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 new catalyst for selectively oxidizing hydrogen into hydrogen peroxide has been developed by professor Tatsumi Ishihara at the Post-Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University (Fukuoka City, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-535). This one-step synthesis of H2O2 is expected to be more economical…
A coal-gasification reactor that resembles a metals smelter and operates in two cycles (oxidation and reduction), alternately producing hydrogen and syngas, is being developed by Diversified Energy Corp. (Gilbert, Ariz.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-536) and Alchemix Corp. (Carefree, Ariz.). In the oxidation cycle…
A simpler and more-efficient way to obtain purified terephthalic acid (PTA) has been developed by GTC Technology (Houston, Tex.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-537). In conventional PTA production, p-xylene is oxidized to crude terephthalic acid (CTA), then purified by hydrogenation in an aqueous solution.…
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…
In order to produce ethanol with nearly 100% purity from fermentation broth, conventional processes use a two-step distillation operation, which accounts for almost 55% of the total energy requirements. Therefore, improving the concentration step is a key to reducing the…
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…
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…
If every vehicle in the U.S. ran on fuel made primarily from ethanol instead of gasoline, the number of respiratory-related deaths and hospitalizations would likely increase, according to a study by Mark Jacobson, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering…
A paper-thin battery, with an electrode made from a redox-active organic polymer film (200 nm thick), has been designed by researchers at Waseda University (Tokyo; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6895-547). The polymer has nitroxide-radical groups that act as charge carriers. According to professor Hiroyuki…