New technologies can provide competitive advantages compared to established processes, but significant effort is required to transition a promising concept into a commercial reality Many students study chemical engineering with the aspiration of someday inventing an innovative process that could…
This column is based on the report “Polychloroprene Production – Cost Analysis,” published by Intratec. It can be found at the following URL: www.intratec.us/analysis/polychloroprene-production-cost. The need to find a substitute for natural rubber during World War II boosted the development…
The following recently published books are relevant to the chemical process industries (CPI): Membrane-Based Salinity Gradient Processes for Water Treatment and Power Generation. Edited by Sarper Sarp and Nidal Hilal, Elsevier Press, 2018, 366 pages, $187.00. Bow Ties in Risk…
Research and development in the brewing industry is peaking, driven by efforts to improve quality, efficiency and sustainability Within the chemical process industries (CPI), the brewing industry is among the sectors with the deepest historical roots and the most entrenched…
Temperature measurement is critical in many types of process equipment, including reactors, distillation columns, furnaces, heat exchangers, evaporators, boilers and more. Among the most widely used instruments for measuring temperatures in chemical process industries (CPI) operations are resistance temperature detectors…
This column is based on “Bio-Butanediol Production from Glucose,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/butanediol-production-cost. Butanediol (BDO) refers to all butylene glycol isomers. The most common isomer — 1,4-butanediol — is a versatile intermediate chemical…
Petroleum refineries must meet increasingly stringent levels for sulfur content in fuel, but the conventional hydrodesulfurization approach requires high-pressures and temperatures. Alternative Petroleum Technologies Corp. (APT; Reno, Nev.; www.altpetrol.com) has piloted an oxidative desulfurization technology, known as Sulfex, that can…
Increased reliability, chemical compatibility and containment of sealing solutions are priorities for chemical processors Seals and gaskets may seem like an afterthought in the grand scheme of chemical processing equipment, but if you’ve ever been faced with unexpected — and…
Equilibrium data and related information gathered from a liquid-liquid extraction laboratory “shake test” can provide information for process feasibility and column-type selection in the scaleup of liquid-liquid extraction processes Most chemical engineers have had the experience of dealing with problematic…
This article provides a comparative study of two approaches to protect ASME semi-elliptical pressure tanks from overpressure in the event of a fire Calculating the wetted surface area is a crucial step to protect American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ (ASME)…