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Chementator: Ceramic ethane-to-ethylene membrane could replace pyrolysis  

Ateam of researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory (ANL, Argonne, Ill.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-568) has developed a membrane capable of producing olefins from alkanes, and reducing wasted energy and pollutants while improving selectivity and yield. Steam cracking, or…

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Chementator: This valve trim combines multiple noise-control mechanisms    

Flowserve Corp. (Dallas, Tex.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-569) has introduced a new noise-attenuating valve-trim for gaseous applications, one that simultaneously lowers the device’s manufacturing costs while improving its noise reduction capabilities. Like prior noise-attenuation trim, Flowserve’s Valtek Stealth is designed to reduce the…

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Chementator: New methods for solving differential equations  

The behavior of many different phenomena can be modeled by systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs), but most ODEs cannot be solved analytically, in which case an approximation to the solution is found by applying numerical integration methods. Dutch-sponsored mathematician…

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Chementator: Non-invasive detector  

Scientists at the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (Chilton, Didcot, U.K.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-573) have developed a laser-based method for the characterization of the bulk-chemical content of pharmaceutical capsules — without opening the capsules. In collaboration with researchers…

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Chementator: Grätzel cell  

Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE; Freiburg, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-575) have developed a solar-cell prototype that is semi-transparent, color-tunable and (thus far) resistant to weather degradation. A "classical Grätzel cell" according to Andreas Gombert head of Fraunhofer’s…

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Chementator: Chiral synthesis  

Scientists from the Center Biology at University College Dublin (Ireland; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-576) and the University of Bologna (Italy; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7370-577) have developed an enzymatic process that can be applied to the synthesis of chiral pharmaceutical intermediates. The researchers use an enzyme called…

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Chementator: Super-oleophobic materials promise revolutionary membranes  

A team of researchers from MIT’s (Cambridge, Mass.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-540) chemical and mechanical engineering departments, in association with the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.), has developed oil-repellent surfaces with likely separations and safety applications for the…

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Chementator: Pumping hot oil  

PCM (Paris, France; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-541) has introduced what is claimed to be the world’s first all-metal progressing cavity pump (PCP). PCM Vulcain is capable of pumping extremely hot (350°C) and viscous fluids, making it particularly suitable for the thermal recovery of…

Chementator: Bio-based succinic acid    

Royal DSM N.V. (Heerlen, Netherlands; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-542) and the French starch and starch-derivatives company Roquette (Lestrem, France; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-543) have joined forces to implement and commercialize the fermentive production of biorenewable succinic acid. A demonstration plant with a capacity of several hundred…

Chementator: Algae-based biodiesel    

Valencent Products, Inc. (El Paso, Tex.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-544) and Global Green Solutions, Inc. (Vancouver, B.C., Canada; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-545) are in the final stages of commercializing their patented Vertigro process, which includes the growing and harvesting of algae, and extraction of oil from…