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Avoid Common Mistakes When Specifying Burner Management Systems

While some aspects of burner management systems may seem intuitive, overcoming misconceptions in their specification and design will help to elevate overall safety Boilers, burners, furnaces and fired heaters, along with any other fuel-burning equipment, are considered high-risk areas within…

Reduce Risk and Cost with a Lifecycle Approach to Process Safety

Better upfront planning and management can lead to safer, more productive processes throughout every phase of operation A standards-based approach to process safety — one that actively addresses risks across a plant’s lifespan — can lead to safer chemical processes,…

Co-located Facilities: Untangling Environmental Compliance, Liability and Accountability Issues

When multiple operators, co-owners, co-operators and third-party contractors are all managing different engineered systems at the same location, extra care is needed to manage potential environmental issues that may arise The obligations facing facilities throughout the chemical process industries (CPI)…

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Gas Detection as a Risk Mitigation Technique

There are many differences between gas detection systems used for process monitoring and those used for protecting the safety of personnel Some types of gas detectors keep an eye on production processes. Others, relying on a number of different technologies,…

Protecting Sensor Data Transmitted Wirelessly: A Grounds-Up Approach

Do not assume security is extensive enough to protect your critical data and processes. Take a layered security approach using different tactics to establish best practices for protecting network data Almost daily, the headlines tout the latest data breach that…

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Technology Profile: Acetaldehyde Production from Acetylene

This column is based on “Acetaldehyde Production from Acetylene,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/acetaldehyde-production-cost. Acetaldehyde (also known as ethanal) is an industrially important, highly reactive aldehyde, mainly used as chemical intermediate in the production…

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Facts at your Fingertips: Redefining the Kilogram Standard

The kilogram is the last of the SI units (International System of Units) still defined by a physical object, rather than defined in terms of universal fundamental constants of nature. However, this will change in November 2018, as a multi-year…

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Technology Profile: Ethylene Dichloride Production

This column is based on “Ethylene Dichloride from Ethylene and Chlorine,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/edc-e11a. Ethylene dichloride (also known as 1,2-dichloroethane, as well as EDC and DCE) is by far the most widely…

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Integrity of Aging Assets: Using Corrosion Data to Stave Off Extinction

Petroleum refineries built in the 1960s and 1970s have trouble dealing with the corrosive effects of modern feedstocks. Continuous monitoring of corrosion can prevent process equipment failures Aging assets that are past their original design life are becoming an increasingly…

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Get the Most Out of an Owner-Contractor Alliance

This article provides guidance for setting up a robust alliance between plant owners and EPC contractors to minimize risk and maximize synergies during complex, capital-intensive projects The most meaningful collaboration pathway among plant owners and engineering, procurement and construction (EPC)…