New electrochemical processes are being developed to help CPI companies reduce their carbon footprint For over a century, electrochemistry has played a crucial role in the chemical process industries (CPI), and many chemicals are still produced using traditional electrochemical processes,…
Construction is underway on a demonstration plant for manufacturing 1,5-pentanediol (1,5-PDO) from bio-based furfural, a platform chemical that can be derived from plant-based hemicellulose sugars. The process under construction by the company Pyran Inc. (Madison, Wis.; www.pyranco.com) offers a lower-cost…
Using a vast collection of experimental distillation-column data, sieve tray stability, and its influence on efficiency, are explored in terms of several physical and mechanical properties For trayed distillation columns, the concept of tray stability was introduced by the author…
The new Xtreme (forged) head (photo) is designed for use with cone crushers in extremely demanding conditions, and complements this company’s Elect (traditional-cast) and Enhanced (heavy-duty) crusher heads for Nordberg MP800, MP1000, MP1250, HP800 and HP900 crushers. Forged as a…
DetaPipe (photo) is a new high-performance clad-metal pipe product designed for use in corrosive, high-temperature processing environments. DetaPipe is produced using a proprietary process that joins corrosion-resistant alloys, such as zirconium and titanium, to lower-cost, base metals, such as carbon…
This company’s sanitary vertical blenders (photo) are engineered for rapid homogenization and drying in delicate applications under vacuum. The design avoids the destructive effects of heat on unstable ingredients, and it promotes vaporization at lower temperatures during gentle agitation while…
A first-of-its-kind pilot project in Abu Dhabi is integrating large-scale atmospheric water generation (AWG) with solar-thermal energy storage to enable carbon-free production of water. Led by partners AQUOVUM LLC (Dover, Del.; www.aqvglobal.com), Masdar Clean Energy (www.masdar.ae) and Khalifa University of…
A new fibrous catalyst-support material can enhance a wide range of industrial catalytic reactions, allowing higher yields and reduced coke buildup compared to pellet supports. Unifrax (Tonawanda, N.Y.; www.unifrax.com) leveraged its expertise in ceramic materials to develop the high-alumina fiber…
The MAN-LC (photo) is said to be the only digital pressure gage available with IO-Link. The device includes two configurable outputs that form part of a standard instrument and may be custom-programmed by users as desired. The display screen features…
Properly specifying process control valves for a plant project is critical to achieving efficient and effective processes. This one-page reference discusses key considerations for specifying control valves. Valve specification Process engineers should take the following aspects into consideration when specifying…