Knowing the features of a good boiler will prevent problems associated with a poor design Oil- and gas-fired package steam generators (or boilers; Figure 1) are used in chemical plants, power plants, petroleum refineries and in cogeneration plants to generate…
Acrylic acid is a moderately strong carboxylic acid primarily used as an intermediate in the production of acrylate esters. These acrylate esters are then mainly used to manufacture adhesives, plastics additives, coatings, paints and textiles. The process Figure 1 depicts…
Different methodologies are available for conducting the structured reviews known as process hazards analyses (PHAs) for new processes. PHAs are often conducted or moderated by specialists, with participation by the design team, representatives of the facility owner, and experienced process…
When hoppers are designed without consideration of the actual materials being handled, problems inevitably arise. Follow this guidance to avoid common solids-handling issues, such as erratic flow and no flow Pivotal work on the development of the theory of bulk…
Don’t panic — What appear to be scratches on a vessel may be an illusion caused by improperly applied LED lighting Imagine looking into a sight glass for a routine tank inspection, and seeing for the first time numerous scratches…
Pressure swing adsorption technology is well known for H2 purification applications, but the technique can also be used for other gas-separation processes in petroleum refining facilities Pressure swing adsorption (PSA) is a well-established process for the separation and purification of…
Amino acids are the basis for all proteins and are considered building blocks of life. Among them, lysine (biologically active in its L-stereoisomer form) is one of the essential amino acids not synthesized biologically in the body. In this context,…
Removing contaminants from water is a critical operation in the chemical process industries (CPI). The goal of treatment processes is to reduce the relevant contaminants to the extent required by the application. This column provides information on major categories of…
Follow this guidance to make the most of engineering upgrades that are designed to improve plant operations or boost throughput capacity The chemical process industries (CPI) are functioning in an era of globalization, and between the prevailing economic conditions and…
Industries that manufacture or store potentially hazardous materials need to employ point-level switches to protect people and the environment from spills Safety is an important and common subject of discussion in the chemical process industries (CPI) today. Conversations on safety…