Temperature is among the most critical measurements in the chemical process industries (CPI) for operating safe and efficient processes. Because even a small error in temperature can lead to expensive consequences, accurate and reliable monitoring of temperature is required. Thermowells…
Supplying steam that meets process needs while protecting steam-system components, such as boilers and steam turbines (Figure 1), against scale, fouling and corrosion, requires purified feedwater (condensate plus makeup water). Depending on the steam pressure required, the specific approach of…
Non-chemical water treatment methods generally utilize electricity to prevent scale formation, mitigate corrosion and control microbial growth. When properly applied, non-chemical water-treatment technologies help plants reduce chemical consumption, minimize waste and possibly save water and energy. The following descriptions outline…
Wet fluegas desulfurization (FGD), also known as wet-scrubbing, is a popular pollution-abatement technique for removing acid gases, such as SO2 and HCl from fluegas produced during coal-fired power generation and industrial combustion processes. Wet scrubbing is used in association with…
For most solids-processing operations in the chemical process industries (CPI), particle-size reduction and screening (classification) to achieve the desired particle-size are required, since processes rarely produce the desired size directly. When designing processes, selecting equipment and looking for ways to…
Fans and blowers are common in air-handling and movement systems used in the chemical process industries (CPI). Two major uses of fans and blowers are in pneumatic conveying systems and in ventilation and air-pollution-control systems. Powering fans and blowers can…
Sparging refers to the process of injecting a gas through a diffuser into a liquid phase. It is used in both physical and chemical process applications. In physical process applications, the gas is used to either dissolve gas into liquid…
The main function of the expansion tank in a heat-transfer system is to allow space for the heat-transfer fluid to expand as it is heated. A properly designed, installed and maintained expansion tank will support longer fluid and equipment life,…
Automated systems for batch weighing can improve overall product quality by raising the accuracy and consistency of the mixture compared to what can be achieved with the manual addition of pre-weighed bags. Automated batch-weighing systems integrate load cells with connections,…
Among the most widely used technologies in the chemical process industries (CPI), spray drying involves dispersing a liquid or slurry in a hot gas to produce a dry powder product. A wide range of pumpable solutions, suspensions and emulsions can…