Technology developed by Algal Scientific Corp. (Northville, Mich.; www.algalscientific.com) uses algae to remove soluble organics, nitrogen and phosphorous from medium- to high-strength wastewaters in a single step. The technology is an alternative to multistep treatment processes involving the use of…
Conventional hydrogen-based systems designed to store electrical energy (from solar arrays, for example) typically feed electricity to a proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) electrolyzer to generate H2 from water. This H2 is then compressed and stored in a cylinder, or as a metal…
In the ten years since its first isolation by a pair of physicists, the single-atom-thick carbon allotrope known as graphene has been extolled as a “miracle material” for everything from television screens to tennis rackets to superabsorbent fabrics. What excites…
In April, a demonstration plant started up that makes bioethanol from cassava residue — a byproduct of tapioca production. The demonstration plant, located at the cassava starch plant of EBP Ethanol Co. in Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand, is part of…
Pilot bioreactor A next-generation photobioreactor is scheduled to be installed in June at the Orlando, Fla. pilot facility of biofeedstock company Proterro (Ewing, N.J.; www.proterro.com). Proterro is working with advanced fabrics and engineering firm ILC Dover (Dover, Del.; www.ilcdover.com)…
Last April, Siemens Energy (Erlangen, Germany; www.siemens.com/energy) introduced the Siemens organic Rankine cycle (ORC) modules, which enable operators of industrial plants to generate power from low-temperature (around 300°C) waste heat. Unlike a conventional Rankine cycle, which converts water to steam,…
Plant Watch Kemira to build sodium chlorate plant for pulp mill in Brazil May 9, 2014 — Kemira Oyj (Helsinki, Finland; www.kemira.com) will supply sodium chlorate to Klabin’s new pulp mill in Paraná, Brazil. Kemira will build, own and operate…
Foster Wheeler AG (Zug; Switzerland; www.fwc.com) says that a subsidiary of its Global Engineering and Construction Group has been awarded a contract by Marubeni Corp. for the engineering and material supply of a new Terrace Wall steam reformer heater, including…
The Dow Chemical Company (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) has awarded Fluor Corp. (Irving, Tex.; www.fluor.com) the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for its reverse osmosis (RO) manufacturing facility in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Located in Jubail Industrial City II…
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) today announced the construction of a new plant for polyalkylene glycol (PAG)-based lubricants at its Ludwigshafen site. The manufacturing facility will start operations by the beginning of 2016 and produce PAG lubricant base stocks and…