Environment & Safety Gas Processing/LNG Maintenance & Reliability Petrochemicals Process Control Process Optimization Project Management Refining

Sofronas, A.

Consulting Engineer, Houston, Texas

Tony Sofronas, D. Eng, was the worldwide lead mechanical engineer for ExxonMobil Chemicals before retiring. He now owns Engineered Products, which provides consulting and engineering seminars on machinery and pressure vessels. Dr. Sofronas has authored two engineering books and numerous technical articles on analytical methods.

Case 39: Vibration failure of a heat exchanger tube

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

Flow-induced vibration damage is a commom problem

Case 38: Extruder wear prediction

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

An analysis can help avoid wear problems before they occur

Case 37: Can you tell me how long it will last?

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

Troubleshooting differs from design

Case 36: Pipe bowing stresses due to thermal differences

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

A pipe partially filled with a hot cycling fluid can cause weld failures

Case 35: Technical checklists

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

Our memories are not always adequate

Case 34: Hydrotesting or pneumatic testing?

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

There is a big difference in safety between the two

Case 33: Vessels in high-cycle service

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

Weld failures can be due to manufacturing defects

Case 32: Piping flexibility concerns

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

Thermal upsets can cause pump problems due to piping loads

Case 31: The analytical modeling niche

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

A simple model can greatly expand your equipment knowledge

Case 30: One cause of a pump not pumping

Consulting Engineer: Sofronas, A.

A stronger pump can block out the weaker one