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Issue Highlights
- Consider Cascade Control
- Batch Control Gets Easier
- HART Halts Faults at Plant of the Year Awards
- Industry Fosters Environmental Progress
- Control System Migration
- Chemical Processing's 2009 Salary Survey Is Now Open
Consider Cascade Control
Such configurations sometimes offer benefits for tubular exchangers.
Batch Control Gets Easier
Loop tuning package doesn’t demand steady-state operation.
HART Halts Faults at Plant of the Year Awards
The PDVSA Petropiar oil refinery is the 2008 HART Plant of the Year.
Industry Fosters Environmental Progress
A variety of efforts aim to significantly improve plant performance.
Control System Migration
Reduce costs and risk by following these best practices.
Chemical Processing's 2009 Salary Survey Is Now Open
Participate in this year's survey and you could win a 120GB iPod Classic.
Take our poll now: How would you rate the security of operator consoles in your control room?
Read the digital edition of Chemical Processing magazine
Featured Link
The Chemical Processing 50
Chemical Processing recently published the Chemical Processing 50 (CP 50) –
the first of an annual list of the top 50 domestic Chemical Processing
companies existing today. Different from any other annual list, throughout
the year, Chemical Processing will continue to monitor the success and
report on these top 50 in terms of their investments in technology,
changes in management, and introduction of a new product or service.
To view the full list, click here.
Process Puzzler
Our unit superintendent is concerned about a multistage centrifugal gas compressor. It’s fed by a separator and discharges to an absorber; there’s a pressure control valve at the compressor suction and a flow control valve in a recycle line from the compressor discharge. Ever since the first startup after the last turnaround, the motor current unexpectedly surges during startups and other upset conditions before settling into generally steady service. The packing in the absorber was replaced during that turnaround. What could be causing the problem? Should the superintendent be concerned? Can we do anything so we can safely limp through until next year’s turnaround?
E-mail us at ProcessPuzzler@putman.net Send us your comments, suggestions or solutions for this question by March 13, 2009. We’ll include as many of them as possible in the April 2009 issue and all on www.ChemicalProcessing.com. Send visuals — a sketch is fine. Mail to Process Puzzler, Chemical Processing, 555 W. Pierce Road, Suite 301, Itasca, IL 60143. Fax: (630) 467-1120 or e-mail ProcessPuzzler@putman.net. Please include your name, title, location and company affiliation in the response.
Featured Link
Finding the right talent is easy when you know where to look.
New Products
Flowmeter Equipped with Temperature Sensor
Simulation Software Provides Multi-User Support
Upcoming Events
Operational and Reliability Excellence Conference
March 9-11, 2009, The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center, Houston, Texas
ABB Automation & Power World
March 24-26, 2009, Orlando World Center Marriott in Orlando, Fla.
Like what you see every month in Process Automation Insider? ChemicalProcessing.com has more information at its Automation Resource Center. Find articles, white papers, product and the latest news here.
