It is well known that palladium membranes are ideal for purifying hydrogen because they allow only H2 to pass through (via diffusion of H atoms) while blocking all other molecules. Because contaminants cannot pass through this pore-free "filter", Pd membrane…
Process small batches with this fluid-bed dryer The Circular Vibratory Fluid Bed Processing System (photo) dries small batches of bulk-solid materials at high temperatures. The self-contained system integrates an 18-in.-dia. fluid-bed processor with heater, blower, cyclone separator and…
Solid-liquid separation is a key unit operation that processors look to for a wide-range of applications ranging from: the lowly removal of debris from cooling-fluid lines and products; through the recovery of product from solvents; to massive-scale dewatering…
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (Umsicht; Oberhausen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6516-533) are developing a new type of filter medium that can be manufactured with pores of precisely the same size (photo). The filter is made of…
Manufacturing soda ash by either the Solvay or Hou process produces a large amount of waste sludge. About 10 m3 of waste — mostly liquid with 2–8 wt.% solids — is generated per ton of soda ash produced, says Trevor…
(Wilmington, Del.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6516-544) launched a new temperature-controlled evaporation source for depositing sensitive materials used for producing organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic-chemical-based solar cells. The source enables greater control of deposition rate, which reduces material loss and associated costs, says…
Distillation, based on differences in the volatility of components, is the most common unit operation for separating homogeneous mixtures. In simple distillation columns, a single feed stream is separated into two product streams. Complex columns are those that…
A chemical-treatment process, called Kemicond, that reduces the volume and odor of sludge has been commercialized by its developer Kemitra Kemi AB Kemwater (Helsingborg, Sweden; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6515-532). The first commercial application - a system for Käppala Association (Stockholm, Sweden) that treats…
Eltron Research, Inc. (Boulder, Co.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6515-553), in partnership with the U.S. Dept. of Energy's (DOE; Washington, D.C.) National Energy Technology Laboratory (Pittsburgh, Pa.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6515-554), has engineered membrane materials for producing pure hydrogen from coal-derived synthesis gas. In bench-scale tests, the…
PuriTech (Dessel, Belgium; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6514-536) has developed a continuous ion-exchange system, called Ionex, which uses up to 75% less water and requires about half the volume of ion-exchange resin, compared with traditional fixed-bed systems, says PuriTech projects director Filip Rochette. Ionex…