In The News
This scale inhibitor uses steric dispersion principles
With the commercial release of a new scale inhibitor — called ScaleTreat FeS 13805 — researchers at Clariant Oil Services (Houston; www.clariant.com/oilinnovation), in collaboration with academia, have improved upon existing scale-treatment chemistries, adding a newly patented copolymer to the industry.…
Upgrading extra-heavy crude oil using supercritical water
Earlier this year, JGC Corp. (JGC; Yokohama, Japan; www.jgc.com), in partnership with Japan Oil, Gas and Minerals National Corp., commenced pilot-scale testing of their Supercritical Water Cracking (SCWC) process. The pilot has a capacity of 5 barrels (bbl) per day…
Chementator Briefs
Concrete Admixture Advanced concrete mixes often demonstrate a higher viscosity due to their low water contents. Although having a high level of workability, the concrete often appears harsh, sticky and therefore difficult to pump and process. To overcome these challenges…
‘Nanoboxes’ promise to boost energy capacity of lithium-ion batteries
Researchers from Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN; www.ibn.a-star.edu.sg) and Hydro-Quebec’s Research Institute (Montreal, Canada; www.hydro.qc.ca) have synthetized silicate-based “nanoboxes” that could greatly increase the energy capacity of lithium-ion batteries as compared to that of conventional phosphate-based cathodes. IBN’s…
Startup for a new coal-gasification process
IHI Corp. (IHI; Tokyo, www.ihi.co.jp) has commissioned its first prototype Twin IHI Gasifier (TIGAR) plant, which IHI designed and built at the Kujang Factory of PT Pupuk Indonesia Holding Co., Indonesia’s largest state-owned fertilizer company, 75 km southeast of Jakarta.…
Two new product families offer help for biofuel producers
Two families of newly developed products from specialty chemical maker Solenis (Wilmington, Del.; www.solenis.com) — a portfolio of fermentation aids and scale inhibitors — have the potential to improve the production of bioethanol and related fermentation processes. Solenis fermentation aids…
This solvent-extraction process can monetize tough refinery sludges
Construction has begun on a commercial prototype of a low-boiling-point solvent-extraction process for recovering used catalyst powder and slurry oil from a recalcitrant sludge produced in the fluid catalytic cracking units (FCCUs) of petroleum refineries. The process allows refiners to…
A system to extract energy from waste gases
Many chemical process industries (CPI) operations generate gaseous byproducts that are impure and have low energy densities. Ener-Core Power Inc. (Irvine, Calif.; www.ener-core.com) has introduced a technology to extract valuable energy and heat from gases that would otherwise be wasted…
June Chementator Briefs
Hydrocracking Later this year, Albemarle Corp. (Baton Rouge, La.; www.albemarle.com) says it will add a new catalyst to its STARS (super type II active reactive sites) catalysts portfolio. Together with its Hydroprocessing Alliance partner, UOP LLC (Des Plaines, Ill.; www.uop.com),…
Micronized rubber powder improves polymer loadings
A new process for partially devulcanizing and functionalizing micronized rubber powders (MRP) may allow the use of higher levels of the material than originally allowed in vehicle tires and other applications. Currently, MRP from end-of-life rubber is being used in…