Technical & Practical
Facts At Your Fingertips: Plant Cybersecurity Awareness
The expanding use of digitalization tools at chemical process industries (CPI) facilities, coupled with the ongoing convergence of operational technology (OT) systems with traditional computer information technology (IT) systems, has increased plant cybersecurity risks. All plant personnel play a role…
Reducing Emissions for Sustainable Manufacturing
Facilities can reduce emissions without major capital projects. Here are some practical ideas showing where to start People working in the air-pollution control industry used to boast that you can remove everything from fluegas except carbon dioxide, and it remains…
Treating Wastewater in Bioprocessing Facilities
Bioprocessing facilities can achieve compliance, prevent downstream contamination and increase water reuse by using advanced oxidation processes Wastewater generated from bioprocessing facilities is heavily regulated in the U.S. by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, D.C.; www.epa.gov) and various state…
Advances in Chlor-Alkali Technologies
The products of the chlor-alkali process continue to be essential for many purposes across the global value chain. Modern chlor-alkali technologies can vastly improve upon the safety and environmental performance of legacy systems The chlor-alkali production process is one of…
Tower Doctor: Can the Cure be as Bad as the Illness?
Henry Kister shares lessons learned from troubleshooting distillation towers During a course that I was presenting in Houston one year, a participant asked me the following at the end of one of the sessions: “Do you have experience with BX-type…
Materials of Construction for the CPI
The proper selection of materials of construction is crucial. The example presented here shows how to use standards to help narrow down the options Since the late 1800s, a steady body of pressure technology codes and standards have been under…
Standard Operating Procedures are Critical for Boiler and Steam Operations
An overview on the importance of standard operation procedures (SOPs) and how to write them Today, it is necessary to have standard operating procedures (SOPs) for steam and condensate systems, boilers, deaerators and even steam process units (Figure 1). An…
Minimizing the Effects of VOCs and Reactive Gases on Industrial-Grade LED Lighting
Chemical plants should not overlook the potential problems that can arise from damaged or malfunctioning lighting fixtures It is no secret that many chemical plants and industrial sites are prone to harsh environmental conditions that can wreak havoc on equipment…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Standard Masses for Calibration of Weighing Instruments
Accurately and efficiently weighing raw materials and reagents is a key part of many chemical processes, research projects and laboratory analysis. Poor weighing accuracy can contribute to lost revenue, increased labor costs and lower product quality. Calibration of weighing instruments…
Keys to Designing Sustainable Production Facilities
Using the food-and-beverage industry as an example, these considerations can help engineers design new facilities with sustainability built in Rapid population growth and geopolitical tensions continue to keep food security a top priority for nations all over the world. These…