The September issue of Hydrocarbon Engineering begins with an examination of the relations between the US, Canada, and Mexico, with Gordon Cope primarily considering how pressure from the US administration has impacted the North American energy infrastructure. This issue is also packed full of features on catalysts, maintenance and reliability, heat technology, separation and filtration technology, corrosion, and much more.
This month's front cover is brought to you by Sulzer.
Geopolitical pressures in North America
Gordon Cope, Contributing Editor, considers how the pressure from the US administration has prompted Canada and Mexico to reconsider the continent’s energy infrastructure.
Reinventing the crude argon column design
Quan Yang, Ming Yang Lee, Laurent Zuber, and Jiao-Jiao Dong, Sulzer Chemtech, Switzerland, alongside Feng-Jie Xu and Feng-Hua Zhou, China National Air Separation Engineering Co., explore how to effectively mitigate liquid maldistribution through crude argon (CAR) column design.
Engineering the future
Emily Ruhl and Michael Krela, Koch-Glitsch, USA, explore the development of distillation tray valve types and consider how operators can best align valve selection with current demands and future challenges.
Effective filtration: a downstream necessity
Neil Richards, PS Filter, Canada, discusses how effective filtration through best-practice strategies ensures production integrity, operational efficiency, and regulatory compliance.
Beyond the brochure
Michael Clements, Filtration Technology Corp. (FTC), explores how technical evaluations in filtration trump so-called ‘brochure engineering’.
A new era in top-bed design and reactor performance
In reactors with high-velocity gas inlets, maintaining top-bed stability is essential for operational efficiency and profitability. Austin Schneider and Tanvi Rao, Crystaphase, USA, explore how a new type of reticulated ceramic technology can provide a comprehensive solution for top-bed management in fixed-bed reactors.
Guarding against silicon contamination
Henrik Rasmussen and Xavier E. Ruiz Maldonado, Topsoe, describe how new third generation catalysts for coker naphtha can improve performance.
Optimising catalyst selection
Marlene Führer, Daria Otyuskaya, Maria de la O Masa Lorenzo, Rodrigo Duarte Oliveira Silva, Francisco Maroto de la Puente, and Tiago Vilela, Avantium R&D Solutions, provide the results of a comparative study testing commercial acetylene hydrogenation catalysts, which highlights the importance of catalyst selection in line with plant requirements.
Reuse, recycle, repurpose
Brian Visioli, Evonik Catalysts, USA, explores how catalyst reuse can aid sustainability within the refining industry, through improving operational efficiency and providing environmental benefits.
Electrifying industrial process heating
Roly Juliano, and Gregoire Quere, Watlow, discuss how low voltage and medium voltage electrification of industrial process heating is emerging as an advantageous solution to reduce emissions and improve performance, moving toward industrial decarbonisation.
Cracking the CUI challenge
Kevin E. Siters, Alkegen, USA, outlines why corrosion under insulation (CUI) remains a significant challenge in the downstream sector, and introduces an insulation solution that can help combat this problem.
Enhancing safety in the downstream sector
Andy Cull, Total Safety UK, explores how safety can be enhanced in the oil and gas sector through advanced safety management and gas monitoring.
Transforming turnarounds
Gilles Revial, Aggreko, explores how turnarounds for petrochemical refineries can present a strategic opportunity to streamline and improve processes.