Inside Chemical Plant

RSS Feed Homepage

Articles: 1, 2

Overcoming the effect of oil fouling
2007-01-13 02:43:00
Build-up of dirt deposits, or fouling, on the metal surfaces of petrochemical plant heat exchangers is a major economic and environmental problem worldwide. Andrew Brown reports.Estimates have been made of fouling costs due primarily to wasted energy through excess fuel burn that are as high as 0.25 per cent of the gross national product (GNP) of the industrialised countries.Many millions of tonnes of carbon emissions are the result of this inefficiency. Costs associated specifically with crude oil fouling in the pre-heat trains of oil refineries worldwide are estimated to be of the order of $4.5bn. With oil prices at record highs, the payback from fouling reduction by increased throughput and less wasted fuel increases year on year. Read more.
More About: Oil , Effect , Over , Ming

How To Choose And Use Vibratory Screen Separators
2007-01-13 02:40:00
Screen separators are used to remove foreign or other unwanted material from product flows. They can classify dry bulk solids ranging from chunks to fine powders. Screen separators are used to separate solids and liquids in a variety of applications. Eriez provides a broad range of screeners for both wet and dry product separation. This book, "How to Choose and Use Vibrator y Screen Separators" as written, is intended to help users select the correct vibratory screener for their particular process...Read more this article.
More About: Screen , How To , Para

Bearings last longer in wet conditions
2007-01-05 11:10:14
NSK is launching Water Tough WTF, a newly patented bearing material that is claimed to achieve approximately three times the service life of conventional bearing materials in operating environments contaminated by water. NSK's Tough Technology programme is committed to providing users with cost savings as a result of achieving bearing life extensions. The programme is an ongoing one involving continuous research into industry-specific bearing problems. Read more.
More About: Last , Ring , Rings , Long , Condition

White Paper: The Use Of Magnesium Hydroxide Slurry For Biolo
2006-12-31 23:07:01
In wastewater treatment, microorganisms transform the wastes into cell tissue and gaseous, liquid, or solid conversion products. Optimum growth conditions, such as pH, nutrient availability, and alkalinity, must exist in order for the microorganisms to continue to reproduce and function properly. If there is insufficient alkalinity to maintain optimum bacterial growth conditions an alkali such as caustic soda or lime must be added to the wastewater stream. This paper suggests magnesium hydroxide slurry as another option... Read more.
More About: White , Paper , Hydro , The U , Biol

Laboratory Cost Reduction Programs
2006-12-31 23:07:01
Reducing plant operating cost is a must in order to maintain profit and win market competition. To have a successful reduction cost programs, first we have to prepare a map where the cost evolved and sort descending. You may find in your list, the laboratory. Labor atory hold a very important roles in a chemical plant. It main fuction is of course to perform various analysis jobs. Samples from processes, intermediate products, crude products, final products, waste water, off gas and so on. With its complex analysis tasks, laboratory requires high cost to make sure all processes are in its best performance and defect products delivered to customers. To do your own laboratory cost reduction programs, here are some hints you could use to start. Prepare a cost map and put the highest costly item at the top of the list. Your list may contain analytical apparatus, spare parts, chemical reagents, gases, glasswares, utility (deminerilized water, electricity) and con...
More About: Borat , Programs , Cost , Prog

Automated Flow Chemistry From Concept To Collection
2006-12-31 23:07:01
Royston, UK ? Flow chemistry innovators, Syrris have announced the introduction of two new modules for their AFRICA (Auto mated Flow Reaction Incubation and Control Apparatus) system. The new reagent injection and product collection modules allow full automated synthesis, improving throughput and extending walk-away time. Suited to the production of synthetic libraries, or use for reagent screening, reaction optimisation, kinetic studies, degradation studies, and logD screening, the new modules expand AFRICA?s already extensive application areas. AFRICA has become established as a highly efficient, automated flow system for reaction optimisation in both medicinal and process chemistry. Allowing a series of controlled reactions to be carried out under laminar flow, AFRICA improves reaction time, experimental optimisation, and reproducibility. With the introduction of the new reagent injection module, hundreds of compounds, separated from each other by solvent, can be injected into...
More About: Mate , Mist , Chemistry , Once

Well water warnings and fuel from renewables
2006-12-21 10:58:01
Unwanted inflows of water are the single most important factor causing production problems for oil companies. A company such as Statoil alone produces enough water to fill a 350 000 tonne tanker every day. Much of this water could be replaced by saleable oil if measures to prevent water from flowing into the wells were implemented. Information about just where water flows into wells is a fundamental requirement for planning such measures. At current oil prices, even a one per cent increase in Norwegian oil production would be worth NOK 4b/y (0.5b Euro/y). Read more.
More About: Fuel , War , Water , Warning , Renewable

