This summer is proving to be a hot one across much of the U.S. as heat waves grip many regions with little relief from nighttime cooling. If it seems like it has been getting hotter, there are data to support…
A new biomass-based liquid admixture for concrete uniquely combines the benefits of traditional performance-enhancing additives with decarbonization. Hydrous bio-graphene oxide (hBGO), developed by AlterBiota (Edwardsville, Nova Scotia, Canada; www.alterbiota.com), is a stable, high-solids dispersion that helps to improve strength and…
Nitrile compounds (R–N≡N) are important for the manufacturing of fragrances, pharmaceuticals, superglue and chemical-resistant gloves. Currently, such nitrile compounds require the use of highly toxic cyanide in their synthesis. Now, an alternative cyanide-free chemo-enzymatic cascade process is being developed by…
Process heating systems are critical parts of chemical process industries (CPI) facilities. Unfortunately, the reliable, efficient operation of utility systems is often taken for granted, and they receive little engineering attention. This is perhaps understandable, since these systems play a…
The inclusion of nozzle flexibility (directional spring rate) in pipe-stress analysis results in more realistic piping reactions on pressure-vessel nozzles, whereby it will be easier to meet the limited nozzle-load capacity of the nozzles. It will surely contribute to a…
The costs associated with installing and maintaining pressure-relief valves (PRVs) can often be reduced by equipping systems with upstream rupture discs Reclosing pressure-relief devices, commonly referred to as pressure relief valves (PRVs), are designed to allow for the release of…
Government programs, such as the Industrial Demonstrations Program (IDP) in the U.S., are helping to advance commercial-scale decarbonization strategies including thermal energy storage, CO2 utilization and electrification As the world continues to grapple with climate change, companies’ strategies for managing…
At Achema in June, GIG Karasek GmbH (Gloggnitz, Austria; www.gigkarasek.com) introduced the ECO2Cell, an electrochemical CO2-recycling technology that utilizes proprietary catalysts to convert captured carbon dioxide into a range of chemicals. Using only water, CO2 and electricity as process inputs,…
Researchers from the Adolphe Merkle Institute (AMI; Fribourg, Switzerland; www.ami.swiss), together with international collaborators, have pioneered a novel method for creating thin, energy-converting membranes that mimic the structure and function of biological cell membranes. This discovery, described in a recent…
Looking at the challenges and benefits of various recycling technologies, this article uses polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) as an example to analyze the economics and design considerations for depolymerization processes Plastics are a valuable commodity in society and provide versatile materials…