More tools and fresh applications bring modeling and simulation to all facets of chemical processing Modeling and simulation software is becoming not only more powerful, but also more user friendly and affordable, making it a valuable tool for chemical processors…
A new composite-membrane distillation process capable of removing salt, toxic elements and microorganisms from water is being offered commercially for the first time this month. The process, known as NanoClear, was developed by Dais Analytic Corp. (Odessa, Fla.; www.daisanalytic.com) for…
Li-S Battery Storage Anesco Ltd. (Reading, U.K.; www.anesco.co.uk) and OXIS Energy (Abingdon, U.K.; www.oxisenergy.com) have begun a collaboration to commercialize OXIS Lithium Sulfur Technology for battery storage for commercial and residential renewable installations. The new battery storage units will be…
Plant Watch Chambroad commissions China’s first C3/C4 coproduction plant August 12, 2015 — UOP LLC (Des Plaines, Ill.; www.uop.com) announced that Shandong Chambroad Holding Co. has become the first company in China to commission a combined propylene and isobutylene (C3/C4)…
Japanese companies INPEX Corp. (Tokyo, www.inpex.co.jp), Chiyoda Corp. (Yokohama; www.chiyoda-corp.com), and Metawater Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, all Japan; www.metawater.co.jp) have been commissioned to build a small-scale demonstration facility that will use ceramic membrane filtration for treating produced water for Japan Oil,…
During casting of aluminum alloys, degassing is required to remove hydrogen from the molten metal in order to prevent porosity in the solid metal that deteriorates its properties and performance. Currently, the so-called argon rotary degassing is used, where a…
A new technology for treating cooling tower water is designed to control scale formation and provide corrosion protection without using phosphorus-containing compounds. Phosphorus from wastewater discharge is known to be a major factor in fueling algae blooms and excessive aquatic…
Currently, the active components of most pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals are synthesized by multiple batch reactions, in which all starting materials are mixed in reaction vessels and the desired compounds are extracted and purified after each reaction has finished. Such…
Last month, Johnson Matthey Process Technologies (JMPT; London, U.K.; www.matthey.com) and Rennovia Inc. (Santa Clara, Calif.; www.rennovia.com) successfully started-up a fully integrated mini-plant for production of glucaric acid from glucose using jointly developed technology. The mini-plant is located at the…
It has been known for a long time that sulfonated active-carbon acid can catalyze both esterification and transesterification to produce biodiesel fuels from oils with high acid value without pretreatment. However, the separation of such catalysts requires filtration or centrifugation,…