http://www.che.com Chemical Engineering en-us 2013 Sat, 18 May 2013 8:51:39 EDT For separation columns, this multidisciplinary engineering company offers a high-performance random packing called Cascade Mini Ring, which is also available with a... http://www.che.com/processing_and_handling/sep_liquid_liquid_and_gas_liquid/distillation/10481.html Wed, 1 May 2013 0:00:00 EDT The GEA 2H MASSdek structured packings have been used for such applications as gas scrubbing, exhaust-air cleaning, desorption (stripping) and rectification. Compared to conventional packings, the 2H MASSdek packings are... http://www.che.com/processing_and_handling/sep_liquid_liquid_and_gas_liquid/distillation/9911.html Thu, 1 Nov 2012 0:00:00 EDT The patented Plate Molecular Still is capable of distilling large quantities of product (10 ton/h and more), under medium- or high-vacuum conditions. The system is suitable for applications involving... http://www.che.com/processing_and_handling/sep_liquid_liquid_and_gas_liquid/distillation/9814.html Mon, 1 Oct 2012 0:00:00 EDT The patented Plate Molecular Still is capable of distilling large quantities of product (10 ton/h and more), under medium- or high-vacuum conditions. The system is suitable for applications involving... http://www.che.com/processing_and_handling/sep_liquid_liquid_and_gas_liquid/distillation/9666.html Sat, 1 Sep 2012 0:00:00 EDT Startup can be a tricky time for any distillation tower, with problems arising from equipment or process conditions, instrumentation or ancillaries, or anomalies associated with tower construction or internals. This article illustrates a variety of practical tools to avoid problems during startup, and describes in detail a troubleshooting exercise performed on a specific depropanizer tower... http://www.che.com/processing_and_handling/sep_liquid_liquid_and_gas_liquid/distillation/9389.html Fri, 1 Jun 2012 0:00:00 EDT Distillation is one of the most extensively used operations in the chemical process industries (CPI). It is a highly energy-intensive unit operation, and continuously rising energy costs make it imperative to look for ways to reduce energy requirements. Some energy-saving configurations can increase capital investment costs, so the benefits need to be weighed carefully. Various techniques, such as heat integration, heat pumps, thermal couplings and others have been employed to achieve energy reductions [ 2–4]. Vapor-recompression-assisted distillation is one such technique to reduce energy consumption by utilizing the energy from the column overhead stream, with added external mechanical energy, to boil the bottom stream. This article illustrates the technique through an example of a typical C3-splitter (propane-propylene splitter) design wherein significant energy savings and operational benefits are achieved by using vapor recompression distillation. With the availability of reliable and proven compressors to handle large capacities for industrial use, this concept is gaining attention and merits consideration for new distillation installations.... http://www.che.com/processing_and_handling/sep_liquid_liquid_and_gas_liquid/distillation/9064.html Thu, 1 Mar 2012 0:00:00 EST Condensate pots are commonly used on the condensing sides of some reboilers, such as those that are heated by steam or refrigerant vapor. These pots provide a liquid seal that prevents uncondensed vapor from blowing out of the reboiler into the condensate system. A break in this seal can result in heat transfer losses. With steam reboilers, blowing vapor into the condensate header may also lead to hammering. Hammering may also be caused by poor design of the condensate pot. Hammering is the problem described here. Braskem’s deethanizer reboiler-condensate drum experienced hydraulic hammering when the reboiler operated at low steam loads and when the column loads were reduced quickly. The condensate-drum level indicator was unreliable and insensitive to the variations in level-control-valve opening. Condensate-drum level control was poor, and the control valve had to be operated on manual.... http://www.che.com/processing_and_handling/sep_liquid_liquid_and_gas_liquid/distillation/8438.html Thu, 1 Sep 2011 0:00:00 EDT I have an ongoing dispute with a longtime colleague, Bob Miller. I said he ruined my new safety boots. He said he didn’t. Bob was a young, fearless distillation engineer at a time when our extraction engineer refused to take a trip to Japan to inspect new trays going into an old extractor. I called Bob... http://www.che.com/processing_and_handling/sep_liquid_liquid_and_gas_liquid/distillation/8158.html Fri, 1 Jul 2011 0:00:00 EDT Distillation columns are often workhorses in the chemical process industries (CPI), and at times, it is necessary to physically inspect the interior of a column. This article demonstrates what an inspection can reveal, by sharing the experience of actual fractionation-tower inspections in a petroleum refinery. The points mentioned are intended to provide guidance to future tower inspectors, so that they can focus on extremely important and relevant points that will directly impact the operation of distillation columns.... http://www.che.com/processing_and_handling/sep_liquid_liquid_and_gas_liquid/distillation/8214.html Fri, 1 Jul 2011 0:00:00 EDT When it comes to distillation trays and packing, chemical processors require the same criteria they seek from all equipment in this tight economy — technology that will reduce energy use and boost throughput without costly facility expansion. In an effort to meet these needs, tray and packing specialists are improving existing technologies and launching a whole new generation of trays designed to double existing capacity.... http://www.che.com/processing_and_handling/sep_liquid_liquid_and_gas_liquid/distillation/8103.html Wed, 1 Jun 2011 0:00:00 EDT