Gausu chemical plant explosion kills three
2006-12-12 16:52:01
LANZHOU -- Three people were killed in an explosion in a chemical plant in Lanzhou, capital of northwest China's Gansu Province on Monday afternoon, officials said. A water tank blasted at 2:20 p.m. at Lanzhou Petroleum and Chemical Company and claimed the three lives, said a public relations manager surnamed Wang. An official with the work safety office of Lanzhou confirmed the death toll and said the office are investigating the accident. Fire trucks and ambulances have rushed to the site. It is not known how many people were injured at the moment. The Lanzhou company has more than 18,000 employees and posted 3.8 billion yuan (485 million US dollars) in business income last year. Source: China Daily
More About: Explosion , Sion , Plan , Kill

Chemical Spill at Olan Mills Plant
2006-12-12 16:52:01
A chemical spill at a photo processing plant resulted in workers spending the night at a Chattanooga hospital. It happened Thursday evening at the Olan Mills plant on Shallowford Road. There were about 40 workers inside the art department of the plant when a bottle of lacquer exploded. Four workers were sent to the hospital as a precaution. Watch the video.Source: wrcbtv.com
More About: Plan , Plant , Chemical , Chem

Suitable Pump Type For Hydrogen Peroxide
2006-12-12 04:51:02
When you decide to install a pump for hydrogen peroxide pumping requirement, you should determine the most suitable pump type and its specification from the beginning of asking for quotations. The most suitable pump type for hydrogen peroxide handling is canned pump and make sure all the pump parts are made of compatible materials too, such like SUS 304L for impeller and casing, Teflon for sealing material and so on.
More About: Hydrogen , Tabl , Type , Table , Hydro

Waters Corporation Introduces New Columns For UltraPerforman
2006-12-10 16:49:02
Milford, MA - Water s Corporation introduced today a new column for use with the Waters ACQUITY Ultra Performance LC (UPLC) instrument platform. The ACQUITY UPLC HSS T3 columns feature new high-strength 1.8µm silica particles designed specifically for UPLC applications. The first bonded phase to be introduced, T3, is aimed at separating small, water-soluble, polar organic molecules via reversed phase UPLC technology in pharmaceutical and fine chemical applications. At the same time, Waters is introducing the Atlantis T3 HPLC Column s also designed for retaining polar compounds but by reversed-phase HPLC. Both products are now available for shipment. Read more.
More About: Columns

Lasers Shine Light On Chemical Reactions
2006-12-09 04:48:01
Upton, NY - Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have been using a high-resolution laser technique to learn how molecules absorb light and fall apart during photodissociation reactions - chemical decomposition reactions triggered by light. Studying the atomic-level details of such reactions allows scientists to test and refine theories of chemical reactions, and may help them in their quest to use light to control reaction outcomes. "Despite much research in this field, there remain many unanswered details at the frontier of our understanding about chemical bond-breaking following light absorption," said chemist Greg Hall, leader of the Brookhaven research team. A paper by Hall's group describing new experimental and theoretical results has been identified as a "hot article" by the journal Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, and is now available online. Read more.
More About: Lasers , Action , Laser , Shine , Light

7 Tips On How To Minimize Powder Catalyst Loss
2006-12-07 10:46:01
Powder Cat alyst such as hydrogenation catalyst, which has particle size range between 100 ? 200 mesh and contains certain precious metal (e.g Palladium, Platinum), should be handled carefully. It is very expensive and as one of production cost drivers in a chemical plant.Usually such catalyst should be regenerated in several steps in order to keep its activity. Common regeneration steps used are treatment (solvent washing, steaming and drying), calcination, reduction and drying. Each step has an process efficiency and catalyst loss will be higher when the step number increase.We have seven tips on how to minimize powder catalyst loss during handling and regeneration that we have practiced in our chemical plant operation. The regeneration system and procedure may differ, but you may apply some of the tips at your plant site whenever possible.1. Prepare special hopper and hopper wagon for each catalyst type if you handle more than one type and each catalyst taken out from each regener...
More About: How To , Tips , Cata , Mini

Online Unit Conversion Tools
2006-12-06 16:44:02
Be able to convert from one unit to another unit is very essential in chemical engineering as well as in other engineering disciplines. Unit conversion is required both in chemical plant operation and its design. It is a fundamental study in chemical engineering.Mastering unit conversion principles is a basic skill that should have by every chemical engineer. However, for several units with which he or she rarely uses in daily job may refer him or her to a handbook. Wow?sound boring!But?we have a good news from the internet. Now, there are many website providing unit conversion tools online. That?s good and very simple. Here are some website you may try to convert any kind of unit.http://www.onlineconversion.comhttp: //www.unitconversion.orghttp://www.digita ldutch.com/unitconverterhttp://www.conver t-me.com/enhttp://www.sciencemadesimple.c om/conversions.htmlhttp://www.unit-conver sion.info/
More About: Tools , Tool , Online , Sion , Line

