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1. INTRODUCTIONAlkylation units are used in petroleum refineries to convert isobutane and low-molecular-weight alkenes into alkylate, a high-octane gasoline component.  The process occurs in the presence of an acid, typically sulphuric or hydrofluoric acid, which acts as a catalyst.  Hydrofluoric acid...

1. INTRODUCTIONTraditionally, hydrogen service has referred to the use of steels at elevated temperatures where damage can occur as a result of atomic hydrogen reacting with carbon present within the steel. This reaction produces methane that can cause blistering and/or...

1. INTRODUCTIONThe level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has been shown to have a significant effect on climate change.  Using carbon capture and storage (CCS), it is hoped that, by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere,...

1. Introduction Hydrogen is viewed as a potential solution to the environmental issues associated with our reliance on fossil fuels for energy needs.  To this end, considerable effort is being expended in all areas of the hydrogen economy; in particular,...

1. IntroductionThe maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) is the maximum pressure at which a flange may be operated at given temperature and is normally expressed in terms of the flange rating.  In the case of ASME B16.5 flanges, as the...

1. INTRODUCTIONThis is Part 3 of a series of articles covering the invention and development of Alloy 625.  In Part 2, I covered the solidification behaviour of Alloy 625 and how this affects the melting practices.  I discussed the metallurgy of...

1. INTRODUCTIONThis is Part 2 of a series of articles covering the invention and development of Alloy 625.  In Part 1, I discussed how the alloy was developed based on the effects of the different alloying elements on strength and creep...

1. INTRODUCTIONAlloy 625 (UNS N06625) is a nickel based alloy.  It is used extensively in the oil and gas and petrochemical industries when a material with high strength and good corrosion resistance is required, but process conditions preclude the use of...

In my earlier articles on the fundamentals of carbon steel I discussed the effect of time on the transformation process and the microstructures that result from the decomposition of austenite depending on the cooling rate. I introduced the concept of...

In my article “Fundamentals of Carbon Steel Part 1” I introduced the concept of the iron-carbon phase-diagram (Figure 1) and explained how it shows the phases that will be present at ambient temperature when steel is cooled slowly from a...