In The News
New heating technique improves zeolite membrane performance
Adding a rapid heat-treatment step to the process of making zeolite membranes improves separation performance by eliminating grain boundary defects, according to researchers from the University of Minnesota (UMN; Minneapolis, Minn.; www.umn.edu), who published their study in the July 31…
A protective coating helps fine powders flow, without agglomeration
A team from Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Science at Monash University (Melbourne, Australia; www.pharm.monash.edu.au), has developed an approach — a hybrid mixing and milling process — for producing fine (1–20 µm) pharmaceutical powders with good flow and de-agglomeration properties. Team…
Pt-free catalysts promise to lower fuel-cell costs…
Showa Denko K.K. (Tokyo; www.sdk.co.jp/html/english) has developed a platinum-substitute catalyst system for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) under the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization’s (NEDO; Kawasaki, Japan) project led by professor Kenichiro Ota of Yokohama National University. The…
SABIC and Mitsubishi Rayon form a joint venture … and more business news
Plant Watch Cement plant expansion in the Ukraine decreases environmental emissions August 20, 2009 — ABB Switzerland Ltd. (Zurich, Switzerland; www.abb.com) has won an order from international building materials group CRH to deliver electrical and automation equipment for Podilsky Cement’s…
KBR awarded contract for refinery in Angola
0 0 0 KBR (Houston, Tex.; www.kbr.com) has been awarded a contract by Sonangol, E.P. to provide license and engineering services for grassroots fluid-catalytic-cracking (FCC) and hydroprocessing technologies for the Sonaref Refinery to be located in Lobito, Angola. KBR will…
IMD acquires a new source for Omega-3 FAs
0 0 0 InterMed Discovery GmbH (IMD; Dortmund, Germany; www.intermed-discovery.com), has acquired of unique microbial Omega-3 fatty acid (FA) production strains and related know-how from the University of Saarland. This innovative microbial source has the potential to produce Omega-3 more…
Lummus Technology wins cracker-heater contract
Lummus Technology, a CB&I company (The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cbi.com) has been awarded a contract valued at approximately $40 million by CTCI Corp. (Taipei; www.ctci.com.tw) for the material supply of eight cracking heaters. The heaters, with a capacity of 720,000 metric…
GEA wins major pharmaceutical order from China
0 0 0 GEA Group AG (Bochum, Germany; ) has won a milestone order from the Zheiiang Hisun Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Taizhou Zheiiang, China) for the supply of pharmaceutical freeze dryers with automatic load and unload systems (ALUS). The order…
Univation to build catalyst manufacturing facility in China
Univation Technologies, LLC (Houston, Tex.; www.univation.com) has begun construction of a new polyethylene (PE) catalyst-manufacturing facility in China with a scheduled 2011 startup. The facility will be located in Zhangjiagang within the Jiangsu province of the People’s Republic of China. …
Remmers’ paint to coat sea-link bridge
Remmers Baustofftechnik GmbH (Löningen, Germany; www.remmers.de) was awarded the contract to supply coatings for the Bandra Worli Sea Link Bridge in India. It is estimated that 120,000 L of Remmers’ Funcosil Betonacryl will be required to cover the 5.6-km long…