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Machine learning helps achieve a five-fold boost in formaldehyde yield

Chemistry professor Oliver Trapp and his colleagues at the Ludwig Maximilians-Universität München (LUM; Germany; www.en.uni-muenchen.de) have developed a new workflow for the production of formaldehyde, which is based on an algorithm constructed with the aid of machine learning (ML), optimization…

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The Changing Face of Simulation

Easier-to-use features and simplified integration lead to new applications for simulation software Simulation software and its capabilities have come a long way in recent years. The latest versions include easier-to-use and more advanced features, increased computing speeds and simplified integration…

Workforce 4.0: The Human Side of Digital Transformation

As chemical process industries (CPI) companies continue to experiment with, invest in, and implement a host of digitalization tools, workforce engagement and involvement is the key determinant of success Chemical process industries (CPI) companies are entering a critical stage in…

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Plant Watch: December 2019

Plant Watch Wacker starts up new silicon-metal production plant in Norway November 15, 2019 — Wacker Chemie AG’s (Munich, Germany; www.wacker.com) new silicon-metal production plant officially went on stream at the Holla site in Norway, following over two years of…

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Chementator Briefs

Direct route to PG Dow Inc. (Midland, Mich.; www.dow.com) and Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) have entered into an exclusive technology partnership to develop a new process to make propylene glycol (PG). The key to the so-called Hyprosyn process…

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Pursuing methanation as a means to recycle CO2

By the end of fiscal 2019, commissioning and continuous operation will begin on a new methanation plant that will produce 8 Nm3/h of methane from CO2 and H2. The test facility, located at the Koshijihara Plant of Inpex’s Nagaoka Field…

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Making chemicals by artificial photosynthesis

Last month, Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) and Siemens AG (Munich, both Germany; www.siemens.com) launched a second phase of their joint research project, Rheticus II, which aims to develop a test plant that will use CO2 and water, as…

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Reducing emissions from the manufacturing of carbon fibers

Carbon fibers are typically fabricated by the oxidation of a polymeric fiber, such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN) at 200–300°C, which generates a large amount of exhaust air containing several hundred parts per million (ppm) of hydrogen cyanide and ammonia. This is…

Improved Water Treatment Technologies Make Waves

Greener chemistries and equipment advances provide more sustainable water-treatment options for chemical processors Chemical processors face tough challenges when it comes to the water used in the facility — namely, water scarcity and ever-increasing regulatory requirements associated with discharging effluent.…

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Symmetrical fuel-cell design simplifies CO2 conversion

A new carbon-utilization technology developed by SeeO2 Energy Inc. (Calgary, Alta., Canada; www.seeo2energy.com) takes advantage of thermodynamics in a high-temperature electrolyzer to efficiently convert carbon dioxide into CO and O2 with 100% selectivity. Based on the principle of a reversible…