May 2023

According to the European Committee for Standardization (EN), both ultraviolet fluorescence (ISO 20846, sulfur by UVF) and wavelength dispersive x-ray fluorescence (ISO 20884, sulfur by WDXRF) are applicable test methods for fatty acid methyl ester (FAME), also known as biodiesel (EN 14214), and both are listed as referee methods. However, the situation is different at ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials).

Light olefins, particularly ethylene and propylene, are the most crucial building blocks for the petrochemical industry.

Recent legislation, such as the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (which was passed in the U.S.), provide financial incentives for projects generating power, transportation fuels or other forms of energy to reduce their overall carbon emissions.

As companies in the manufacturing process industry explore sustainable ways to manage their energy use, engineers are finding that the deadline for drastically reducing carbon emissions is approaching rapidly.

In the last few years, sustainability initiatives have started a dramatic shift from hydrocarbon to hydrogen (H₂) production.

Within the petrochemical industry, fired heater tubes and boilers experience high tube metal temperatures (TMTs) for extended periods of time.

The laws of thermodynamics include: energy can neither be created nor destroyed, it can only be converted from one form to another; and heat always moves downhill, from hotter objects to the colder objects, unless the direction of heat flow is reversed using external energy.

As fresh water sources diminish in some areas of the U.S. and around the world, water conservation is becoming increasingly important.

Throughout its history, the hydrocarbon processing industry (HPI) has continued to evolve and innovate to meet global product demand, whether that is for liquid fuels or petrochemicals.

What happened in 2022 has challenged assumptions about the energy transition.

For organizations to secure their operations and reduce cyber threats, a successful cybersecurity strategy requires solutions to secure endpoints—any device that is connected to a network outside of its firewall, including laptops, human-machine interfaces (HMIs), switches, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and more.

Process Vision welcomes Spencer Parker as General Manager, North America