Chemical Engineering
The Scale-up Gap in Bio-based Materials
Successful pilot operations are a necessary first step, but for bio-based processes, getting a product plant-ready requires navigating the gap between research environments and industrial plant settings A successful pilot batch has a way of changing the mood in a…
Investments are accelerating a new hydrogen-based quantum-heating approach
Specially engineered nanostructured nickel- and copper-based composite materials are the cornerstone of a new technology that aims to provide emissions-free heat generation for industrial use. Clean Planet Inc. (Tokyo; www.cleanplanet.co.jp/en/) has developed the Quantum Hydrogen Energy (QHe) technology, which the…
Root-Cause Failure Analysis of Heat Exchangers: From Postmortem to Prediction
This practical framework can help engineers transition their heat-exchanger diagnostics from after-the-fact investigation to continuous, chemistry-aware forecasting Chemical producers are pushing the limits more than ever. In addition to extending turnaround intervals from 3–5 years to 7–9 years, ethylene producers…
Solvent-based technology recovers PPS from waste materials
Polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) is a high-performance thermoplastic with excellent mechanical and thermal properties commonly used in automotive glass-fiber-reinforced components and materials. Recycling waste PPS is challenging because separating impurities is difficult, and conventional mechanical recycling can lead to polymer degradation.…
Effect of Orientation on Heat-Exchanger Performance
The importance of heat-exchanger orientation on process operations is illustrated using a real-world case study from an ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol plant The flow dynamics associated with the presence of both a liquid and a gas (or vapor) phase inside a…
Applying ionic liquids to alum sludge presents a less-toxic route to sludge conditioning
Aluminum sulfate is used in drinking-water treatment as a coagulant to remove suspended particles, but this process leaves behind large volumes of watery residue known as alum sludge. Alum sludge is exceedingly difficult to dewater, making disposal a massive challenge,…
A sulfur-based substitute for bitumen as a binder in road asphalt
Demand for bitumen as a binding agent for road asphalt is growing, but supplies are not expected to keep pace. Startup company Uberbinder (Liverpool, U.K.; www.uberbinder.com) has developed a manufacturing platform to tackle this challenge with an alternative solution: a…
Epoxy-based composite demonstrated as a fixative for radioactively contaminated surfaces
Decommissioning nuclear sites is a complex technical and environmental challenge. A recent project undertaken by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL; Richland, Wash.; www.pnnl.gov) has demonstrated a method for immobilizing radioactive contaminants on surfaces. The approach would reduce the spread of…
New technique for recycling composite materials breaks down thermoset to recover fibers
Poly(dicyclopentadiene), or pDCPD, is a thermoset plastic often used with fiberglass or carbon fibers to make high-strength, lightweight composite materials. Such composites are difficult to recycle practically, leaving environmentally harmful incineration as the most common end-of-life scenario. Now, a team…
Fully autonomous modules produce carbon-neutral synthetic natural gas
Rivan Industries (London, U.K.; www.rivan.com) has deployed its first full-scale modular synthetic natural gas (SNG) system, marking a milestone in autonomous fuels production at scale. Powered by a 1-MW solar array, the SNG system’s only inputs are rainwater and CO2,…