Because parts made from boron carbide have a higher rigidity and lower weight compared with those made from silicon carbide and alumina, boron carbide parts are important components for semiconductor manufacturing equipment and other components requiring high-temperature and abrasion resistance,…
At last month’s CosmoProf exhibition (April 10 – 14; Bologna, Italy), VMI-Rayneri (Montaigu, France; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7372-531) introduced a new vacuum-injection process for dispersing powder-like solids into liquids or pastes during the production of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, food or other chemical products. Normally,…
The Jiashan Yao-chuang wastewater treatment plant in China’s Zhejiang Province has successfully pilot-tested a three-stage, biologically active reactor system that reduces effluent levels to within the nation’s Class 1A standards. (The standards require < 10 mg/L for biological oxygen demand…
Normally, only the ultraviolet (higher energy) component of the solar spectrum is usable for the photo-catalytic electrolysis of water into hydrogen and oxygen, which takes place in photochemical cells with an anode made of single-crystalline, rutile-type titanium oxide and a…
Researchers at Oxford Catalysts Ltd. (Oxford, U.K.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7372-534) have shown that the method of preparation — rather than the identity or combination of metals used — has the greatest influence on the performance of hydrodesulfurization (HDS) catalysts. The results of…
A process in which sulfur is extracted from natural gas in the field and converted to sulfur dioxide, which is then injected into the gas reservoir and reacts with hydrogen sulfide in situ to produce elemental sulfur, has been developed…
The Saudi Arabian Oil Company (Saudi Aramco; Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; www.saudiaramco.com) and Total (Paris, France; www.total.com) have both confirmed their decision to invest in a 400,000 bbl/d world-class, full-conversion refinery in Jubail, Saudi Arabia. The refinery will process Arabian Heavy…
Verenium Corp. (formerly Celunol; Cambridge, Mass.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7372-537) is starting up a 1.4-million gal/yr demonstration-scale facility at Jennings, La., which will produce ethanol from regional feedstocks (including sugarcane bagasse and specially bred "energy cane") via proprietary cellulosic-ethanol technology. The technology was…
JGC Corp. (Yokohama, Japan; www.jgc.co.jp) and its partner GS Engineering & Construction (GS), Korea, announced today that they received Award Notification by Kuwait National Petroleum Co. (KNPC) to provide engineering, procurement, construction (EPC) and commissioning services for the NRP Project,…
Carbone Lorraine (CL; Paris, France; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7372-538) is launching a new welded-plate heat exchanger, dubbed Heatex, which features plates made of tantalum CL-Clad. The patented CL-Clad technology involves the brazing of steel onto "reactive" metals, such as tantalum, titanium and zirconium,…