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Processing & Handling

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Reliable Operation and Sealing of Agitators

Mechanical seals, as required by most vessel agitators, are systems sufficiently complex to warrant a good understanding by engineers and appropriate training for operators To ensure safe and reliable agitator operation, the sealing of the rotating shaft is of fundamental…

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Mixers: Four Innovations Worth a Closer Look

Many factors can impact the success of mixing in chemical process operations. The design breakthroughs profiled here address some of the most commonly encountered issues The last few decades have not lacked for innovations in mixing technology. As the chemical…

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Styrene-Butadiene Rubber Production By Intratec Solutions

This column is based on “Styrene-Butadiene Rubber Production: Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec Solutions that can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/styrene-butadiene-rubber-production-cost. Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) is an elastomer that was originally developed prior to World War II as a replacement…

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Methanol Production from Natural Gas

This column is based on “Economics of Methanol Production from Natural Gas,” a report published by Intratec Solutions. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/products/methanol-production-processes. Methanol (methyl alcohol) is an important chemical commonly used as a solvent, as a starting material…

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New Possibilities in Upstream Milk Processing

While thermal treatment remains king, new alternatives for processing milk are promising a number of benefits to the dairy industry The dairy industry faces a daunting challenge. It has to produce — at an affordable price — milk and milk…

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Harnessing Biotechnology: A Practical Guide

 Biotechnology is increasingly proving its ability to address chemical industry challenges. An engineering-focused approach — bioengineering — is vital to successful industrial application For those undertaking overall process design and implementation for intermediate and specialty chemicals, the incorporation of biotechnology-based…

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Synthetic Biology for Chemical Production

Rapidly expanding computational power and decreasing costs for DNA sequencing and synthesis have made synthetic biology tools more accessible to chemical makers Not long ago, the late former Apple CEO Steve Jobs said, “I think the biggest innovations of the…

Designing for distillation

I read your article “Flooded Condenser Controls: Principle and Troubleshooting” [ Chem. Eng., January 2016, pp. 37–49]. The article was very informative. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. I need your guidance related to Figure 4b. In the…

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CPI Demands Pumps with Lower Lifecycle Costs

Improved designs result in leak-free, reliable, longer-lasting pumps Because pumps move media through reactors, valves and piping, they serve as “the heart” of any process in which they are placed. So, whether the pump is a large sump pump, a…

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Materials Management — Evolving the Process for an Evolving Marketplace

The case examples presented here show that proper planning, communication and execution of tasks can add value and reduce unintended negative consequences for many capital-intensive projects Materials management means something different to different groups of people. For the engineering and…