Oil-water separation A complex formed by combining maleic anhydride copolymers with a cationic fluorosurfactant can separate oil from water when coated on a wire mesh. Researchers at Durham University (U.K.; www.durham.ac.uk) devised a method of preparing the complex in…
This new tube-in-tube heat exchanger is designed for heating and cooling sludge that contains fibers and particles, making this equipment ideal for use with most kinds of wastewater sludge. The heat exchanger consists of a single tube mounted inside an…
The E-Blower extends the high-efficiency solution provided by the company’s Delta Hybrid series in the low volume flow range. The new E-Design delivers a reduction of power demand of up to 4%, depending on volume flow and pressure difference, says…
In the face of intense market pressures, companies are increasingly requiring their engineering organizations to complete capital projects more quickly, while spending less capital and creating systems that cost less to operate over the long run. They are also asked…
Dust in the chemical processing industries (CPI) is present in numerous operations, including powder processing; the transport of materials on belt or rotary-screw conveyors; grinding materials in giant shredders and pulverizers; machining, sawing, grinding or sanding operations; dumping bags of…
This is my fiftieth editorial in Chemical Engineering. There have been several surprises, going all the way back to the beginning in 2010, when I was first asked if I would like to author a monthly editorial. I said that…
Plant Watch Ineos licenses HDPE process technology in Turkmenistan June 10, 2014 — Ineos Technologies (Rolle, Switzerland; www.ineos.com) has licensed its Innovene S process technology for the Turkmengas petrochemical complex in the Balkan Region of Turkmenistan. The new complex will…
Stubblefield Howell Weston Rodriguez Evertz Ted Nelson joins Akron Rubber Development Laboratory (Akron, Ohio) as technical advisor. Michael Stubblefield becomes CEO of Avantor Performance Materials (Center Valley, Pa.), a developer of high-performance chemistries . Ronen Tchelet joins biotechnology company Dyadic…
What do you look for in a job? It is an interesting question, and one that has received more attention in recent years as employers, who are struggling to find and attain the “right” person for a particular job, realize…
NEC Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.nec.com) has developed a two-stage, heterogeneous synthesis for making a high-functionality bioplastic (70 wt.% plant content) from non-edible plant cellulose. The new bioplastic is said to have excellent thermo-plasticity (275 MFR), heat resistance (140°C glass transition…