Successful Trouble Shooting

for Process Engineers

D. R. Woods

Successful Trouble Shooting for Process Engineers. Don Woods

Copyright
2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
ISBN: 3-527-31163-7

Further Titles of Interest:

B
chel, K. H., Moretto, H.-H., Woditsch, P.

Hattwig, M., Steen, H. (Eds.)

Industrial Inorganic Chemistry

Handbook of Explosion Prevention

Second, Completely Revised Edition

2000
ISBN 3-527-29849-5

Weissermel, K., Arpe, H.-J.

Industrial Organic Chemistry

2004
ISBN 3-527-30718-4

Oetjen, G.-W., Haseley, P.

Freeze-Drying

Fourth, Completely Revised Edition

Second, Completely Revised and

Extended Edition

2003
ISBN 3-527-305789-5

2004
ISBN 3-537-30620-X

Mollet, H., Grubenmann, A.

Hagen, J.

Formulation Technology

Industrial Catalysis

Emulsions, Suspensions, Solid Forms

A Practical Approach

2001
ISBN 3-527-30201-8

1999
ISBN 3-527-29528-3

Sundmacher, K., Kienle, A. (Eds.)

Jakobi, R.

Reactive Distillation

Marketing and Sales in the

Chemical Industry

Status and Future Directions

2003
ISBN 3-527-30579-3

Rauch, J. (Ed.)

Multipurpose Plants
2003
ISBN 3-527-29570-4

Elias, H. G.

An Introduction to Plastics
Second, Completely Revised Edition
2003
ISBN 3-527-29602-6

Second, Completely Revised Edition

2002
ISBN 3-527-30625-0

Bamfield, P.

Research and Development

Management In the Chemical
and Pharmaceutical Industry
Second, Completely Revised and
Extended Edition
2003
ISBN 3-527-30667-6

Donald R. Woods

Successful Touble Shooting

for Process Engineers
A Complete Course in Case Studies

Author
Prof. Donald R. Woods
Chemical Engineering Department
McMaster University
Hamilton
Ontario
Canada, L8S 4L7

&

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2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA,
Weinheim
All rights reserved (including those of
translation into other languages).
No part of this book may be reproduced
in any form nor transmitted or translated
into machine language without written
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Printing betz-druck GmbH, Darmstadt
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ISBN-13:
ISBN-10:

978-3-527-31163-7
3-527-31163-7

Contents
Preface
1
1.1
1.1.1
1.1.2
1.2
1.2.1
1.2.2
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.6

XIII
What is Trouble Shooting? 1
Characteristics of a Trouble-Shooting Problem 2
Similarities among TS Problems 2
Differences between TS Problems 3
Characteristics of the Process Used to Solve Trouble-Shooting
Problems 3
How the Type of Problem Guides the TS Process or Strategy 3
Five Key Elements Common to the TS Process 4
Self-Test and Reflections 5
Overview of the Book 9
Summary 9
Cases to Consider 9

2.2.2
2.2.3
2.3
2.3.1
2.3.2
2.4
2.5
2.6

The Mental Problem-Solving Process used in Trouble Shooting 17

Problem Solving 19
Trouble Shooting 23
Considerations when Applying the Strategy to Solve Trouble-Shooting
Problems 23
Problem-Solving Processes Used by Skilled Trouble Shooters 24
Data Collection and Analysis: Approaches Used to Test Hypotheses 25
Overall Summary of Major Skills and a Worksheet 25
Getting Organized: the Use of a Trouble-Shooters Worksheet 25
Feedback about your Trouble Shooting 29
Example Use of the Trouble-Shooters Worksheet 35
Summary 40
Cases to Consider 40

3
3.1
3.1.1
3.1.2

Rules of Thumb for Trouble Shooting 43

Overall 43
General Rules of Thumb and Typical Causes
Corrosion as a Cause 45

2
2.1
2.2
2.2.1

Successful Trouble Shooting for Process Engineers. Don Woods

Copyright
2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim
ISBN: 3-527-31163-7

43