May 2013 CEP Preview




ON THE HORIZON: Improve Process Safety with Near-Miss Analysis (click here to read this article now)
Valuable information about unsafe conditions resides in the large alarm databases of distributed control systems and emergency shutdown systems. This overlooked and underutilized information can be analyzed to identify process near-misses and determine the probability of serious accidents.

BACK TO BASICS: Develop an Effective Air-Pollution-Control Strategy
Understand the principles behind the most common air-pollution-control technologies to select the most efficient and cost-effective emissions control strategy.

INSTRUMENTATION: Selecting Flowmeters to Minimize Energy Costs
Choosing a flowmeter with a low permanent pressure loss can reduce pump or compressor work requirements and increase steam boiler capacities -- thereby trimming annual energy costs.

ENERGY: Conducting an Energy Design Review
Formal energy design reviews help to ensure that energy is treated as a key factor in decision-making throughout the various stages of a design project. This approach can significantly improve a site's energy performance.

CAREER CATALYST: Hit the Ground Running on Your Next Project
Despite the progress made in project management theory, these advances are just starting to make their way into the chemical process industries. Use this step-by-step framework to implement some key best practices.

News: Artificial Organs Hot Off the Press ... Biofuel Byproducts and Concrete Mix It Up ... Squid Inspires Material for Medical Implants ... Polymer Chains Line Up to Provide High Performance ... Ribbons of VO2 and Graphene Enable Ultrafast Batteries ... A Big Breakthrough for Small Batteries ... MIT Team Busts Efficiency Limit of Solar Cells ... New Environmentally Friendly Route to Hydrogen Fuel ... Methane Is No Match for Zeolite Traps ... AIChE Journal Highlight: Accelerated Evolution for Process and Product Development.

Plus: Spotlight on Safety: Speaking Up for Safety ... Process Safety Beacon: Pressure Relief Valves -- To Plug or Not To Plug ... What's New: Air and Waste Management Association Expo Preview ... Product Digest: Piping, Tubing, Fittings, and Hoses ... Software ... Profile: An Engineer Who Embraces Risk ... Books ... YPOV: Negotiating for Financial Success ... Institute News: New Fellows ... Election Slate ... Member News ... Education and Conference Calendars.

The May 2013 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.