In the U.S. last year, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita powerfully demonstrated the ability of nature to disrupt companies’ operations and commitments. In a business context, the effects of such natural (or, for that matter, civil or social) disruptions can be…
Successively larger diameters downstream can raise problems. Physical removal of air is an attractive alternative In pneumatic conveying systems that operate under high positive pressure, it is common wisdom that as the downstream end is approached, the diameters of the…
Whether working on retrofits or new-plant construction, engineers involved with chemical-process projects nowadays are likely to find themselves under pressure to reach completion quickly, sometimes even at the cost of bypassing traditional procedures and project controls. The downside becomes a…
These observations and recommendations —reflecting decades of experience — can help operators avoid a lot of headaches and heartache when it comes to handling bulk solids Successful startup and operation of solids-handling processes depend on myriad small yet fateful decisions…
The first two installments of this three-part series (CE, November 2005, pp. 40–45, and December, pp. 42–47) dealt mainly with the major methods for estimating the capital costs of pilot plants. This final installment begins with a look…
In process engineering and design, thermodynamics theory is applied to real and complex chemical-process applications. Software design simulators, such as HYSYS, PROII and Aspen Plus, serve as powerful tools that simplify process thermodynamic calculations. They eliminate the need…
Leakage costs industry millions of dollars every year. For example, a few small leaks in a facility using air at 100 psig, with an electric consumption cost of about 6¢/kWh, can waste more than $22,000 annually. Delaying the…
Whether working on retrofits or new-plant construction, engineers involved with chemical-process projects nowadays are likely to find themselves under pressure to reach completion quickly, sometimes even at the cost of bypassing traditional procedures and project controls. The downside becomes a…
Immersion heaters are used in a wide variety of applications in the chemical process industries (CPI). Knowing which heater to specify for a particular application and how to maintain it can make a manufacturing process more cost-efficient. This…
Although water and steam are the ideal media for heat transfer, there are often situations when other heat-transfer fluids are called upon to perform this function in the chemical process industries (CPI). Thus there are, at the…