Latest News
Recycling plastics
Separating recyclables from our trash has become commonplace for many of us. What can be recycled and how it is collected, however, varies quite a bit by location. My town, for example, accepts plastics #1 (polyethylene terephthalate; PET), #2 (high-density…
Optimizing Fluidized-Bed Drying Processes
Modern control technologies and industrial automation strategies can help processors use fluidized-bed dryers to drive competitiveness and profitability The ability of fluidized-bed dryers to achieve exceptional performance and deliver high-quality results in the controlled, gentle and homogeneous drying of wet…
Chementator briefs
Steam Reforming Honeywell International Inc. (Charlotte, N.C.; www.honeywell.com) and ZoneFlow Reactor Technologies, LLC (ZFRT; Windsor, Conn.; www.zoneflowtech.com) have successfully conducted pilot-plant testing of the ZoneFlow Reactor in ZFRT’s large-scale pilot plant at Université Catholique de Louvain in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium. The…
Commissioning completed for a carbon-capture pilot plant that uses a novel solvent
Commissioning is wrapping up this month for a pilot facility designed to validate the capabilities of a new carbon-capture solvent. The pilot plant was constructed by Koch Modular Process Systems (KMPS; Paramus, N.J.; www.kochmodular.com) as part of Project Enterprise, a…
Business News: September 2023
Plant Watch Mitsui Chemicals to increase production capacity for polyurethane dispersions August 11, 2023 — Mitsui Chemicals, Inc. (Tokyo, Japan; www.mitsuichemicals.com) will increase its production capacity for polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) at the company’s Shimizu site. This expansion will approximately double…
Using microwaves to make ammonia
Ammonia is becoming more crucial for the energy transition as renewable-power producers look to its potential as a means for energy storage. Typically made using the energy-intensive Haber Bosch (HB) process, solutions for decarbonizing NH3 typically involve the adoption of…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Plant Cybersecurity Awareness
The expanding use of digitalization tools at chemical process industries (CPI) facilities, coupled with the ongoing convergence of operational technology (OT) systems with traditional computer information technology (IT) systems, has increased plant cybersecurity risks. All plant personnel play a role…
E3 Lithium begins operations at direct lithium extraction field pilot plant in Alberta
E3 Lithium Ltd. (Calgary, Alta., Canada) announced that commissioning of its Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) field pilot plant is complete and operations have begun. The commissioning process included connecting all major pieces of equipment to the piping and wiring systems…
FuelCell Energy and ExxonMobil continue carbon-capture technology development project
FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Danbury, Conn.) and ExxonMobil Technology and Engineering Company (EMTEC) have agreed to extend their ongoing joint development agreement through March 31, 2024. The extension enables further development related to manufacturing scale-up and work towards advancing the carbonate…
AGC and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical launch study to commercialize circular carbon methanol from glass production
AGC (Tokyo) and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. (MGC; Tokyo) have agreed to begin the study regarding the production and sale of methanol made from CO2 generated from AGC’s architectural glass production, by applying the methanol production technology developed by…