The size and size distribution of particles are important determining factors in the design and operation of many process operations involving dry particles and powders. Follow this guidance to understand the impact of these key characteristics Bulk solids are dry…
Handheld device speeds maintenance, startup efforts The AMS Trex Device Communicator (photo) uses the company’s Power the Loop technology. By removing the need for an external power supply, the device helps users work more effectivey and perform faster device configuration,…
The XperLUBE system (photo) uses automotive-style solenoid injectors to deliver lubricant in precise quantities. Unlike traditional lubrication devices, XperLUBE integrates fully with modern control systems and adapts to changes in operating conditions. A key feature is the way each injector…
In addition to large amounts of conventional dust, the new IVS 100 range of industrial vacuums (photo) also pick up hazardous, as well as combustible dust and coarse particles. The particles are vacuumed directly where they are generated and therefore…
Launched last month at Weftec (Chicago; October 2–4), the new Bravo chemical metering system provides improved process control with reliable, accurate and repeatable flow, and reduced chemical consumption, says the company. Bravo is an integrated, modular and scalable solution used…
For petroleum refineries, the cost of converting hydrofluoric-acid-based alkylation units to the relatively safer sulfuric-acid-based alkylation process (diagram) has been cost-prohibitive and has lacked specific economic benefits. Now, DuPont (Wilmington, Del.; www.dupont.com) has developed a low-cost approach to converting existing…
Chemists and engineers from the Performance Materials Segment of Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) have developed a new process for making methyl methacrylate (MMA). With a yield of over 90%, the so-called Leading in Methacrylates (LiMA) process can be…
Microbes inhabiting the extreme environments thousands of feet below the earth’s surface possess unique properties not encountered elsewhere. A research consortium of South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSMT; Rapid City; www.sdsmt.edu), University of Oklahoma (Norman) and Montana State…
A triple-layer, porous membrane system developed at the Functional Materials Laboratory at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (www.fml.ethz.ch) can be fashioned into evaporative curtains to cool and humidify indoor spaces, potentially decreasing the energy demand for climate-control systems. Juxtaposing opposite forces…
A newly patented class of synthetic antimicrobial compounds is aimed at overcoming the limitations of existing industrial disinfectants, such as quaternary ammonium compounds and bleaches. “Bleaches are effective disinfectants on initial application, but they don’t work when they dry and…