In The News
Solids Processing
A feeder for both batch and continuous operation Available in 7 models with feedrates from 1 to 550 ft3/h, the Better-Weigh Feeders (photo) are designed to provide feeding in either batch or continuous mode, depending upon the arrangement…
Good Times for Refiners
Improved profitability in the refining industry has brought a wave of investment aimed at raising capacity, boosting product quality and operating flexibility, and increasing refiners’ ability to deal with difficult feedstocks. Greater integration with petrochemical complexes and, in…
A new process for making TDI slated for its commercial debut
When a 300,000-m.t./yr plant starts up in 2010 at Bayer’s integrated site in Shanghai, China, it will be the first world-scale application of a new process for producing toluene diisocyanate (TDI) developed by Bayer MaterialScience AG (BMS; Leverkusen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-531).…
Hydrogasification project aims to produce clean energy from coal, wind and biomass
An integrated energy scheme that combines the generation of substitute natural gas (SNG) from coal, coproduction of biofuel and electricity and near-zero emissions of carbon dioxide, is being developed by Arizona Public Service (APS, Phoenix; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-532), Arizona’s largest utility, with…
A ‘green’ process for petroleum refineries
“Green” diesel fuel that can be blended with petroleum-derived diesel fuel has been produced from vegetable oil in a process developed jointly by UOP LLC (Des Plaines, Ill.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-533) and Eni S.p.A. (Milan, Italy). The fuel is a “premium diesel…
Shock waves step up biodiesel-fuel production
Biodiesel fuel is typically produced by the transesterification of vegetable oil or animal fats in a batch operation that takes about 1-1/2 h. Hydro Dynamics, Inc. (HDI; Rome, Ga.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-534) claims to have cut the residence time to 2–3 s…
A second plant for an oil-recycling process
Following up on its success with the world’s first commercial plant to use a new oil-recycling process, Puralube GmbH (Elsteraue, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-538) plans to build a second plant near the first one, in Zeitz/Elsteraue. Scheduled for startup at the end…
Epichlorohydrin
Dow Epoxy, a business unit of Dow Chemical Co. (Midland Mich.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-541) has selected Shanghai Chemical Industry Park as the site for its 150,000-m.t./yr glycerine-to-epichlorohydrin (GTE) plant and a 100,000-m.t./yr liquid-epoxy-resins plant. Both plants are expected to startup in the…
E&C changes
Last month, Air Liquide S.A. (Paris; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-543) acquired Lurgi AG (Frankfurt, Germany) from the GEA Group AG (Bochum, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-544). Although subject to approval by the European and U.S. competition authorities, the acquisition will enable the acceleration of growth in…
Dow will commercialize its Olefin-Block Copolymers technology
Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Mich.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6894-531) will begin commercial-scale production of Infuse olefin-block copolymers (OBCs), using its Insite technology, in the third quarter of 2007. The company recently completed a trial manufacturing run of OBCs at the plant, which is…