Chemical Engineering
Wacker Invests in New Production Line for Silicone Specialties at Nünchritz Site
Wacker Chemie AG (Munich, Germany) is to begin construction on a new production line for silane-terminated polymers at its site in Nünchritz, Germany, this year. Such hybrid polymers are used as binders for formulating high-quality adhesives and sealants, liquid waterproofing…
DuPont to expand silicone-tubing manufacturing capacity in Michigan
DuPont (Wilmington, Del.) is making significant investments in both capital and resources to strengthen strategic capabilities of its Liveo brand healthcare silicone solutions. Underscoring its long-term commitment to the healthcare industry – and confidence in its growth potential – DuPont is…
Lummus to supply 14 ethylene cracking furnaces to Baltic Chemical Plant
Lummus Technology, LLC (Houston) announced that it will supply 14 cracking furnaces for a Gas Chemical Complex that is part of the Ethane-rich Gas Processing Complex (GCC EGPC) located near Ust-Luga, Leningrad Oblast, Russia, on the Gulf of Finland. The…
Major petroleum refinery under construction in Angola
Angola’s national oil company, Sonangol Group, announced that Gemcorp, a trade and investment group in emerging markets, in alignment with the national oil company, took the final investment decision for the construction of the Cabinda Refinery project. The refinery, which…
Lubrizol and Grasim Industries partner for India’s largest CPVC resin plant
To meet growing demand for chlorinated polyvinyl chloride (CPVC) pipe and fittings in India, Lubrizol Advanced Materials (Wickliffe, Ohio) and Grasim Industries Ltd., a flagship company of the Aditya Birla Group, have entered into a definitive agreement to manufacture and…
BP to cease production at Kwinana Refinery and convert to fuel import terminal
bp Australia announced that it will cease fuel production at its Kwinana Refinery and convert it to an import terminal, helping to ensure ongoing security of fuel supply for Western Australia. The refinery, near Fremantle, has provided fuels for Western Australia…
Acetylene-selective MOFs for ethylene purification
Ethylene is an important petrochemical, but it may contain traces of acetylene that can destroy the catalysts used in downstream processes. The separation of ethylene and acetylene is difficult, and the main method, distillation, is energy intensive. A potential alternative…
Business News: November 2020
Plant Watch Solvay inaugurates second bio-based solvent plant in Brazil October 15, 2020 — Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium; www.solvay.com) inaugurated its second manufacturing plant in Brazil for its bio-based solvent marketed under the name Augeo. Installed in the company’s industrial…
Mitigate Dust Hazards With Good Equipment and System Design
By carefully considering equipment and plant design in processes involving powdered materials, fugitive dust issues can be reduced significantly Powdered ingredients that unintentionally leak from equipment in a manufacturing plant are known as fugitive dust. The risks associated with fugitive…
Propionic Acid Production from Propionaldehyde
This column is based on “Propionic Acid Production from Propionaldehyde – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/propionic-acid-production-cost. Propionic acid (also known as propanoic acid) is a carboxylic acid commonly found in nature, mainly…