Digital transformation in the chemical process industries demands open architecture, enterprise-wide interoperability and a focus on sustainability. Progress discussed here is moving the industry in that direction Many companies in the chemical process industries (CPI) are currently pursuing digital transformations…
While thermowells have become well-established, they have potential drawbacks that can affect their performance. The benefits of alternative non-invasive temperature sensing is presented here Temperature is one of the most important parameters for industrial processes, providing a key indicator of…
In a typical bulk-solids pneumatic-conveying system, an air mover is used to generate the necessary air flowrate and pressure required to transport a solid material through a pipeline at a given rate. This one-page reference discusses the operating mechanisms and…
When scaling up new processes involving complex feedstocks, such as biomass, well-defined mixing is key. Guidelines presented here will help to efficiently move biomass hydrogenation reactions from the laboratory to commercial-scale operations One of the most promising pathways to biomass-based,…
A decades-old, yet less well-known type of heat exchanger offers advantages for new and emerging applications Spiral-tube or helically-coiled heat exchangers have been around for decades addressing sample cooling, mechanical seal cooling, vent condensers, vaporization and general heating or cooling…
Liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) is a separation technique that exploits differences in the relative solubility of compounds of interest (the solute) in two immiscible liquids — most often an aqueous phase and an organic solvent. This one-page reference reviews basic information…
Due to favorable properties, such as light weight and corrosion resistance, plastic-piping systems are suitable for a growing number of applications Over the past few decades, plastic-piping systems have been adopted in many different sectors of the chemical process industries…
Concise tips on selecting the right valve A typical chemical plant contains miles of piping and hundreds, if not thousands, of industrial valves (Figure 1) that are essential for the plant to operate efficiently and safely. Unlike the simple consumer…
Attenuation for high-noise control valves need not be difficult or expensive The world does not lack for noise. It pummels us from all sides, emanating from traffic, political commercials, and your annoying neighbor’s backyard party. Industrial plants have their share…
In crossflow membrane filtration (CMF), feed flow is parallel to the filtration surface (rather than perpendicular to it, as in conventional filtration). During a given pass, a portion of the feed permeates the membrane, while a larger portion is retained…