Turnaround, Maintenance & Reliability | March 6, 2024 Turnaround Cost Estimating Rigor... Cost estimates for maintenance turnarounds are notoriously inaccurate and frequently overrun by more than their supposed accuracy range. Until recently… Read More
Mechanical Engineering | March 4, 2024 Vortex Shedding in a Tee with a Closed Branch... Vortex shedding is a flow-induced phenomenon that takes place when there is a structural element in the flow path, such… Read More
Capital Projects | February 26, 2024 Estimating What the Project Requires, Not Merely W... A common error, when assessing and deciding whether to proceed with a capital project is to assume that the cost… Read More
Process Technology | February 22, 2024 Under Pressure... Hydroprocessing Heat Exchanger Fouling due to Di-olefin Polymerization Over the past few months, I have received several questions about heat… Read More
Corrosion, Materials & Integrity | February 21, 2024 Best Practices and Pitfalls for Decoking & In... Serpentine coils in Delayed Coker Heaters are challenging to clean and inspect even while utilizing today’s latest technologies. Extensive fouling… Read More
Mechanical Engineering | February 12, 2024 Use of Computational Fluid Dynamics Modeling for E... Erosion is a mechanical degradation process in which the material gradually wears off due to continuous impingement of abrasive solid… Read More
Turnaround, Maintenance & Reliability | February 1, 2024 Allowing for Uncertainty in Turnaround Cost Estima... Turnaround cost estimating is notoriously poor. Previous studies have revealed systemic under-estimation of costs and over-confidence regarding the tightness of… Read More
Turnaround, Maintenance & Reliability | January 29, 2024 Effective Turnaround Steering Teams... One aspect of process plant maintenance turnaround preparation efficiency that is often overlooked is the role of the steering team… Read More
Process Technology | January 22, 2024 Considerations for Formulation of Products in Stir... When formulating complex products, stirred tanks are traditionally used because of inherent advantages in semi-batch operations. While there is interest… Read More
Mechanical Engineering | January 18, 2024 Evaluation of Piping Loads on Nozzles... Are load considerations different between vessel nozzles and pump nozzles? In general, yes. For vessels, nozzle loads are generally calculated… Read More
Mechanical Engineering | January 16, 2024 Design of Flue Gas Quench Sections... In the development of aircraft engines, physical tests are necessary to examine the overall performance of the engines. The exhaust… Read More
Corrosion, Materials & Integrity | January 10, 2024 WA DOSH Update – Damage Mechanism Reviews (DMR)... On December 27, 2023, the Washington Division Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) filed a permanent rulemaking motion to adopt changes… Read More
Mechanical Engineering | January 4, 2024 Changes to f Factor in the 2022 Edition of ASME B3... In the 2022 edition of ASME B31.3, the f factor was changed. There have been some mixed reactions in articles… Read More
Learning & Development | January 3, 2024 Becht’s Learning & Development 2024 Resolut... Happy New Year! As we all embark on new adventures in 2024, it’s important to start with a sense of… Read More
Process Technology | December 11, 2023 Under Pressure... This month we’ll continue our discussion of emergency procedures for hydroprocessing units with a discussion of hazards and procedures for… Read More
