Follow this guidance to improve the operation, safety and reliability of rotating machinery in chemical process plants Troubleshooting problems in rotating machinery (such as compressors, pumps, steam turbines, gas turbines, turbo-expanders and more) can present difficult challenges during day-to-day operations…
Understanding the chemistry behind corrosion in condensate-return systems can aid in selecting and properly employing the best mitigation technique The importance of steam-condensate return systems to boilers in the chemical process industries (CPI) cannot be overemphasized, especially with regard to…
Successful dispersion depends on a basic understanding of dispersion equipment and how dispersers should be used High-shear mixers typically operate at high rotational speeds and are used for mixing applications that are best described as dispersion processes. They can be…
Dimensionless numbers refer to physical parameters that have no units of measurement. These numbers often appear in calculations used by process engineers. As long as consistent units are used, dimensionless numbers remain the same whether metric or other units are…
Gold mines using traditional cyanide-leaching extraction processes will benefit with the launch of a new technology allowing onsite production of sodium cyanide. The technology, developed by Synergen Met Pty Ltd (Brisbane, Australia; www.synergenmet.com), will eliminate a range of hazardous activities…
Researchers from North Carolina State University (Raleigh; www.ncsu.edu) and Qatar University (Doha; www.qu.edu.qa) have developed a new metal alloy that is claimed to have a higher strength-to-weight ratio than any other existing metal material. The low-density, nanocrystalline alloy — Al20Li20Mg10Sc20Ti30…
Last month, Novozymes (Copenhagen, Denmark; www.novozymes.com) launched a new enzyme, dubbed Eversa, which is said to be the first commercially available enzymatic solution to make biodiesel fuels from waste oils. The enzymatic process converts used cooking oil or other lower-grade…
Researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA; www.ucla.edu) Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science have created what is claimed to be the first surface texture that can repel all liquids, no matter what material the…
Global Bioenergies (Evry, France; www.global-bioenergies.com) says that last month it developed a proprietary strain of microorganism that directly produces propylene by the fermentation of glucose. The company claims this is the first time propylene has been produced entirely by a…
An encapsulated, biodegradable drilling-fluid additive designed to reduce friction on drill bits and piping inside oil wells has been demonstrated successfully in more than 30 wells across North America following its launch in mid-2014. The lubricant product, known as Encapso,…