
Relevant industries: All sectors of the CPI use gaskets
FOCUS
Topic: Compressors, Fans & Blowers
Summary: This month’s focus presents the latest compressor, fan and blower equipment entering the market.
Related equipment and services: All types of compressors, fans and blowers
Editorial material for consideration should be sent to Gerald Ondrey, senior editor (gondrey@chemengonline.com) before September 5.
SOLIDS PROCESSING
Topic: Dust collection systems
Summary: Dust collection systems are critical components within a plant’s overall safety infrastructure for reducing the risk of dust explosions. However, dust-collection system designs are often based on simplified rules of thumb, and they may not be rigorously designed like other process units and systems in a plant. Performing a system-level flow analysis can help design dust-collection systems for normal operation, as well as for other operating scenarios when different components and flow paths are online at different times. This article will discuss how to use flow analysis to optimize the function of dust control systems.
Related equipment and services: Dust collection systems, baghouses, fans, blowers, solids-handling equipment, explosion suppression systems, dust safety devices
Relevant industries: Chemicals, pharmaceuticals, mining, minerals, food, biomass and any process involving solid materials
ENGINEERING PRACTICE
Topic: AI’s Role in Biomanufacturing
Summary: Many manufacturers in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors are turning to artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies for process and product development and control. This article discusses the applications for AI in biomanufacturing, as well as challenges that must be addressed before AI’s benefits can be fully harnessed.
Related equipment and services: Digital technologies and software, including equipment used in product simulation, validation and inspection
Relevant industries: Pharmaceuticals, personal-care products, food and beverage, biotechnology