Fouling of heat exchanger surfaces reduces thermal efficiency. An improved understanding of fouling and the design factors that affect it can help ensure that heat exchange occurs during normal operating conditions Using tubular heat exchangers is an efficient and reliable…
A new protocol for safer chemical design is helping to overcome gaps in ‘traditional’ toxicology and improve upon federal regulations for endocrine-disrupting chemicals Research over the past two decades shows clearly that some chemicals manufactured for product functionality can have…
With a minimal footprint of approximately 1 m², the compact Aircenter systems (photo) are available for flowrates from 0.34 to 2.7 m³/min and also provide application-specific compressed-air treatment and storage. All Aircenter models are characterized by their exceptional efficiency. At…
The new FLEX isobaric energy recovery device (photo) is this company’s next-generation compact pressure exchanger for reverse osmosis (RO) plants. The FLEX pressure exchanger is designed to be one of the most efficient and compact energy-recovery devices on the market.…
In crossflow membrane filtration (CMF), feed flow is parallel to the filtration surface (rather than perpendicular to it, as in conventional filtration). During a given pass, a portion of the feed permeates the membrane, while a larger portion is retained…
During vessel breakout activities, plants should pay close attention to the design of the washers used on bolted flanges. A simple change in this area can help to reduce downtime and improve safety Bolted flanges on vessels, and their associated…
Due to favorable properties, such as light weight and corrosion resistance, plastic-piping systems are suitable for a growing number of applications Over the past few decades, plastic-piping systems have been adopted in many different sectors of the chemical process industries…
At Powtech last month, this company presented completely new, more wear-resistant screen cloths that, compared to previous standard cloths, achieve an increased service life with abrasive bulk materials. Matched to the wire thickness and mesh size, the screen cloths are…
Concise tips on selecting the right valve A typical chemical plant contains miles of piping and hundreds, if not thousands, of industrial valves (Figure 1) that are essential for the plant to operate efficiently and safely. Unlike the simple consumer…
This C Series heat exchanger (photo) replaced an older shell-and-tube design that had high operating costs, due to a 2.4 psi pressure drop. While both old and new units have the same capabilities, the new C Series pressure drop is…