Equipment
HP Automation Safety: ‘Sticktion’: A dangerous failure mode
I set a wet glass on the old wooden kitchen table at our home. It sat there all night. The next morning, when I went to grab the glass, it stuck to the table. Yes, this event has happened before. But,..
HP Construction Profile: Texas-based refinery has a long history
The Valero Port Arthur Refinery was commissioned in 1901 and has had many process additions and improvements throughout its history (see pg. 38). In 2001, nearly $850 million was invested in a delayed..
What you don’t know can hurt you
Be certain systems are safely grounded
Engineering and construction news
CB&I to buy Shaw GroupCB&I has agreed to acquire Shaw Group, a US-based engineering company primarily focused on serving clients in the power generation and government services sector. The acquisition..
Iracore to supply lined pipe, fittings to Shell Canada for Alberta oil sands use
The agreement covers three years and provides Shell access to a number of Iracore’s proprietary products and services for use at the Muskeg River and Jackpine oil sands mining projects. Iracore has provided lined pipe solutions to major oil sands mine developers in northern Alberta for over a decade.
Utility piping: Why over-engineering is inefficient
Grooved mechanical piping can offer improved constructability, speedy expansion, retrofit and turnaround, and also reduce safety risks. It is a quality pipe-joining method.
Consider new developments for variable-speed electric motors
New challenges, recent developments, the latest mechanical issues and main reliability factors for large variable-speed electric motor drivers in HPI plants are presented here.
Improve performance monitoring of your turbomachinery
This case study documents the performance variables to consider and apply when monitoring and tracking the efficiency deterioration for a steam turbine using DSs in a PI process book.
Case history: Improve refrigeration compressor performance
This case examines the mechanical distress and performance deterioration of a critical refrigeration compressor that was installed at a world-scale petrochemicals complex.
HP Reliability: Consider best-of-class lubrication practices
Last month’s column explained that all hydrocarbon processing (HP) facilities use machinery, and these machines require lubrication. Periodically auditing one’s lubrication practices is part..

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