Last month, Southwest Research Institute (SWRI; San Antonio, Tex.; www.swri.org) was awarded $1.5 million by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA; Arlington, Va.; www.darpa.mil) for a three-year project to develop alternative technologies for depositing thin films. The project is…
A typical fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCC) generates about 200 tons/d of dry gas — a mixture of off-gases that is burned as refinery fuel. However, about 40 tons of that gas is ethylene, which would have much greater value…
Anti-hydrolysis agent Teijin Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan; www.teijin.co.jp) has developed a new carbodiimide anti-hydrolysis agent that is said to exhibit “superior” anti-hydrolysis properties to improve the durability of plastics. The agent has the additional advantage of not emitting isocyanate gas,…
JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp. (JX_NOE; Tokyo, Japan; www.noe.jx-group.co.jp) has demonstrated enhanced propylene and butenes yields by its high-severity, fluid-catalytic cracking (HS-FCC) technology. In a 3,000-bbl/d semi-commercial plant, which has been operating at the company’s Mizushima Refinery since May…
New technology developed for air-operated, double-diaphragm (AODD) pumps can reduce consumption of compressed air by up to 60% without electronic components, while maintaining the same flowrates. The reduced air consumption translates directly to lower energy usage. Developed by Wilden Pump…
Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Beijing; www.cas.ac.cn) have found a way to transform polyurethane (PU) foam into a sponge that is strongly water-repellent and oil-absorbing, making it suitable for soaking up chemicals and petroleum from spills. One of…
Japanese researchers from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO; Kawasaki City; www.nedo.go.jp), Waseda University, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corp. (JX_NOE) and five other companies along with five more universities have developed an inorganic membrane that enables…
As an industry sector, bio-based chemicals have seen significant expansion over the past year, with several commercial developments occurring in a group of four-carbon commodity chemicals, including succinic acid, butanols, butadiene and butanediol. While a host of technology-based companies have…
Plant Watch Sasol awards integrated complex contract to WorleyParsons July 11, 2013 — WorleyParsons Ltd. (North Sydney, Australia; www.worleyparsons.com) has been awarded a contract by Sasol North America, Inc. (Sasol) for an integrated gas-to-liquids (GTL) and ethane-cracker complex, which includes…
Nikkiso Co. (Tokyo, Japan) the manufacturer of fluid control technologies, has acquired Geveke B.V. (Amsterdam, the Netherlands), a sales company and system integrator of industrial pumps and compressors, as a strategic investment at this end of July 2013. Nikkiso is…