http://www.che.com Chemical Engineering en-us 2013 Wed, 22 May 2013 8:07:59 EDT There are many people working in a typical chemical process industries (CPI) facility. The individuals who work hands-on with the equipment — especially the experienced personnel — have a wealth of information that can make a huge difference in the success or failure of many projects. The key to gaining wisdom from these valuable resources lies in how you approach them. You should cultivate relationships with these colleagues wisely, be willing to learn from them, and give them credit for their assistance. One day, it just might save your job.... http://www.che.com/newsletter/8012.html Tue, 31 May 2011 0:00:00 EDT Question:  What standard, guideline or regulation should I use to create a cybersecurity program, or should I wait until a standard is finalized? Answer:  Waiting until a cybersecurity standard is explicitly selected, accepted and enforced is a mistake for two very good reasons.  First, a security program is much more social and cultural than technical. One thing we’ve learned... http://www.che.com/newsletter/8050.html Thu, 19 May 2011 0:00:00 EDT Question:  Besides rotary, fluidized-bed, and flash dryers, what other types of dryers can remove moisture and other volatile compounds from bulk solids? Answer:  For many applications, an efficient and cost-effective alternative is to dry the bulk solid in a silo equipped with heat exchangers or modified to permit injection of a gas. Compared to other dryers, drying silos have several advantages:... http://www.che.com/newsletter/7903.html Mon, 25 Apr 2011 0:00:00 EDT All good things come to an end. And so it is with Microsoft extended support and security updates for Windows 2000,which ended in July 2010. Any manufacturer with industrial applications that are based on Windows 2000 may wisely be considering a newer operating system, in order to remain in production with the necessary security support. But migrating to a new operating system can be time-consuming, disruptive and expensive. Are there any better alternatives? This article presents several proven solutions.... http://www.che.com/newsletter/7886.html Fri, 15 Apr 2011 0:00:00 EDT Water-supply issues are emerging as a national concern with certain sectors coming under increasing scrutiny. This is certainly the case with the ethanol industry. State discharge regulations dictate that plant designs incorporate technological solutions to minimize water use. These designs give operators increased flexibility in terms of enabling the reuse of water streams internally, with the goal to discharge no water to the environment. When this can be accomplished, the plant operates as a zero liquid discharge (ZLD) facility. Efforts to operate as a ZLD facility bring additional challenges to an ethanol production plant, because process water quality must be compatible with the biological processes that are at work during critical fermentation stages, and will affect co-product quality, as well. As a result, the complexity and risks associated with failing to properly integrate the water system design with the underlying ethanol process can become painfully manifest. The wrong decisions can be disastrous and costly, leading to operational difficulties, unscheduled downtime and even complete process shutdown. US Water Service (USWS) has participated in the design of a number of ZLD plant designs in order to allow plant operators to meet key water-quality requirements that are required for ethanol production. While USWS had historically designed traditional water systems in a number of industry sectors, the company embarked on its first ZLD facility for an ethanol plant in California. That facility began operations in 2006 after a year and a half of careful design and construction. This was the first operational ethanol plant in the U.S. to incorporate ZLD concepts that were mandated by California regulations.... http://www.che.com/newsletter/6494.html Wed, 23 Mar 2011 0:00:00 EDT Question: How do rain, snow, ice and fog impact wireless performance? Answer: In the process of distributing wireless to a geographic area, it is often necessary to place transceivers outdoors. In doing so, a prudent designer understands that one cannot afford to overlook the effects of the environment on... http://www.che.com/newsletter/6409.html Tue, 22 Feb 2011 0:00:00 EST Question:  Should we convert from manual dumping of sacks to discharging from bulk bags?    Answer: Dry, bulk chemicals have long been purchased in 50-lb (23-kg) paper and plastic sacks for several reasons. In volumes smaller than rail and truckloads, sacks were often the only packaging in... http://www.che.com/newsletter/6160.html Mon, 1 Nov 2010 0:00:00 EDT Answer: The IEC 62591 (WirelessHART) standard was designed for both control and monitoring from the very beginning.  However, users wanted four key pillars in place before putting theory into action. Proof of comprehensive wireless system security, redundant systems, faster device scan rates, and proven field experience were required before customers considered wireless to be “ready” for control.... http://www.che.com/newsletter/6092.html Mon, 25 Oct 2010 0:00:00 EDT Question: How are hydrocarbons best removed from water? Answer:  First, the type of hydrocarbons present must be identified. Typically, the hydrocarbons in question are in the form of oil or an oil-like substance. In that case, the miscibility of oil will have a major influence on the process used. If... http://www.che.com/newsletter/6017.html Tue, 28 Sep 2010 0:00:00 EDT Question:  What is driving the trend toward increased water reuse and how is membrane technology addressing this? Furthermore, what does the future hold for water reuse? Answer: Meeting water demands and ensuring a plentiful supply of water for future generations is a top-of-mind issue for the water... http://www.che.com/newsletter/5759.html Thu, 10 Jun 2010 0:00:00 EDT