Tag: Safety

Scanfeld™ is the world’s first remote sensing solution for fully automated early-warning gas leak detection for chemical plants. Using FTIR spectroscopy, Scanfeld™ identifies hundreds of different gases in real time from kilometres away. With just a few Scanfeld™ sensor units, large production sites, tank farms, or gas loading areas can be monitored reliably. Gas leaks are quickly detected, and the formation of dangerous gas clouds is monitored, measured, and visualised. René Braun of Grandperspective discusses how the system works and how it is being applied in industry.

Anglo American plc has announced a number of senior leadership changes. Seamus French has decided to leave Anglo American at the end of 2021 after 14 years with the company and will be replaced as CEO of Bulk Commodities by Themba Mkhwanazi , currently CEO of Kumba Iron Ore. Mpumi Zikalala , currently managing director of De Beers Managed Operations, has been appointed as CEO of Kumba. Both appointments will take effect on 1st January 2022. Mpumi’s successor at De Beers Managed Operations will be confirmed in due course.

Major fertilizer industry players such as Stamicarbon, Nutrien and CF Industries are ramping up investment in ‘green’ and ‘blue’ fertilizer production. Consequently, low-carbon production technologies are being scaled-up and deployed commercially.

The ammonium nitrate explosion in Beirut in August 2020 has once again focused minds upon the potential risks associated with the chemical.

Venkat Pattabathula, a member of the AIChE Ammonia Safety Committee, reports on the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ Safety in Ammonia Plants and Related Facilities Symposium, held virtually on 30 August to 2 September 2021.

The fact that biuret is toxic to plants has been known for a long time – since the middle of the last century. Very sensitive (pineapple, citrus), moderately sensitive (cereals, legumes) and resistant (conifers) plant species were identified. The maximum concentration of biuret in urea for each species has been established for soil application and foliar application. Most field crops easily tolerate foliar fertilization with urea, which contains 1 wt-% biuret. Potatoes and tomatoes are more sensitive – for foliar feeding of these crops, it is advisable to use urea with an admixture of biuret of no more than 0.5 wt-%. Citrus fruits and pineapples are so sensitive that biuret in urea for foliar feeding should be no more than 0.35 wt-%.

Corrosion is one of the most critical aspects regarding sulphuric acid plant lifespan. One important cause of corrosion in sulphuric acid plants is acid condensation from the process gas due to inadequate drying. E. Almeida, B. Ferraro, N. Clark, V. Machida and V. Sturm of Clark Solutions discuss this problem and how it can be avoided with proper tower and internals design.

John M. Bryant , President and CEO of The Sulphur Institute, looks at how the sulphur supply chain has reacted to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic over the past 18 months, and the key principles of a successful sulphur supply chain.

T. Hentrich and B. Nowak of VDM Metals provide an overview of the development of VDM® Alloy 699 XA, a new generation, metal dusting resistant alloy, available in a wide range of product forms, for demanding applications in the chemical process industry.

The heart of any urea plant is the high-pressure urea synthesis section. Properly functioning safety valves are vital to protect the high-pressure section against ruptures due to pressures that are too high in case of upset conditions. However, the very corrosive intermediate ammonium carbamate makes the reliable and proper functioning of safety valves more challenging.