Hollow silica particles (HSPs) are materials of interest for thermal insulation applications because of their very low thermal conductivity, but the particles pose health hazards and the powder is impractical to use, so scientists have been trying to incorporate HSPs…
The Vertical Cartridge Filter (VCF; photo) is a pulse-jet filter designed to handle medium to high air volumes for industrial dust removal. It is typically used as a nuisance dust collector in applications with light dust loads and a high…
The new pilotMaster (photo) is a robust two-phase separating decanter that is particularly suitable for smaller production volumes and for upscaling tests. Its geometries correspond to those of this company’s large production machines. This ensures reliable upscaling and thus investment…
In June, the newly developed, dust-tight OEB version of the DDSR20 2.0 twin-screw feeder (photo) passed the highest occupational exposure bands (OEB) classification certification, OEB5. OEB classifications are used to grade substances accurately into “classes” or “ranges” based on the…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…