Liquid-level measurement in storage tanks or other vessels is important for avoiding spillage and process upsets. One class of technologies for liquid-level measurement involves measuring the pressure exerted on a gage by the weight of the liquid, and this one-page…
Detection of gases is a critical task in many chemical process industries (CPI) facilities to avoid hazards to personnel and to the environment. Gases may present risks of explosion, flammability, toxicity, environmental pollution and displacement of breathable air. This one-page…
For intermediate and specialty chemicals, the incorporation of biotechnology-based processes has become a viable option for the chemical process industries (CPI). This one-page reference discusses some of the benefits and challenges of fermentation-based processes. Fermentation advantages Among the potential advantages…
Steam is commonly used in the chemical process industries (CPI) for process heating, power generation, atomization, cleaning and sterilization, moisturization and humidification, among other applications. This one-page reference provides a refresher for key concepts related to steam. Pressure-temperature relation The…
Mixing and blending of bulk solids is common in pharmaceutical and food manufacturing, specialty chemicals, explosives, fertilizers, glass and ceramics, detergents and resin industries. This column provides information on batch versus continuous blending mechanisms. Batch versus continuous Batch blending processes…
Whether to remove solid contaminants from a liquid or separate a solid product from a solvent, solid-liquid (S-L) separation is a common unit operation across the chemical process industries (CPI). This one-page reference provides an overview of S-L separation methods,…
Properly selected and executed sampling techniques are essential for assessing, controlling and mitigating internal corrosion of pipes and other assets in the chemical process industries (CPI). Key data for evaluating an asset or piping system for internal corrosion include the…
Agglomeration is a natural phenomenon in which solid particles stick to each other or to surfaces. When unwanted, agglomeration can cause problems, such as caking, buildup or lumping, but it is also an important particle-size enlargement process widely used in…
Determination of pH is a critical and ubiquitous operation whenever water is used in the chemical process industries (CPI). This one-page reference provides a review of pH chemistry and information on pH measurement equipment in CPI applications. Chemistry of pH…
Distillation is a critical separation tool for many applications in the chemical process industries (CPI), and the intelligent design of a distillation column can have a large impact on eventual process performance and efficiency. This reference sheet outlines the design…