Using proper installation practices and adhering to maintenance schedules helps ensure reliable operation of safety-relief valves Safety-relief valves are critical components of any pressurized system. In fact, a functioning safety-relief valve could be the most important piece of equipment on…
A few months ago, this column addressed the megadrought in the U.S. Southwest and the increasing concerns over water scarcity [ 1]. Since that time, the drought in that region of the U.S. has continued, further impacting communities across the…
For the first time, researchers have proven that multigene bioengineering of photosynthesis increases the yield of the major food crop soybean in field trials. An international collaborative team of the RIPE project (Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency), led by the University…
E-Cracking Last month, construction began on the world’s first demonstration plant for large-scale, electrically heated steam cracker furnaces. The demonstration plant will be fully integrated into one of the existing steam crackers at BASF’s Verbund site in Ludwigshafen, Germany. It…
A new paper material developed at Northeastern University (Boston, Mass.; www.northeastern.edu) is capable of passive cooling, potentially reducing the energy load required for air conditioning in buildings. “The paper is made from fibers of a calcium-based material called hydroxyapatite. The…
In August, Synhelion S.A. (Lugano, Switzerland; www.synhelion.com) became the first company in the world to produce synthesis gas (syngas) on an industrial scale using only solar heat as an energy source. The milestone occurred on the multifocus solar tower of…
Rare-earth materials are a crucial part of high-performance magnets in many electronic devices. Right now, only about 5% of these magnets are recycled, but tapping into end-of-life electronics is a promising and more sustainable source for rare-earth materials, the vast…
The Red Sea National Petrochemical Co. has selected process technologies from W.R. Grace (Columbia, Md.) and Univation Technologies, LLC (Houston) for a major petrochemicals complex in Egypt. Univation's UNIPOL PE Process has been selected for two reactor lines. The two…
Fluor Corp. (Irving, Tex.) announced that the company has been selected by a leading biologics company to perform procurement and construction management for a large-scale biologics drug substance manufacturing facility located in Scandinavia. Fluor will book the multi-hundred-million-dollar reimbursable contract…
Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium) announced that it is increasing its Amodel polyphthalamide (PPA) resin capacity by 15% at its Augusta manufacturing site in Georgia as a result of operational excellence initiatives. The new capacity facilitates the production of innovative and more sustainable Amodel PPA…