July 2014 CEP Preview

SAFETY: The Illusion of Attention: Are There "Gorillas" in Your Plant? (click here to read this article now) Focusing too much of our attention in a particular area can cause us to miss the obvious. Simply being aware of the phenomenon of inattentional blindness is an important first step toward reducing its effects.

REACTIONS AND SEPARATION: Troubleshoot Acid-Gas Removal Systems The removal of acid gases is a key step in natural gas treatment. Closed-loop amine systems are a popular option, but they can suffer from inefficiencies. This article describes troubleshooting tools and explains how to pinpoint the cause of operational issues.

BACK TO BASICS: Incorporate Rigorous Heat Exchanger Models in Simulation Embedding a rigorous heat exchanger model within an established simulation environment can help engineers increase process yields while minimizing heat exchanger energy consumption and capital expenditures.

INSTRUMENTATION: A Guide to Characterizing Particle Size and Shape Knowledge of particle properties is essential for understanding how the particles will impact your process. Learn how to identify the relevant properties for a particular application, select the best measurement technique, and analyze the data to extract meaningful information.

News: Nanoparticles Detect Sulfur Content in Crude Oil ... Putting Waste Heat to Work ... New Process Prints Personalized Drugs ... EPA to Cut CO2 from Power Plants ... Microbes Convert Biodiesel Waste into Valuable Chemicals

Plus: AIChE Journal Highlight: Zeolites Lose a Dimension but Gain in Performance ... Catalyzing Commercialization: Living Plants: One-Stop Shop for Protein Manufacturing ... Material Matters: Understanding Polymer Weld Morphologies ... Young Professionals Point of View: Electricity and the Environment ... What's New ... Process Safety Beacon: Persistence -- Good or Bad? ... Software and Information Technology ... Product Digest: Valves ... Institute News: 2014 AIChE Election Candidate Platforms ... Calendars. The July 2014 issue of CEP is now available online. AIChE members receive access to CEP, including a searchable archive of issues dating back to 2001, online at http://www.aiche.org/cep.