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Chemical Engineering

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Switchable solvent supports freshwater extraction from hypersaline brine

Extremely high-salinity water streams present difficulties for many types of processing equipment, such as membranes and filters, and most commercial treatment methods involve thermal evaporators or crystallization, which are energy-intensive and require special anti-corrosion materials. A new membrane-less, non-evaporative process…

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Carbon dioxide removal combined with desalination

Most existing carbon-dioxide removal (CDR) approaches have focused on air, but the volumetric concentration of dissolved inorganic CO2 in surface water is much higher (150X) than its concentration in the atmosphere. Removing CO2 from water could prove to be a…

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Novel reactor addresses limitations of pyrolysis for plastics recycling

Pyrolysis has received much attention as a technology capable of breaking down waste plastics in recycling processes, but existing pyrolysis approaches often give rise to products with broad molar mass distributions and poor yields. Catalysts can improve yield and selectivity,…

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Micro-hydropower systems produce renewable electricity inside pipelines

A first-of-its-kind energy-recovery system harnesses the energy of water flow and pressure in pipelines to produce renewable energy. The patented HydroXS unit, developed by InPipe Energy, Inc. (Portland, Ore.; www.inpipeenergy.com) in collaboration with Grundfos Corp. (Brookshire, Tex.; www.grundfos.com/us), is a…

Editor’s page: Welcome to Chemical Engineering

This month’s column gives a brief overview of the Chemical Engineering brand. While long-term readers need no introduction to the magazine, newer readers might be interested in the history of the magazine and what we cover. Perhaps even long-term readers…

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Business News: September 2025

Plant Watch Chevron Phillips Chemical completes LV PAO expansion in Belgium August 12, 2025 — Chevron Phillips Chemical L.P. (CPChem; The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cpchem.com) has completed the expansion of its low-viscosity polyalphaolefins (LV PAO) production unit in Beringen, Belgium, significantly…

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Avenues for Decarbonizing the Steel Industry

Energy- and carbon-intensive, steel production is categorized as one of the most “hard-to-abate” industries, making the scaleup of decarbonization technologies crucial not only for steelmakers themselves, but for every downstream industry in the supply chain Responsible for some 9% of…

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Process Analytical Technology and the Role of Raman Spectroscopy

Process analytical technology (PAT) approaches allow continuous monitoring and real-time control of processes. Among the key monitoring technologies is Raman spectroscopy, which offers inline measurement that can reduce personnel time and sampling complexity The chemical industry faces new challenges with…

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A platform technology for low-carbon cement makes progress

Two recent developments at Queens Carbon Inc. (Pine Brook, N.J.; www.queenscarbon.com), a spinoff company from Rutgers University (New Brunswick, N.J.; www.rutgers.edu), illustrate the potential for reducing the high carbon-dioxide emissions that result from cement and concrete production. Both are results…

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World’s first grid-connected iron-air battery now operational in the Netherlands

The Netherlands-based startup company Ore Energy (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.oreenergy.com) recently announced that it has successfully connected its flagship iron-air battery system to the electric grid in the city of Delft, the Netherlands. It is the first iron-air battery system…