Category: Plastics & Chemicals

Stephen Hall discusses the golden rules for design RULES of thumb are sometimes misleading. Engineers often discuss rules of thumb for pipe sizing. Velocity (1–4 m/s) and Reynolds number (>10,000) are cited, as are pressure drop (20-80 kPa/100 m) and shear stress (>5 Pa). Given a flow rate and pipe size, these charts give a…

Stephen Hall discusses the golden rules for design This month I explain how to calculate a system curve, overlay it on a pump curve, and determine the flow rate that the pump will deliver through your pipeline. You’ll see how to simulate the pump at any speed, which is an important, and recommended, way to…

Stephen Hall provides practical insights into on-the-job problems CHROMATOGRAPHY forms the heart of the purification train for many bioprocess facilities. In a typical train, three or four chromatography steps are used to remove impurities and side products from the bulk product that is harvested from bioreactors. Each step employs a specific resin that preferentially bonds…

Stephen Hall discusses the golden rules for design This month I explain how to calculate a system curve, overlay it on a pump curve, and determine the flow rate that the pump will deliver through your pipeline. You’ll see how to simulate the pump at any speed, which is an important, and recommended, way to…

Nikodem Siwek explains how to get the most from your pH measurement devices THE arduous nature of chemicals processing applications can be especially tough on pH sensors, making correct selection and maintenance especially important. This article looks at how to get the best performance out of pH measurement equipment and how developments in digital sensing…

Oliver Jones; ISBN: 978-981-15-6189-4; Springer Singapore; 2020; US$59.99 (softcover) You need to be logged in to read the rest of this article Login Create an account

Stephen Hall discusses the golden rules for design CONTROL valves provide a way to modulate the flow rate through a line, maintain the level in a tank, or adjust the pressure in a pipe. A sensor measures the desired value and a controller slightly opens or closes a valve if the measured value differs from…

Rotating packed beds can play a part in making carbon capture smaller and cheaper CLIMATE change is the most important long-term issue facing humanity. It is now clear that the sum consequences of business-as-usual CO2 emission would place severe strains on global food security and water supply, causing substantial damage to social, economic, and political…

John de Mello explains how scientific instrumentation is becoming more open, more affordable and easier to make UNTIL recently, if you needed a scientific instrument, you had two options: you could buy a ready-made system or you could design and build one yourself. The first option was expensive, but the second was tricky and time-consuming.…

VESSELS provide many functions in a chemical plant. They have many forms and sizes, and are fabricated from nearly any structural material. Vessels contain valuable inventory that can be hazardous to life and property if released, so it’s important for process engineers to pay close attention to the use, sizing, and design of all of…