Understanding Process Equipment for Operators and Engineers

Understanding Process Equipment for Operators and Engineers explains how process equipment functions. As problems often arise in plants that must be solved by unit engineers, this book offers successful solutions and methods for their implementation. The concepts explained are based on Norm Lieberman’s personal, hands-on experience. Like you, Norm attended a university and was exposed to technical seminars which did not always provide the needed solutions. In this text, you will learn the functioning of a variety of equipment types, including Fired Heater Draft, Centrifugal Pump Head, Distillation Tray Efficiency, Vacuum Jets, Recip Compressors, Steam Turbines, Thermosyphon Circulation Reboilers and Air Cooler.

• Includes methods and procedures on how to make field measurements
• Outlines fire heater principles and operation and how they develop draft
• Describes distillation column operation and methods to increase their efficiency
• Includes computer modeling and provides use case examples

Practicing chemical engineers; Instrument and control engineers; Plant operators and technicians; Refinery supervisors; Environmental engineers; Managers of petrochemical plants and refineries; Plant maintenance engineers

1. Enthalpy vs. Entropy
2. Water Hammer in Piping Systems
3. Hydraulic Surge
4. Fired Heater Draft and Excess O2
5. Distillation Tray Efficiency
6. Distillation Tray Capacity
7. Pressure Drop in Pipes – Friction Losses
8. Thermosyphon Circulation in Reboilers
9. NPSH in Pumps – Starting and Running
10. Steam Turbines and Hand Valves
11. Heat Exchangers and Fouling
12. Centrifugal Compressors and Surge
13. Reciprocating Compressor Efficiency
14. Positive Feedback Loops
15. Control Valves Performance
16. Centrifugal Pump Seals
17. Making Field Measurements
18. How to Make a Technical Presentation