1000 Volts Electricity in Action
2006-12-06 16:44:02
Arco Voltaico-1000 Volts Electric ity Watch 1000 Volts Electric Current on action! What do you think about that?
More About: Action , City , Tricity

Don't Use Wooden palette For Hydrogen Peroxide
2006-12-02 16:41:02
Do you stock hydrogen peroxide at your plant site? Use only palette made of plastic for stocking hydrogen peroxide. Please see the picture. This is real life experience on hydrogen peroxide decomposition on a wooden palette. When hydrogen peroxide packaging leaks, it will start to decompose and may introduce fire.
More About: Hydrogen , Wood , Pale , Hydro , Drogen

?Case Study: Ultrafiltration, Demineralization, PCC And NCC
2006-12-02 16:41:02
CNOOC and Shell Petrochemicals Company Limited (CSPC) made petrochemicals history in China by building and operating a USD 4.3 billion petrochemicals complex in Daya Bay, Huizhou Municipality, Guangdong Province. It is the largest capital investment for a Sino-foreign joint venture project to date in the People's Republic of China. The joint venture partners are Shell Nanhai BV, a member of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies and CNOOC Petrochemicals Investment Limited (CPIL). CPIL is owned by China National Offshore Oil Corporation(CNOOC) and Guangdong Investment & Development Company, an investment company authorized by the People?s Government of Guangdo.Read more.SOURCE: Aquatech International Corporation
More About: Study , Miner , Ultra , Case , Mine

Choosing The Right Color Measuring Instrument
2006-12-02 16:41:02
In today's global economy, with its increased competition, speed to market requirements and demand for lower cost of goods, higher quality standards, efficient, accurate color production matters more than ever. That means the spectrophotometer is more important than ever.The color data a spectrophotometer captures means everything, often making the literal difference between profit and loss for your product line. This editorial backgrounder from Datacolor asks the questions and gets the answers to help with "Choosing The Right Color Measuring Instrument : How The Latest Innovations In Datacolor Spectrophotometers Yield Bottom-Line Benefits"...Read more.
More About: Men , Suri , Ring

Flow Switch and Cooling Water Quality
2006-11-26 21:15:03
Cooling water services cooling needs for a compressor. Cooling water keeps cylinder temperature, discharge gas temperature at an allowable temperature ranges. In a recriprocal compressor, cooling water flow is controlled by a flow switch. Flow switch sets up minimum cooling water flow for the compressor. Flow switch will work if required minimum cooling water flow rate is not supplied, and stop the compressor operation in order to prevent the compressor from mechanical failure. Keeping cooling water quality becomes an important factor. Sludge, slime, dirt and other foreign matters come into cooling water during plant operation and accumulate in piping line. For a small pipe size such as 1/2 or 3/4 inch, such contamination may reduced cooling water flow high enough. If cooling water quality goes bad, discharge temperature of gas will build up day by day. Another visual indication that show bad quality of cooling water is sight glass that attached to cooling water line. Slime growth ...
More About: Cool , Water , Switch , Cooling , Quality

Lean Production In Chemical Processing Plant
2006-11-22 14:48:02
Lean production or manufacturing is a concept of management that focuses on reduction of seven common wastes in an organization. A chemical processing plant as a form of organization may also practice this concept thoroughly in its all activities. These seven common wastes are over-production, waiting time, transportation, processing, inventory, motion and scrap in manufactured product or any type of business. This concept identifies activities or processes that do not add value to customers.There are six common methods of lean production. Kaizen, 5S, Total Product ive Maintenance (TPM), One-Piece Flow Production System, Just In Time Production (Kanban) and Six Sigma.Do you have experiences on how to practice one of the lean production methods in chemical plant activities?
More About: Lean , Sing , Proc

Introduction To Aluminum Hydroxide
2006-11-17 08:09:02
Aluminum hydroxide with chemical fomula of Al(OH)3, is inorganic chemical compounds that usually used in production of aluminum salts (e.g alunimun sulfate, aluminum fluoride, etc), glass and glass products, toothpaste, coating and pharmaceutical products. Aluminum hydroxide is also called by aluminum trihydrate.Aluminum hydroxide can be produced from reaction between bauxite and strong acid, and through precipitation of sodium aluminate solution neutralized with carbon dioxide. Australia and India are two countries of producers of aluminum hydroxide in the world.
More About: Introduction , Aluminum , Hydro , Intro , Lumi

Control Valve Maintenance
2006-11-14 07:48:01
Many chemical plants do not realize that maintenance of control valve can make their performance better. Good control valve maintenance will introduce better process control, reliable plant operation, reduce maintenance cost and better safety condition.
More About: Main , Maintenance , Control , Valve , Tena

