In The News
Low-cost process for bioethanol fuel demonstrated in Japan
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (MHI; Tokyo, www.mhi.co.jp) says it has established technology to produce bioethanol for automobile use by using soft-cellulose, such as wheat straw and rice straw, as raw materials. MHI estimates the fuel cost for a full-scale production…
Supercritical water oxidation for organic waste treatment
A novel method for treating industrial liquid waste employs supercritical water infused with oxygen to destroy organic compounds. Developed by Innoveox (Paris; www.innoveox.com) and based on technology patented by the French government research organization CNRS (www.cnrs.fr), supercritical water oxidation (SCWO)…
A new way to grow functional MOFs
A team from CSIRO Materials Science and Engineering (Melbourne, Australia; www.csiro.au) has developed a new technique for growing smart materials known as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), which can be used in pollution control, or as catalysts, or for transporting drugs in…
Commercial production of ‘Bio-cokes’
Last month, construction was completed on the world’s first commercial plant to produce a next-generation solid fuel, called Bio-cokes, at Takatsuki, Japan. The renewable material is produced from forest residues and can be used as an alternative to coal-based coke…
A comprehensive zeolite database
A team led by Rice University (Houston; www.rice.edu) researcher Michael Deem has assembled a database of 2.6 million possible unique zeolites — porous silicate minerals often used as catalysts or molecular sieves. The database of potential structures could inform efforts…
World’s first cellulosic biobutanol refinery to be built in Michigan, and more business news
Plant Watch Strategic partnership for acrylonitrile and sodium cyanide in the Middle East April 29, 2011 — Saudi Basic Industries Corp. (SABIC; Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; www.sabic.com), Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp. (Tokyo; www.asahi-kasei.co.jp) and Mitsubishi Corp. (Tokyo; www.mitsubishicorp.com) have signed…
June Chementator Briefs
Underground pipes A hand-held device for locating buried pipe will be commercialized by Sensit Technologies (Valparaiso, Ind.; www.gasleaksensors.com) under license from Gas Technology Institute (GTI, Des Plaines, Ill.; gastechnology.org.). GTI says the technology is expected to save industry millions…
CO2-capture technologies move ahead
Scaleup is set for two technologies that facilitate the capture of carbon dioxide from fluegas by substituting oxygen for combustion air. Oxycombustion, as it is called, results in a much smaller fluegas stream, containing up to 90% CO2; part of…
Air Liquide: Major investment in Santiago region
The Chilean economy is one of the most dynamic in Latin America. The country has enjoyed steady growth over the last 10 years. The Global Competitiveness Report for 2009–2010, a yearly report published by the World Economic Forum, ranks Chile…
Edwards Vacuum factory opens in Korea
Edwards (Crawley, U.K.; www.edwardsvacuum.com) has opened its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Cheonan, Korea to serve its Korean and other global customers. The U.K. Business Secretary, Vince Cable and Edwards CEO, Matthew Taylor, officially opened the site in the presence…