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…
An important part of ensuring the success of a HAZOP study is to understand the errors that can cause the team to lose focus Since its inception in the 1960s and its first official publication in 1977, the Hazard and…
Ethylene is a critical building block for the petrochemical industry, and is among the most produced organic compounds. It is usually produced in steam-cracking units from a range of petroleum-based feedstocks, such as naphtha, and is used in the manufacture…
The application of biotechnology to the chemical process industries (CPI) has grown significantly in the past decade and now offers viable pathways to manufacture a range of high-volume chemicals, many of which can serve as drop-in replacements for traditional petroleum-derived…
Fermentation has always been an important part of human history. Human beings are known to have made fermented foods since Neolithic times. With the discovery of microorganisms in the 19th century, fermentation became a viable route to produce synthetic chemicals…
Understanding how different filtration methods work leads to a more informed decision when selecting a filtration system Filtration is arguably the most commonly used unit operation in the chemical process industries (CPI). The range of applications for this important unit…
Approaches to plant safety continue to evolve based on lessons learned, as well as new automation standards and technology In the chemical process industries (CPI), one incident can have a tremendous impact on the people in the plant, the communities…
Avoid tedious numerical calculation by using this quick, shortcut method Insulated pipes are important in many applications in the chemical process industries (CPI). When it comes to the insulation itself, the two main questions are: which material should be used;…
Industrially, adsorbent materials are used in a wide range of applications, including purification, separations, drying, spill management, catalysis, pollution control and others across a large number of industrial sectors. This column provides an overview of the major classes of industrial…
The capabilities of laser diffraction systems go beyond particle-size analysis to also predict a catalyst’s propensity to experience attrition Heterogeneous catalysts, where the catalyst is in solid form, enhance many of the gas- and liquid-phase reactions that underpin common operations…