Rules of Thumb about Process Equipment

The rest of this book, Chapters 2 to 10, considers rules of thumb for different types of equipment. Here we give an overview of how the information is organized and presented. Rules of thumb are based on different types of experience. These different types of experience include (together with their code)  

The rules of thumb are organized by prime function and within each function are listed the usual types of equipment. Each piece of equipment is assigned a code because some equipment is multifunctional. For example, a fluidized bed is primarily a method of mixing a gas-solid mixture. However, it is also used as a dryer, a heat exchanger, a reactor and an agglomerator. 

How to select when would you use this piece of equipment What is the usual available size range  

How to size rules of thumb and short cut sizing for estimating the size of the equipment. In general these work within a factor of ten but usually a factor of four. 

Costs should be included with any rules of thumb because costs are such vital information to engineering practice. But these are guidelines - not data The cost 

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In this book, the focus is on rules of thumb about process equipment. Chapters 2 to 10 provide details of equipment for transportation, energy exchange, separations, heterogeneous separations, reactions, mixing, size reduction, size enlargement and process vessels, respectively. 

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