The following list is a selection of recently published books with relevance for the chemical process industries (CPI), July 2019 Guidelines for Investigating Process Safety Incidents, 3rd ed. By the Center for Chemical Process Safety, Wiley/AIChE Publishing, 2019, 408 pages,…
Researchers from RMIT University (Melbourne, Australia; www.rmit.edu.au) have demonstrated a “green” technique that can produce customized metal organic framework (MOF) compounds in minutes, harnessing the power of high-frequency (ultrasonic) sound waves. MOFs are extremely versatile materials that can be used…
PDH catalyst Last month, Clariant's Catalyst business (Munich, Germany; www.clariant.com) launched its latest propane dehydrogenation (PDH) catalyst, Catofin 311, which is said to deliver greater selectivity and a longer lifetime than its predecessors, resulting in increased overall profitability for propylene…
Last month, a consortium of 11 European partners, including ArcelorMittal, Axens, IFP Energies nouvelles (IFPEN) and Total, launched a project to demonstrate an innovative process called DMX for capturing CO2 from industrial activities. It is part of a more comprehensive…
Low-frequency noise (≤500 Hz) from various sources, such as construction machinery and aircrafts, is a form of noise pollution that transmits over long distances and disturbs the surrounding area. It is also known to trigger several negative physiological reactions, such…
Twofold C–H activation and cross-coupling of stoichiometric amounts of organic molecules, R1–H and R2–H, to form an R1–R2 product that is free of homocoupling products (R1–R1 or R2–R2) is a goal to simplify organic synthesis of certain compounds. Up to…
Enzymes that are responsible for the production of hydrocarbons in blue-green algae — a hydrocarbon producing cyanobacteria — have now been identified by the research group of Munehito Arai at The University of Tokyo (Japan; www.c.u-tokyo.ac.jp). Along with this achievement,…
Plant Watch Bilfinger wins €60-million contract from SABIC May 23, 2019 — Bilfinger SE (Mannheim, Germany www.bilfinger.com) has been chosen as maintenance partner for a €60-million contract by SABIC UK Petrochemicals Ltd. to carry out a range of services across…
Despite valiant quests to find sustainable routes to syngas, methane reforming continues to play the lead — and ‘greener’ — role For decades, the production of synthesis gas (syngas, H2 + CO) from fossil-based feedstocks has been the key process…
Temperature measurement and control equipment is being re-vamped to stand up to challenges of the chemical process industries (CPI) While the basic premise of temperature measurement instruments hasn’t seen drastic changes in recent years, equipment is receiving updates that make…