Ehrfeld Mikrotechnik BTS GmbH (EMB), a subsidiary of Bayer Technology Services GmbH (BTS; Leverkusen, Germany; www.bayertechnology.com), has signed a production-and-marketing agreement with Xytel Inc. (Spartanburg, S.C.; www.xytelcorp.com) to introduce microreactor technology in pilot plants for the oil and gas, chemical…
Chisso Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.chisso.co.jp) has established a new joint-venture (JV) company to produce solar grade silicon using a new process that was first developed by Chisso and subsequently refined, jointly, by the three JV partners: Chisso (50% share), Nippon…
Flowserve Corp. (Dallas, Tex.; www.flowserve.com) has introduced the Valtek Valdisk high-cycle seat, claimed to be a "breakthrough" seat design for Valtek butterfly valves. The new seat design is made of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, and offers an ANSI/FCI 7-0-2 class…
Researchers at the University of Surrey (U.K., www.surrey.ac.uk) have discovered a method to make ultra-small, pure crystals of buckminsterfullerene (C60). Lozenge-shaped crystals can be made with widths of 80 nm — much smaller than the 400 nm minimum size predicted…
Gate Gate valves are designed to operate fully open or fully closed; When fully opened, there is very little pressure drop across the valve, and when fully closed there is good sealing against pressure. With the proper mating of a…
The techniques used for sterilization have a major impact on product quality and safety where pristine processing is needed The inactivation and elimination of bacteria are pressing issues in the chemical process industries (CPI) where high-purity conditions are needed. High…
Much as the chemical process industries (CPI) themselves are always evolving, so too are the engineering materials that play a role behind the scenes. While they may not always make headlines as groundbreaking scientific technologies tend to do, new…
Vacuum is any system of reduced pressure, relative to local (typically atmospheric) pressure. Achieved with a pump, vacuum systems are commonly used to: Remove excess air and its constituents Remove excess reactants or unwanted byproducts Reduce the boiling point Dry…
With the increasing demand for security, drums and other liquid vessels that contain valuable or hazardous liquids can be retrofitted with a simple dispensing-valve system that virtually eliminates leakage and ensures product integrity Although the storage, security, handling and dispensing…
Alkylglyceryl ethers (AGEs) are biodegradable nonionic surfactants with excellent foaming and moisturizing properties. Up to now, AGEs have been made in batch reactors whereby the corresponding alkyl glycidyl ether (GE) is hydrolyzed in a solvent (alcohol or ethyleneglycol monoalkyl ether)…