Bio-acrylonitrile Site selection is underway for a glycerol-to-acrylonitrile demonstration-scale plant that will enable the production of plant-based acrylonitrile (ACN). Trillium (Knoxville, Tenn.; www.trilliumchemicals.com) is partnering with Zeton (Oakville, Ont.; www.zeton.com) to design and build the plant, known as Project Falcon.…
The Vilsmeier reagent (VR), [(CH3)2 NCHCl]Cl, is necessary for producing a large range of pharmaceuticals, but it is unstable in air and is made from the toxic precursor phosgene (COCl2). A new flow-reactor system has been developed by Akihiko Tsuda,…
Producing hydrogen via methane pyrolysis – termed ‘turquoise hydrogen’ – has thus far received less attention than ‘blue’ and ‘green’ H2, but it may offer advantages over both While the vast majority of current hydrogen production occurs by steam reforming…
Plant Watch BASF to build a new fermentation plant in Ludwigshafen October 12, 2023 — BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) is investing in a new fermentation plant for biological crop-protection products, such as fungicides, insecticides and seed treatments, at its…
‘Turquoise’ hydrogen processes generate H2 without releasing CO2. Presented here are the opportunities and challenges for producing hydrogen by methane pyrolysis Hydrogen-producing processes are classified using a color scheme according to their carbon footprint (Table 1; [1–3]). So-called “turquoise hydrogen”…
Enabled by modern digitalization tools, predictive maintenance strategies have distinct advantages over traditional approaches and preventive maintenance protocols The era of visual-inspection-only maintenance routines with an employee checking boxes off on a clipboard could soon become a relic thanks to…
This company launched a new generation of twin-screw pumps for food, beverage and pharmaceutical applications that combine both the conveying and cleaning functions in one pump. The revamped Hilge Novatwin+ twin-screw pump (photo) is more powerful than its predecessor series,…
Scroll compressors for sensitive work environments This company has re-issued its EO Series of scroll compressors (photo) and expanded its performance range to 30 kW. The EO Series is very popular in sensitive work environments, such as when there is…
Dust collection systems are often designed using simple rules of thumb that may not be sufficient for proper operation. Flow analysis can ensure that the systems meet requirements The presence of dust is one of the many potential causes for…
Advanced technologies employing artificial intelligence (AI) and deep-learning models can reshape product inspection and quality control in bioprocesses, but users must understand both the capabilities and limitations of such digital platforms for optimal implementation Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the…