Advantages of Structured Packing
2006-11-08 19:09:03
After replacing ceramic intalock sadle packing to Aluminum structured packing in the vacuum distillation tower, the distillation operation of hydrogen peroxide-water improved. Here are some of the advantages that have introduced by this replacement of the column packing.1. Decreasing steam consumption for heating by 6%.2. Decreasing product loss by 10 times!3. Requires less purified water reflux, only 50% from the original flow rate.4. Introduce lower pressure drop across the packing, by which lowering steam and cooling water requirement for vacuum system.5. No pipe line clogging caused by damaged ceramic packing. Producing more reliable operation.6. Produce higher purity of product.
More About: King , Packing , Structure , Pack , Advanta

Chilled Cooling Water Tips
2006-11-06 00:54:02
Chilled cooling water can serve a lower temperature of cooling water. It may operate at 18degC or below. Because of operate at a lower temperature, oxygen may dissolve in higher concentration compared with in cooling water. Then, a higher concentration of corrosion inhibitor is needed. For example if you apply nitrite-based corrosion inhibitor you will face with nitrate bacteria that will convert nitrite into nitrate. This may occur when you need fresh make up water to chilled water tank.To avoid such bacteria contamination, you may add anti-bacteria into the make up water prior to transfer to chilled water tank. Then, you can charge the corrosion inhibitor to the tank. Of course, you should do this batchwise. But, it is safe for the corrosion inhibitor and save you money.
More About: Tips , Cool , Water , Hill , Chill

Facilities of Hydrogen Peroxide Storage Tank
2006-11-06 00:54:02
If you have a plan to install a storage tank for hydrogen peroxide, you should also consider installing its basic supporting facilities. Those facilities are devoted both for supporting operational activities and safety matter. At least a hydrogen peroxide should be completed with:1. Manholes, one at the top of the tank and one on shell of the tank. Top manhole is used for inspecting tank condition during operation. Manhole on the shell is used when the hydrogen peroxide tank will be opened for regular clean up.2. A level indicator or level gauge.3. A flame arrester ot vent line, which is equipped with a screen (filter) on the vent nozzle4. A temperature indicator or temperature gauge.5. A demineralized water feeding line into the tank. It is used for dilution of concentrated hydrogen peroxide and for safety, when a big decomposition occours.6. Tank shading. This is to avoid excessive heating by sunshine during daytime (summer season).7. A spray water (industrial water), to keep the...
More About: Storage , Hydrogen , Rage , Stor

The Silent Killer
2006-11-06 00:54:02
Nitrogen is a very common gas in chemical plant. One of the use of Nitrogen is for substituting a flammable gas or solvent from a vessel, reactor or any kind of plant facilities. Nitrogen is odorless, and make it a silent killer. Many of chemical plant workers do not realize this fact. When open a vessel, tank or reactor, we should always ensure that there is enough oxygen. Flammable gas or solvent may not exist in the equipment, but Nitrogen exists. Air blowing must be done before entering the closed equipment to blow out Nitrogen from there, and deliver enough oxygen for the workers. If you hesitate, wear an air respirator.
More About: Killer , Silent , Kill , Lent

Checker Plate
2006-11-06 00:54:02
This morning I walked through each floor at plant site. I found that an area at the corner of a vertical heat exchanger, water was trapped. I looked around that area and could not found any water drain line. It will make the checker plate corrosion. There should be a new drain line or connection to drain line.
More About: Check , Plat , Hecker , Late , Checker

Catalyst Calcination
2006-11-06 00:54:02
Calcination is applied to get high catalyst activity. After calcination, catalyst is usually reduced by using a certain reducing agent. The whole process of catalyst regeneration may consist of treatment (with solvent, steam and nitrogen), calcination, reduction and drying. An example of application of this regeneration process is for regenerating dehydrogenation catalyst.
More About: Cat , Cata , Nation , Calc , Cina

The Importance of Line Check
2006-11-06 00:54:02
Line check is determination on valves or control valves status, i.e. opened, throttle or closed. Good line check before plant start up and after shut down hold an very important role. Start up will not successfully done and unsafe shut down will occurs. Line check at least have to be done by two operators using an updated P&ID. And final check with the supervisor will be excellent.Revise the P&ID soon as soon possible when there is a change in piping layout, additional valves, or any change in plant facility.
More About: Port , Check , Line , Import

Polyethylene Can Test
2006-11-06 00:54:02
Polyethylene Can (PE Can) or jerry can is a common packaging type used for industrial chemicals. Polyethylene Can may have several common capacities, 30 kg, 35 kg or 50 kg. When you will start using Polyethylene Can for your own use, you have to ensure that the Polyethylene Can has passed a test standard, such as Annex 1, IMDG-IMO, 1997. The test consists of drop test, leakproofness test, internal pressure test and stacking test.
More About: Test , Poly , Lene