The research group of Masatsugu Morimitsu at Doshisha University (Kyoto, Japan; www.doshisha.ac.jp) has developed an “evolutionary” electrowinning process for the production of rare and base metals that promises to reduce both the power consumption and environmental burden. The process features…
I recently read an article in my local newspaper about the Museum of Math, also known as “MoMath” (New York; www.momath.org), which piqued my interest and prompted me to learn more about it. The gallery of photos and videos on…
Plant Watch Lanxess expands new plant for inorganic pigments in Ningbo September 11, 2014 — Lanxess AG (Cologne, Germany; www.lanxess.com) is adding a mixing and milling plant to the pigment plant already under construction in Ningbo, China. The new pigment…
Spray nozzles are very useful tools with a simple concept and sometimes complex design. Earlier this year, I attended the 26th Annual ILASS (Institute for Liquid Atomization and Spray Systems; www.ilass.org) Conference in Portland, Ore., which was held on May…
Numerous strategies and options for both dilute- and dense-phase conveying systems are presented here Pneumatic conveying is a ubiquitous mode of conveying bulk solids in a wide range of industries, including chemicals, plastics, grain, food, agricultural, mining, power and…
It is good to see your magazine publishing articles highlighting the tangible benefits that process control is capable of bringing to the chemical process industries [Advanced Control Methods for Combustion, Chem. Eng. September, 2014, pp. 34–39]. While the authors seem…
Reed Resources Ltd. (Perth, Western Australia; www.reedresources.com) has advanced its Barrambie Titanium Project — about 600 km northeast of Perth, Western Australia — with the construction (now in its final stages) of a mini-pilot plant in Canada to demonstrate a…
Scientists at Kao Corp. (KAO; Tokyo, Japan; chemical.kao.com) have discovered an enzyme that has the potential for producing large quantities of medium-chain (C12) fatty acids (FAs), which are the main components of natural oils, such as palm-kernel and coconut-palm oils.…
Last month in Ovadan-Depe, Turkmenistan, construction began on a plant that will produce gasoline from natural gas. When the plant starts up approximately four years from now, it will produce 15,500 barrels per day (bbl/d) of synthetic gasoline using the…
Reactive chemicals and intermediates are used extensively in the chemical process industries (CPI). Hazardous chemical reactivity can be defined as “any chemical reaction with the potential to exhibit rates of increase in temperature and/or pressure too high to be absorbed…