The blood-cholesterol-lowering effects of beta-glucan — the soluble oat fiber — is well known, but up to now it has been difficult to obtain beta-glucan-rich fractions that are feasible for food applications, according to VTT Technical Research Center (Espoo, Finland,…
Seals are assemblies of elements that prevent the passage of a solid, liquid, gas or vapor from one system to another. When a seal allows leakage of material, failure has occurred. This guide provides an overview of common seal types…
Demanding application requirements coupled with improved downstream control devices and enhanced instrument diagnostics have led to major changes in process-valve monitoring and control. Factors driving these changes in the chemical process industries (CPI) include the need for lower plant operating…
This week, Plast-O-Matic Valves, Inc. (Chem Show, New York; Booth 1018) debuts an all-thermoplastic, air-operated pinch valve with a newly designed sleeve element. With an open tubular-sleeve element to control flow, the Series HSA pinch valves provide an open flow…
The technology — now being demonstrated at the company’s booth with its lab-scale version (LabRAM) — generates acoustic waves via the resonant vibration of a simple, mechanically driven agitator. At an 11:00 a.m. press conference today, Resodyn Acoustic Mixers Inc.…
The ability of titanium dioxide to absorb ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) solar radiation has been increased 25% by researchers at the U.S. Dept. of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory (Upton, NY; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6900-534). This could lead to improved…
Metabolic Explorer (Metex; Clermont-Ferrand; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6900-535) and IFP (Rueil-Malmaison, both France; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6900-536) signed an agreement last month to accelerate the scaleup of Metex’s proprietary technology for producing 1,3-propanediol (PDO). The biological-based process uses glycerin — a byproduct of biodiesel production (CE,…
Asahi Kasei Finechem Co. (Osaka, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6900-538) has commercialized a new type of catalyst for performing asymmetric oxidation reactions. The catalyst is based on ligands having the structure of a chiral-bis-hydroxamic acid (CBHA; diagram), which was first developed by Professor…
Bayer MaterialScience AG (BMS; Leverkusen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6900-541) is opening a second production facility for Baytubes, its carbon nanotubes product, at H.C. Starck GmbH (Laufenburg, Germany). When combined with the existing pilot-production plant, the new, 30-m.t./yr facility will increase the site’s…
Rigorous temperature control is required for performing selective catalytic reactions, such as hydrogenation and oxidation (ethylene oxide production, for example), and in reactions where the chemical equilibrium is strongly temperature dependent (Claus sulfur recovery or the CO-shift reaction, for example).…