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Engineering Practice

Optimizing Flare Operation Through Proper Design

Flare problems are often caused by the seal systems that are designed to control air ingress. Follow these troubleshooting guidelines to improve design and ensure safe, reliable flare operation Flares are used to dispose of unwanted hydrocarbon gases. One common…

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A Universal Equation for Designing Pipelines

The pipe-flow equation presented here can be used to properly and easily size pipelines for liquid, vapor and two-phase flow. Example calculations are also shown Sizing pipelines is a fundamental task for design engineers, who typically use several equations to…

Improving the Operability of Process Plants

Turndown and rangeability have a big impact on the flexibility and efficiency of chemical process operations  During the design of a chemical process plant, the main focus is on which process units or unit operations must be integrated to convert…

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Improving mass-transfer-limited reactions

The step-by-step procedure described here can help operators to optimize reactor operation and output Engineers throughout the chemical process industries (CPI) commonly encounter situations where different materials have to be contacted inside a reactor to drive the chemical transformations needed…

Gas Turbines: Design and Operating Considerations

Gas turbines are widely used throughout the chemical process industries (CPI) because they allow for high power output and high overall efficiency at relatively reasonable costs. In recent years, a variety of factors and ongoing technology advances have contributed to…

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Filtration and Separation: Avoid Common Errors

The seven commonly made mistakes discussed here often lead to poor filtration and separation performance and many associated problems For almost any chemical process industries (CPI) plant, contamination is a reality that can cause numerous associated — and often chronic…

Flare-Gas Recovery Methods for Olefin Plants

Adding flare-gas recovery units at strategic locations of an olefin plant can not only reduce emissions, but will save money as well Although gas flaring is necessary at some chemical process industries (CPI) plants or facilities, more and more efforts…

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Troubleshooting Tube-Deterioration Mechanisms in Direct-Fired Heaters

A practical step-by-step guide for reducing future tube failure Forced outage of a direct-fired heater is the worst nightmare for any operator in a petroleum-refining or petrochemical plant. Since fired heaters are not replaceable by spares, forced outage in many…

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A Primer on Rectangular Tanks

This type of tank is often preferred to cylindrical tanks when space is limited. Follow this guidance to calculate the relevant dimension and ensure safe construction With the increasing age of many chemical process plants, a challenge often arises when…

Flare Consolidation Considerations

Consolidating multiple flares can help mitigate emissions and maintenance Chris Ng and Zubin Kumana Siemens, Process Safety Consulting Many petroleum-refining and petrochemical facilities have experienced tremendous growth in recent years in response to increasing demand for fuels and chemical precursors.…