Foster Wheeler AG (Zug, Switzerland; www.fwc.com) says that a subsidiary of its Global Power Group signed a contract with Shanghai Boiler Works, Ltd. for cooperation in the design of two pulverized coal (PC) steam generators for the Vinh Tan II…
Univar (Brussels, Belgium; www.univar.com), a leading global chemical distributor, announced today it has successfully completed the acquisition of the Quaron business in Belgium and the Netherlands. This step reflects Univar’s commitment to growth and to strengthening its position, reach, service,…
Eurecat SA (La Voulte, France; www.eurecat.com) is constructing a new, world-class catalyst processing plant in India, to be located in the Jhagadiya Industrial Estate, Bharuch District, Gujarat State. This plant will be operated by Eurecat India Catalyst Services, Ltd., a…
CB&I (The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cbi.com) announced that it has acquired Chemical Research and Licensing from CRI/Criterion, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc. This acquisition gives CB&I, through its Lummus Technology business sector, a 100% interest in Catalytic Distillation Technologies…
DuPont (Wilmington, Del.; www.dupont.com) has completed its purchase of MECS (St. Louis, Mo.; www.mecsglobal.com) from affiliates of American Securities LLC. The previously announced transaction strengthens the DuPont clean technologies portfolio and will provide access to additional high-growth markets, particularly in…
Plant Watch Dow to increase ethane cracking capabilities December 3, 2010 — The Dow Chemical Co. (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) plans to increase ethane cracking capabilities on the U.S. Gulf Coast and improve its ethane cracking capabilities by 20–30% over the…
A post-combustion process capable of separating CO2 from fluegas at one-third the cost of alternative separation processes has been developed by Inventys Thermal Technologies, Inc. (Burnaby, B.C., Canada; www.inventysinc.com). Tradenamed VeloxoTherm (VX), the patented process is now being tested together…
A biological process for the destruction of sodium oxalate at Alcoa’s Kwinana alumina refinery in Western Australia has proven to be an extremely robust technology. Alcoa’s residue technical manager, David Cooling, says the plant has achieved an oxalate destruction rate…
Phosphorous impurities in steel can lead to detrimental properties, such as reduced hardness and resistance to corrosion. Sumitomo Metal Industries, Ltd. (SMI; Tokyo and Osaka, Japan; www.sumitomometals.co.jp) has enhanced its SRP (simple refining process) for removing phosphorous from pig iron…
Researchers at the University of Tokyo (Japan; park.itc.u-tokyo.ac.jp/nishiba/index.html) have developed a new catalyst that enables the direct synthesis of ammonia at ambient conditions. The breakthrough is a step toward an alternative to the energy-intensive, century-old Habar-Bosch process, which requires high…