In The News
Finland becomes the home of a large biogasification plant
Metso (Helsinki, Finland; www.metso.com) is supplying a 140-MWth biogasification plant to Vaskiluodon Voima Oy in Vaasa, Finland. When it starts up in December 2012, the €40-million gasification plant, which will be located next to the existing 565-MW coal-fired power plant,…
A continuous process that promises to slash the cost of making bioethanol
A compact, inexpensive and energy-saving continuous process to make bioethanol is being developed by professor Yoshio Katakura at Kansai University (Osaka; microbial.life-bio.kansai-u.ac.jp), in collaboration with the Kinki Bio-industry Development Organization (Osaka), Kansai Chemical Engineering Co. (Amagasaki), and Akita National College…
Magnetic-shape-memory alloy offers alternative to traditional actuators
A novel nickel-manganese-gallium alloy, introduced by Goodfellow Corp. (Oakdale, Pa.; www.goodfellowusa.com), elongates in a magnetic field, allowing the conversion of magnetic field energy into kinetic energy. The material offers an alternative to conventional actuators, and could find other uses in…
New solutions in hydrometallurgy
As demand for basic metals grows, engineers and scientists are looking for new ways to extract these elements from ores. “The easy stuff has already been found and processed. One of the main challenges of mining and minerals processing companies…
Yanchang Petroleum Group and KBR to create a JV company
Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum (Group) Co. (Yanchang Petroleum Group) and KBR, Inc. (Houston; www.kbr.com) have signed an agreement to create a joint-venture (JV) company in the People’s Republic of China. The purpose of the JV will be to market, sell, deliver…
Ube Industries to launch commercial production of Artificial Micro Carbon
Ube Industries, Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan; www.ube-ind.co.jp says it will launch commercial production of proprietary Artificial Micro Carbon (AMC; multi-walled carbon nanotubes-MWCNT). The company is currently proceeding with the construction of production line for AMC within the Ube Chemical Factory located…
AMEC appointed project management contractor for chemical complex in China
AMEC Plc. (London, U.K.; www.amec.com) has been appointed by BASF Polyurethane (Chongqing) Co. and Chongqing Chemical and Pharmaceutical (Group) Holding Co. (CCPHC) as the project management contractor for the development of a new 400,000-metric-ton-per-year MDI (diphenylmethane diisocyanate) facility at Changshou,…
Solvay to build specialty polymers plant in China
Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium; www.solvay.com) has launched a project to build a specialty polymers production plant for Solef Polyvinylidene Fluoride (PVDF), Tecnoflon Fluoroelastomers (FKM) and their essential monomer VF2 in China to satisfy the growing demand for these high value-added…
UOP: Propane-dehydrogenation technology for Abu Dhabi Oil Refining
UOP LLC (Des Plaines, Ill; www.uop.com), a Honeywell company, has been selected by the Abu Dhabi Oil Refining Co. (Takreer) to provide key technology for a new petrochemical production unit in the United Arab Emirates. The new propane dehydrogenation (PDH)…
Novo Nordisk invests in new factory in Denmark
Novo Nordisk A/S Bagsværd, Denmark; www.novonordisk.com) is investing close to 1 billion Danish kroner (€134 million) in a new factory in Kalundborg, Denmark, for the production of biopharmaceuticals such as haemophilia medicine, growth hormone and other current and future pharmaceuticals.…