Separation Processes
H2 separation
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…
A multiport valve enhances countercurrent ion exchange
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…
Chementator: Sonocrystallization makes a salty spray
Sodium chloride aerosols are widely used as part of bronchial provocation tests to identify people with asthma, and those who wish to enter military or police service. To maximize their effectiveness, salt aerosol crystals should be as small as possible…
A new NGL-extraction process makes its commercial debut
Toyo Engineering Corp. (TEC; Tokyo; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5829-536) has developed a new, cryogenic process for extracting natural-gas liquids (NGLs; ethane, propane, butane and other hydrocarbons) from liquefied natural gas (LNG). The Coreflux-LNG process boasts an ethane recovery efficiency of around 98%, compared…
Distillation: How to Specify & Install Cartridge Trays
Cartridge trays, defined below, can be the perfect hardware solution for distillation columns that are less than 3 feet (0.9m) in diameter and have a unique need for trays. Packing is usually the preferred choice for small-diameter columns, but there…
Prevent cork taint with high-pressure extraction…
The presence of TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) in cork can lead to undesirable tastes or smells in wine; this so-called cork taint affects about 3–6% of bottled wine. Although techniques (such as boiling in water or striping with superheated steam) have been…
…or by steam distillation
Another process that removes up to 90% of the TCA from cork (see item above) was recently launched by Cork Supply USA (Benica, Calif.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5828-534). The Cork Supply Group in Portugal has been testing the process for over three years…
Chementator: H2 separation
Researchers at the Dept. of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (edlinks.chemengonline.com/5827-547) have developed a rubbery membrane that can be used purify hydrogen. The membrane, based on ethylene oxide polymers, is 40 times more permeable to CO2 than H2,…
Chementator: Reduce gas consumption with this sparging nozzle
A gas-liquid nozzle that reduces the size of the gas bubbles blown into a liquid — thus increasing the rate at which the gas is absorbed into the liquid — has been developed by a research team led by Jie…
Cyclone — Design Tips
Cyclones are among the simplest and most easily fabricated pieces of processing equipment. They are used extensively in the chemical process industries (CPI) for gas-solids separation. In petroleum refineries, for example, cyclones are used in the reactors and regenerators of…