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Chemical Engineering

Integration of CO2 direct air capture and alcohol-to-jet fuels manufacturing

A feasibility study is underway for the world’s first commercial facility that integrates direct air capture (DAC) of atmospheric carbon dioxide with gas fermentation of CO2 and production of aviation fuels. LanzaTech (Chicago, Ill.; www.lanzatech.com) and Carbon Engineering (Squamish, B.C.;…

Safer, more sustainable control of runaway polymerization

Runaway polymerizations of acrylic monomers can lead to catastrophic fires and explosions in production plants and storage terminals, as well as during transportation. Special chemical products called shortstop inhibitors are used to minimize the likelihood of runaway polymerization reactions. A…

Sanitize, Analyze and Optimize Bioprocessing Operations

Better designs and improved monitoring and control technologies lead to higher efficiencies While bioprocessing can be challenging due to the sanitation requirements and exacting processes, new technologies are allowing bioprocessors to more easily sanitize, analyze and optimize their processes in…

Facts At Your Fingertips: Design Considerations for Pneumatic Conveying

Attention to the design of bulk-solids pneumatic-conveying pipelines can help avoid conveying-system problems, such as low conveying rates, plugging, excessive wear-and-tear in the conveying line, high conveying-system pressure drop, product breakage, fines generation and product cross-contamination. This one-page reference provides…

Technology Profile: Production of Linear Alpha Olefins

Linear alpha olefins (LAOs) are hydrocarbons with the chemical formula CnH2n, characterized by linear chains and one double bond at the alpha position (Figure 1). Such hydrocarbons are important chemical intermediates, widely used in several industrial and consumer products according…

Bolt-Load Considerations Associated with ‘Hot Bolting’

In some situations, it might be necessary to remove or replace a bolt during operation. This article shows how to determine the proper bolt load to prevent leaks Bolted flange joints (Figure 1) are part of pressure vessel and piping…

A System Approach with Flow Analysis

Taking a system approach to find the root cause of a problem can be more beneficial than simply replacing a problematic pump. This article explains why We want the best reliability with anything that we work with. In a plant…

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical to expand meta-xylenediamine capacity in Europe

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. (MGC; Tokyo) has announced the expansion of Meta-xylenediamine (MXDA) production in Europe. MGC is expanding its production capacity of MXDA to meet the market growth in the epoxy, polyamide and isocyanate sector. MGC will be…

Albemarle to acquire lithium-conversion company in China

Albemarle Corporation (Charlotte, N.C.) announced that its subsidiary, Albemarle Lithium UK Limited, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding equity of Guangxi Tianyuan New Energy Materials Co., Ltd. (Tianyuan), a lithium converter located in Guangxi, China.…

ArcelorMittal to construct DRI plant, electric furnaces in Gent

ArcelorMittal Belgium will reduce CO2 emissions by 3.9 million tons per year by 2030, by building a 2.5 million-ton direct reduced iron (DRI) plant and two electric furnaces at its Gent site, to operate alongside its state-of-the-art blast furnace that…