Chementator
Using microwaves to make ammonia
Ammonia is becoming more crucial for the energy transition as renewable-power producers look to its potential as a means for energy storage. Typically made using the energy-intensive Haber Bosch (HB) process, solutions for decarbonizing NH3 typically involve the adoption of…
Chementator briefs
Steam Reforming Honeywell International Inc. (Charlotte, N.C.; www.honeywell.com) and ZoneFlow Reactor Technologies, LLC (ZFRT; Windsor, Conn.; www.zoneflowtech.com) have successfully conducted pilot-plant testing of the ZoneFlow Reactor in ZFRT’s large-scale pilot plant at Université Catholique de Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. The…
Predictable plant-based production of complex biomolecules
Most plant-based bioprocesses involve growing plants in outdoor fields or greenhouses, but this is hindered by local climates and available space, and typical product yields are very low per plant, especially for natural active molecules used in pharmaceutical and healthcare…
This electrolysis cell produces high-purity iron
Processing iron ore is the most carbon-intensive step in the steelmaking process, often using coal as an energy source. A new technology, called Molten Oxide Electrolysis (MOE) aims to decarbonize the iron-ore process through electrification. “In the MOE cell, an…
A new approach to refrigeration with no global-warming potential
Traditional vapor-compression refrigeration relies on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) as refrigerant fluids — a class of compounds with global-warming potentials (GWP) thousands of times higher than that of CO2. A new approach from scientists at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBL; Berkeley, Calif.;…
‘Printing’ new catalyst candidates onto a chip
Discovering new catalysts and materials for specific applications can be a tedious and time-consuming process involving labor-intensive tests and expensive samples. Technology developed by Mattiq (Skokie, Ill.; www.mattiq.com) enables the “printing” of tens of thousands of tiny material samples onto…
Direct-air capture of CO2 via a liquid-based, low-temperature, thermochemical system
With global temperatures likely to rise beyond the 1.5°C target set by climate experts, negative emissions technologies — most notably direct air capture (DAC) — become increasingly important for addressing CO2 already in the atmosphere. A new DAC approach is…
Observing particle concentrations and velocities inside a fluidized bed
Fluidized beds are used in a variety of industries for combustion, drying, catalytic cracking and other processes. However, the process that occurs inside a fluidized bed is extremely complex and — due to a lack of effective measurement techniques —…
New heating method tackles PFAS contamination on spent treatment media
There are several established technologies to remove per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water, including membranes and adsorbents. However, such purification media can pose disposal challenges due to the potential for further PFAS contamination stemming from the spent media. Now,…
This fiber technology could revolutionize building construction
With the Texoversum (photo), Reutlingen University (Germany; www.reutlingen-university.de) has put into operation a training and innovation center for the textile industry that is unique in Europe. The almost 2,000-m2 textile-like façade of the new building combines the innovative power of…