Many indicators point to current success and prosperity for U.S. petroleum refineries, but simultaneously, the industry is facing a future of massive changes in energy and transportation By many measures, the U.S. petroleum-refining industry is succeeding and prospering. According to…
Off-line lab measurements of pH are often used for process control instead of in-line measurements. But as a hot process sample cools, its pH can change significantly. Relying on pH measurement of ambient temperature samples can lead to inappropriate and…
Adjustment and control of moisture levels in solid materials is a critical aspect in the manufacture of many chemical products. Drying can be defined as the vaporization and removal of water or other liquids from a solution, suspension, or other…
This column is based on “Polyacrylonitrile Production – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/polyacrylonitrile-production-cost. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) is a polymer resin mainly composed of acrylonitrile. This important acrylic resin is used in the production…
Determining the field performance of centrifugal compressors can benefit operation and maintenance of the equipment. Presented here is an overview of the parameters that must be measured and calculated for effective testing Compressors are used in all areas of production…
The following recently published titles are relevant to various parts of the chemical process industries (CPI). Fluid Mechanics of Control Valves: How Valves Control Your Process. By Hans D. Baumann, International Society of Automation (ISA), 2019, 125 pages, $99.00. A…
With an eye toward a circular economy, technology developers are advancing a host of new approaches to chemical recycling of post-use commodity plastics Plastics are indispensable parts of almost every sector of the economy, with wide-ranging economic, environmental and convenience…
In hygienic process operations, proper system construction and fabrication has the greatest influence on end-product quality and the success of process validation. Even well-designed hygienic systems can be compromised by leaching, poor internal finishes and mishandled material sourcing and other…
This column is based on “Calcium Carbide Production from Limestone – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/calcium-carbide-production-cost. Calcium carbide is the most industrially relevant carbide because of its important role as the basis…
Uniflow cyclones can be effective solid-gas separation equipment when space is limited. Presented here are design and calculation methods for uniflow cyclones aimed at widening the industrial usefulness of these devices Cyclone separators are, in addition to fabric filters, electrostatic…