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Bookshelf March 2021: Recently Published Books for the CPI
The following is a list of recently published books that may be relevant for professionals in the chemical process industries (CPI) Digital Transformation for the Process Industries: A Roadmap. By Osvaldo Bascur (edited by Jim O’Rourke), CRC Press, 2021, 320…
New app compiles a comprehensive library of check-valve data
This company has launched a smartphone app for iOS and Android operating systems that provides easy access to a comprehensive library of product data, instructional animations and other technical resources related to the group's full line of expansion joints and…
Separate xylene isomers with less energy
Xylene isomers are usually derived from the catalytic reforming of crude oil, and require costly methods to separate them from each other, including distillation, fractional crystallization and adsorption in high-temperature and high-pressure environments. “The separation of xylene’s isomers requires much…
Ultra-freezers for safe storage of vaccines and valuable samples
Versafreeze ultra-freezers (photo) have been optimized for the extreme requirements of deep-freeze storage for vaccine producers, pharmaceutical service providers and research laboratories, ensuring the safe storage of temperature-sensitive vaccines, valuable medicines, chemical substances or biological samples. With a temperature range…
Sealing Technology for Caustic Service
This overview compares various sealing technologies, and points out advantages and disadvantages of applying different mechanical-sealing designs for caustic fluids Caustic applications in chemical plants can play havoc on the mechanical seals of rotating equipment. These applications can be difficult…
Like Metals, Polymers Fail — but Differently
This pictorial guide illustrates some of the common problems that can occur with polymeric and elastomeric materials that differ from those that occur with metallic seals and components Failures of polymer (plastic and elastomeric) parts and their consequences can be…
Free firmware upgrade adds MQTT IIoT support
This company has released a free firmware upgrade enabling new and existing MicroSmart FC6A Plus PLC CPUs (photo) to support the industry-standard MQTT protocol. The upgrade can be downloaded to the FC6A CPU, so it is easy for users to…
A new intelligent drive module for machine builders
This company has launched the first in a new line of high-performance intelligent drive module (IDM) products. The IDMsm (photo) is a two- or four-axis EtherCAT DS402 universal servo drive featuring unique control algorithms and processing technologies that enhance the…
Exciter technologies improve vibrating-screen performance
Niagara brand vibrating-screen exciters (photo) are offered in four models, each of which is adjustable to provide eight weight configurations, delivering a large static-moment range. These exciters come standard on all of this company’s exciter-driven XL-Class and L-Class vibrating screens,…
Technology Profile: Acrylonitrile Butadiene Latex Production
This column is based on “Acrylonitrile Butadiene Latex Production – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/nitrile-rubber-production-cost. Nitrile rubber (also known as NBR, acrylonitrile butadiene rubber, acrylonitrile butadiene latex, Buna-N) is a synthetic polymer…