A group from the University of Canterbury (www.canterbury.ac.nz), and Industrial Research Ltd. (both Christchurch, New Zealand; www.irl.cri.nz), has produced hydrogen from ethanol via steam reforming in a non-thermal plasma reactor. The project is part of an Industrial Research concept called…
A team from the School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia (Penang; www.eng.usm.my) has carried out a study for optimizing non-catalytic supercritical (SC) methanol extraction and transesterification of Jatropha curcas seeds to produce biodiesel fuel. Jatropha curcas is a species…
Gold catalysts have been shown to have superior activities for oxidation reactions, especially at low temperature, compared to other metal-based catalysts. But the high price of gold makes it necessary to develop Au catalysts with ever-higher activities, reducing the amount…
Venezuela’s state-run petroleum company, PDVSA Petroleo, S.A. (PDVSA, Caracas; www.pdvsa.com), will commercialize a company-developed process for upgrading heavy crude oil in its Puerto La Cruz refinery, about 300 km (190 miles) east of Caracas. The 210,000-bbl/d plant will employ PDVSA’s…
Construction of a demonstration plant has begun for a biomass-to-gasoline process that boosts biomass conversion efficiency in producing bio-gasoline. The demonstration, to be located at the Hillsborough, N.J. headquarters of Primus Green Energy (www.primusge.com), is slated for completion in the…
A new distillation system capable of reducing energy consumption by up to 50% compared to conventional columns has been developed by Toyo Engineering Corp. (Toyo; Chiba, www.toyo-eng.co.jp), in collaboration with the National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST;…
Solstice Liquid Blowing Agent can be used in a variety of insulation applications, including spray foam, foam insulating panels and refrigerator insulation. The manufacturer says use of the new material can make refrigerators up to 10–12% more energy efficient than…
Consisting of an integrated automation unit and actuator, Unique Control (photo) is a new way to control and operate a valve. Quick and easy to install, it eliminates the need for separate automation units. Unique Control is designed to handle…
The EB 291 C and EB 421 C turn-key rotary blowers are supplied connection-ready with integrated mains power supply equipment and monitoring. With drive powers from 18 to 75 kW, they cover deliveries of 15 to 40 m3/min at up…
Sil-X-Shin silicone elastomers are specifically engineered for extruded tubing for healthcare, beverage and architectural glazing applications. The elastomers are available in a wide range of Shore A hardness (from 30 to 80 on the Shore A scale), and come in…