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…
Two waste products — carbon dioxide and industrial wastes — are combined to obtain marketable mineral products in a process being developed by startup company CarbonX Inc. (Santa Barbara, Calif.; www.carbonxinc.com). The process produces precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC) and silica…
A new system for detecting chemical or biological contaminants in water is made possible by analyzing the swimming pathways of one-celled protozoa that are introduced into the water sample. Alterations of the protozoa’s swimming mechanics, relative to a clean water…
Last month, Outotec Oyj (Espoo, Finland; www.outotec.com) commissioned a new CO2-removal pilot plant at its R&D center in Frankfurt, Germany. The unit compliments the companys circulating, fluidized-bed pilot plant, which is used for cleaning process gas from direct reduction…
Betaine production A new process that produces natural betaine is being scaled up by Novasep Process (Pompey, France; www.novsasep.com) and Danisco (Copenhagen, Denmark; www.danisco.com). The plant will be the first to exploit a new extraction process that uses vinasse…
Catalyst recycling A new process for selectively dissolving either palladium or gold from mixed-metal catalyst systems could offer a way to improve recycling of those materials. In traditional noble-metal recycling with aqua regia (mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acids), metals…
Next spring, Exelus, Inc. (Livingston, N.J.; www.exelusinc.com) plans to pilot a new process that converts crude bioethanol (beer) into Bio-Alkylate — a fuel that is chemically identical to gasoline. New Renewable Fuel Standards (RFS) of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency…
At last month’s Sulfur 2010 Conference (November 1–4; Prague, Czech Republic), Haldor Topsøe A/S (Lyngby, Denmark; www.topsoe.com) introduced its latest sulfuric-acid catalyst, VK-701 Leap5, which promises to help operators of sulfuric acid plants meet more-stringent SO2-emission limits. When used in…
A demonstration plant for a biological process that produces ethanol and 2,3 butanediol (2,3-BD) from the offgases of industrial plants will be started up in the third quarter of 2011 at a steel mill operated by Bao Steel (Shanghai). Developed…