In The News
A catalyst line with low or zero rare-earth metals
Grace Davison (Columbia, Md.; www.grace.com) has commercialized a set of catalysts and additives for fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) that contain either zero or low rare-earth metal content. The new product family, known as Replacer, includes new catalysts for processing both…
An innovative way to recover elemental sulfur from SO2 emissions
Sulfur dioxide emissions from metals smelters and other process plants are typically treated by converting the SO2 to sulfuric acid, but this may not be convenient, because of the shipping cost for plants located far from an acid market. WorleyParsons…
Waelz slag used in commercial ceramic bricks
Researchers from the University of Cantabria (Santander, Spain; www.unican.es) have developed a process for incorporating Waelz slag into ceramic clay construction bricks, offering an alternative for disposal of the industrial byproduct. The engineers replaced between 20 and 30% of clay…
This one-step route to cellulosic ethanol features a multitasking yeast
The research group of professor Akihiko Kondo at Kobe University (Kobe City, www2.kobe-u.ac.jp/~akondo/index_English.htm) has developed a one-step, pretreatment process for making bioethanol from cellulose and lignocellulose. The process uses an ionic liquid — which converts cellulose into a gel —…
Process for renewably sourced polyols licensed
A process for making polyols from soybean oil and glycerin has been licensed by its developer, Battelle (Columbus, Ohio; www.battelle.org), to Emery Oleochemicals Americas (Cincinnati, Ohio; www.emeryoleo.com), who intends to produce the renewably sourced polyols at prices similar to those…
New solutions in hydrometallurgy
As demand for basic metals grows, engineers and scientists are looking for new ways to extract these elements from ores. “The easy stuff has already been found and processed. One of the main challenges of mining and minerals processing companies…
A glass flow reactor is now available in ceramic
Last month, Corning SAS (Avon, France), a subsidiary of Corning Inc. (Corning, N.Y.; www.corning.com), introduced the Advanced-Flow G4 Ceramic Reactor — the latest addition to the company’s line of glass flow reactors. The G4 is made of sintered-ceramic fluidic modules…
BASF to build world’s largest single-train TDI plant in Europe, and more business news
Put content here. Plant Watch BASF to build world’s largest single-train TDI plant in Europe May 26, 2011 — BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) will build the world’s largest single-train toluene diisocyanate (TDI) plant in Europe. The plant will…
July Chementator Briefs
Waste-to-biofuels Valero Energy Corp. (San Antonio, Tex.; www.valero.com) is one of five companies that have invested a total of $60 million in new financing in Enerkem Inc. (Montreal, Que.; www.enerkem.com), which has developed a process to produce liquid fuels…
A new urea process slated for its commercial debut
Stamicarbon B.V. (Sittard, the Netherlands; www.stamicarbon.com), the licensing and IP Center of Maire Tecnimont S.p.A. (www.mairetecnimont.it), has recently signed a license agreement with Tierra del Fuego Energia Y Quimica S.A., an Argentina based company controlled by shareholders from China. The…