Minimizing process variability is an important component of a plant’s profitability. The performance of control valves within process control loops has a significant impact on maintaining consistent processes. This refresher outlines some of the important aspects of control-valve performance, including…
Polypropylene (PP) is one of the world’s most widely used polymers, second only to polyethylene in terms of global demand. The global market for polypropylene is over 60 million metric tons per year, and it is utilized in a…
This company’s magnetic-drive pumps now exceed driving power of 515 kW, with flowrates of 3,500 m3/h, delivery heads of 160 m and system pressures from PN 16 to 400. They can operate at temperatures of 450°C without external cooling and…
The Hydro-Cell Metering Solutions line is comprised of six metering pumps ranging in capacity from 0.32 to 894.6 gal/h (1.21 to 3,386.4 L/h), with pressure ratings from 50 to 2,599 psi (3.4–172 bars). These pumps use variable frequency-drive electronic-flow adjustment…
A new plant for manufacturing sodium silicide (Na4Si4;diagram), a non-flammable, air-stable powder that reacts with water to generate pure hydrogen, is under development near Niagara Falls, N.Y. by SiGNa Chemistry Inc. (New York; signachem.com). Scheduled for startup in the third…
Avoid pipe corrosion with this spacer Trelleborg Group Flexspacer has been developed to effectively create an air gap between topside pipelines and thermal insulation, thereby avoiding the corrosion that can occur when using traditional insulation systems such as mineral wool.…
Collaboration between an Italian university and an American company has resulted in a new service that will provide research services for outsourcing catalyst discovery and optimization to consultants and laboratory staff interested in high-throughput catalyst research. The service utilizes a…
Promation Engineering Designed for use on rising-stem globe control valves, the PL Series actuators (photo) provide up to 4,400 lb of force and up to 3.9 in. of travel. This increased up-and-down force, the company says, allows the use of…
A process developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Arlington (www.uta.edu) uses copper-based semiconductor nanoscale-rod arrays and solar radiation to carry out a photoelectroreduction of carbon dioxide to methanol. The process offers a pathway to utilize the greenhouse…
Following a positive feasibility study, American Vanadium Corp. (Vancouver, B.C.; www.americanvanadium.com) will construct the world’s first sulfuric acid heap-leach mining operation for vanadium at a specific geologic formation in central Nevada, known as Gibellini Hill. The project is currently in…