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This modified catalyst additive improves the yield and quality from FCC units

Conventional fluid-catalytic-cracking (FCC) catalysts are based on USY-type of zeolites (having a pore size of about 7.6 Å), which selectively decompose longer-chained hydrocarbons (HCs) into smaller HCs, gasoline components, light and heavy cycle oils and other products. ZSM-type zeolites have…

Making porous nanoparticles

Researchers from the Chemistry Dept. at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-535) have discovered a new way to prepare monodisperse, discrete nanoparticles of silica with specific shapes, such as cubes, tetrapods and spheres. The shaped particles can be porous, and…

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A thermal wet-air-oxidation process treats gasifier soot

Scheduled for startup in the second half of this year, the Long Lake integrated bitumen and upgrading project (near Fort McMurry, Alberta) now under construction by OPTI Canada, Inc. (edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-536) and Nexen, Inc. (both Calgary, Alberta) is the first gasification…

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Continuously replace spent FCC catalyst with this magnetic separator

Nippon Oil Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-538) has completed a confirmation test of a magnetic-separation process that selectively removes spent FCC (fluid-catalytic-cracking) catalysts from actives ones. The process runs continuously and requires no shutdown of the FCC unit; normally, FCC catalysts…

Gas purification

Toyo Engineering Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-539) and BASF AG (Ludwigshafen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-540) are cooperating to market and sell a gas-purification technology specifically designed to purify synthesis-gas (syngas) streams for integrated gasification, combined-cycle (IGCC) power plants. Tradenamed PuraTreat A, the technology…

Cellulosic bioethanol

Mascoma Corp. (Cambridge, Mass.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-541) has received a $14.8-million award from the New York State Dept. of Agriculture and Markets and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority to build and operate a biomass-to-ethanol demonstration plant in Rochester,…

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Siemens lands a new coal-gasification contract

Siemens Power Generation (Erlangen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-542) has received a €-30-million contract from Shenhua Ningxia Coal Industry Group Co., Ltd. (China) to supply two entrained-flow gasifiers — each with a thermal capacity of 500 MW — and further key equipment for…

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New biofuels

U.S. Sustainable Energy Corp. (Natchez, Miss.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-543) has developed a new biofuel, SoyMazia 128, that is claimed to be the first 100% renewable and environmentally friendly replacement for diesel fuel with none of the negative traits associated with traditional biodiesel.…

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Degradable bubblepack

Advanced Excelsior Co. (Houston, Tex.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-545) has launched Bio-Bubble, claimed to be the world’s first 100% Oxo-biodegradable bubble wrap. The material contains Degradable Polymer Products' (Toronto, Canada) d2w additive, which causes plastic products, such as those made of polyethylene, polypropylene…

Green chelating agent

Akzo Nobel (Amsterdam; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6892-546) has commercialized a biodegradable chelating agent, Dissolvine GL, as a cost-effective, green alternative to the two most frequently used agents, ethylenediamineetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and nitrotriacetic acid (NTA). The product contains L-glutamic acid (from sugar, molasses, corn…