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Process Control: Optimization at the Edge
The key technologies shaping industrial process control all work in tandem to support the ultimate goal of plant optimization Process control technologies are at the heart of all chemical process facilities, providing the foundation for safe and efficient plants. As…
This lab coat is made of recyclable materials
This company has developed a new personal protective equipment (PPE) garment for laboratory workers that is said to be 100% recyclable, while also providing enhanced safety benefits. Traditional garments worn in laboratories are made of unrecyclable materials and frequently end…
IoT connectivity for isolated assets
The Wilsen.valve and Wilsen.node internet of things (IoT) sensor nodes (photo) wirelessly transmit data from spatially isolated assets to the network communication system. The battery-operated devices record measurement data, position data and the status of the connected sensors and wirelessly…
Save energy in gas scrubbers with this optimizer
Launched last December, the High Efficiency Scrubber (HES) Optimizer (photo) is a digital tool that combines internal process calculations with measurements available at site to enable energy savings in the operation of Venturi-type scrubbers in wet-gas cleaning plants. Although the…
This protective headset can charge itself using ambient light
At the CES 2024 event last month, this company unveiled what is said to be the world’s first self-charging protective communications headset (photo) that converts outdoor and indoor light into clean electrical energy. The Peltor WS Alert XPV headset uses…
Liquid-level controller for oil-and-gas separators
The Fisher Fieldvue L2t liquid-level controller pairs with an electrically-actuated control valve to reliably maintain ideal separator levels. Compared to alternatives using electric on-off valves, the new Fisher controller makes it possible to save significant energy and maintenance costs by…
Innovations in Pilot-Plant Distillation Process Design
Small-scale distillation processes have specific concerns that are different than commercial-scale distillation. Presented here are several topics, including column internals and column-sizing software, considered from the perspective of pilot-scale distillation The design and operation of laboratory- and pilot-scale columns are…
The Ten Most Common Laboratory Ventilation Mistakes
A laboratory ventilation system that does not work effectively may not keep personnel safe and can produce significant adverse impacts on operations Laboratory personnel treat their ventilation systems as a given. They expect them to be designed right, to always…
High productivity chocolate forming with this machine
The Rotoform HP (high performance) is the latest model in this company’s high-capacity Rotoform rotary drop depositor, which is specifically designed for chocolate processing (photo). A pump delivers molten chocolate to the Rotoform via heated piping. The Rotoform itself consists…
A Brief Review of Natural Water’s Influence on Scale Formation in Heat Exchangers
Understanding the water chemistry is a first step in preventing heat-exchanger fouling At the two power plants and chemical plant in which this author formerly worked, the fresh-water-makeup supplies (two lakes and an underground aquifer adjacent to a river) all…