Environment, Health, Safety & Security
Facts At Your Fingertips: Microbial-Influenced Corrosion
Any corrosion process in which microorganisms initiate, facilitate or accelerate corrosive chemical reactions is termed microbially influenced corrosion (MIC). MIC occurs when the chemical, microbiological and physical conditions allow the active growth of biofilms containing specific types of microbes on…
Controlling Air Pollution with Ceramic Catalytic Filters
Catalyst-impregnated ceramic filter elements can achieve simultaneous removal of multiple air-pollutant species in a modular, space-saving layout The three most common pollutants found in the air we breathe are particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur oxides (SOx). These…
Bookshelf March 2021: Recently Published Books for the CPI
The following is a list of recently published books that may be relevant for professionals in the chemical process industries (CPI) Digital Transformation for the Process Industries: A Roadmap. By Osvaldo Bascur (edited by Jim O’Rourke), CRC Press, 2021, 320…
LLE technology closes the loop on phenol removal
Many industrial processes involve phenol, but its toxic nature means that it must be effectively removed from waste streams prior to any subsequent biological treatment steps. Phenol can be removed via evaporation, but this method is quite energy-intensive. Alternatively, the…
Direct degradation of microplastics in wastewater
Microplastic pollutants in wastewater are notoriously difficult to treat, and can stem from many common sources, ranging from personal-care products to textiles. A new treatment technology developed by a team of researchers from Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS;…
A two-step process reduces nitrous oxide emissions
Last month, Lanxess AG (Cologne, Germany; www.lanxess.com) inaugurated a new plant in Lillo/Antwerp, Belgium to reduce the nitrous oxide emissions that are generated during the production of caprolactam. The €10-million investment breaks down approximately 500 metric tons (m.t.) of N2O…
Facts at your Fingertips: Thermal Oxidizer Selection
Thermal oxidizers are pollution-control units designed to prevent process-generated volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from entering the environment. Different technologies offer tradeoffs among initial cost, operating expense, complexity, emissions, fuel efficiency and destruction efficiency. This one-page reference provides information on selecting…
Addressing climate change
In a report 1 issued by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE; www.aceee.org), one of the key summary points is that industrial decarbonization is essential to fighting climate change. The report states that the industrial sector accounts for…
Unlock the Energy Potential of Your Plant
By exploring strategies for process integration, such as waste-heat recovery and combined heat and power generation, plants can significantly improve their energy efficiency and reduce utility costs In a chemical processing plant, utility costs typically account for about 10 to…
Bacteria for wastewater treatment
Researchers from the National University of Singapore (www.nus.edu.sg), led by associate professor He Jianzhong, have found a new strain of bacterium called Thauera sp. strain SND5, which is capable of simultaneous nitrification and denitrification and phosphate removal from wastewater. The…