Several methods and calculations are available for determining particle size and particle-size distribution. This article provides and overview on how to use them The behavior of particulate material is greatly dependent on its geometric properties, including particle size, shape and…
Orion Engineered Carbons S.A. (Houston; www.orioncarbons.com), a worldwide supplier of specialty and high-performance carbon black, today announced that it will expand its production capacity for gas blacks at its Cologne (Kalscheuren) plant, Germany. Orion is responding to the continuously growing…
INVISTA Performance Technologies (IPT; Wichita, Kan.; www.invista.com) and Koch-Glitsch (Wichita, Kan.; www.koch-glitsch.com), affiliates of Koch Industries Inc., announced today an expansion of their partnership to offer the proprietary ExoS technology to customers. The technology allows refineries to generate an olefin…
Minimizing Explosion Risk Where Other Solutions Cannot To run carbon disulfide recovery with the highest safety, a Chinese chemical company wanted to install a tunable diode laser (TDL) oxygen analyzer. But the line size of the pipe at the installation…
This article provides practical guidance for engineers and highlights the importance of combining mathematical skills, domain expertise and proper communications The role of mathematical models in chemical engineering keeps increasing, to the point that some engineers become specialized “modelers.” To…
By focusing on ignition sources, such as static discharges, and housekeeping, facilities handling solids can minimize their risk for combustible dust explosions Dust explosions in industrial facilities can cause injuries, destruction of property, and — as history will attest —…
Producing chemicals and fuels by fermentation of renewable feedstocks can offer improved sustainability, lower costs and greater safety compared to conventional thermal processes. But realizing these benefits depends on a careful assessment of the process economics, and an understanding of…
This column is based on “Polybutadiene Production via Solution Process – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/polybutadiene-production-cost. Polybutadiene (also known as butadiene rubber) is produced from the polymerization of 1,3-butadiene. In terms of…
Paying closer attention to the air-filtration systems of pneumatic conveying operations can avoid losses in efficiency in compressed-air usage during filter cleaning The inefficient use of compressed air in solids-handling processes, such as pneumatic conveying, can waste a significant amount…
Corrosion can never be totally stopped, but significantly slowing its progress can be achieved if analyzers rapidly detect out-of-spec conditions. For a prominent European chemical company, switching from slow electrolytic sensors to almost real-time moisture analysis has made a significant…