Mobile Navigation

Processing & Handling

CPI Bookshelf: September 2020

The following is a list of recently published books with relevance to the chemical process industries (CPI): Trevor Kletz Compendium: How his Best Process Stories are Still Relevant Today. Andy Brazier, Fiona MacLeod, David Edwards and others, Elsevier Press, 2020,…

Member Exclusive

Making CO-rich syngas while avoiding carbon formation

Haldor Topsoe A/S (Lyngby, Denmark; www.topsoe.com) has developed a new technology, called ReShift, that can utilize a significant amount of CO2 for making synthesis gas (syngas; H2 + CO) without the traditional challenge of carbon formation. “CO2 addition in HyCO…

Facts at your Fingertips: Heat-Transfer-System Maintenance During Slow Periods

Periods of reduced heat-transfer-fluid (HTF) system operation offer opportunities for mechanical integrity engineers to perform necessary maintenance. Here are suggestions for using the downtime for maintenance tasks. Safety These activities support ongoing safety of the HTF unit. Leak repairs. Repair…

Member Exclusive

Technology Profile: Cumene Production from Benzene

This column is based on “Cumene from Benzene and RG Propylene (Zeolite Catalyst) – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/cumene-production-cost. Cumene (also known as isopropylbenzene) is an organic compound of the aromatic hydrocarbon…

JDA to advance conversion of syngas to ethylene

A recently announced joint development agreement (JDA) between Enerkem Inc. (Montreal, Que.) and NOVA Chemicals (Calgary, Alta.) is aimed at developing recycling technology to allow difficult-to-recycle plastics (specifically #3–7 polymers), as well as other municipal solid waste (MSW), household waste…

Producing hydrogen (and more) from biomass

A new electrochemical system that uses biomass-derived lignin to produce hydrogen has been developed by a team from the School of Energy and Chemical Engineering at the Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (Ulsan, South Korea; www.unist.ac.kr), led by…

Facts at your Fingertips: Cyclone Separators

Removing solids from a stream of air or other gases is an important operation across virtually all sectors of the chemical process industries (CPI). In many cases, gas-solid separation is motivated by the need to reduce environmental impact and health…

Member Exclusive

Controlling Reboilers Heated by Condensing Steam or Vapor

Methods for controlling reboilers in distillation towers are central to good reboiler operation and tower stability. Control valves can be located in the steam-inlet line or in the condensate-outlet line. This article updates guidance for key considerations and practices using…