Latest News
Nouryon starts up organic peroxides site in Tianjin
Nouryon (Amsterdam, the Netherlands) has started full-scale production at its organic peroxide greenfield site in Tianjin, China to support the increasing demand from Packaging, Paints and Coatings, and Construction customers in the region. The site consists of three manufacturing facilities…
Lingering hurricane impacts weighed on October U.S. chemical production, ACC says
The U.S. Chemical Production Regional Index (U.S. CPRI) eased by 0.3% in October, following a 1.6% decline in September and a 0.4% decline in August, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com). Chemical output declined in all…
Climate change on the world stage
At the time of this writing, COP26 is underway in Glasgow, Scotland. COP26 is the 26th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Since the start of the first COP in 1995, climate change…
Chemenator Briefs
Flow Battery Honeywell Inc. (Charlotte, N.C.; www.honeywell.com) introduced a new flow-battery technology that employs a proprietary electrolyte to provide reliable extended-duration energy storage — up to 12 h compared to lithium-ion batteries’ (LIBs) 4 h. “The flow battery uses a…
This steam-methane reforming technology has higher efficiency
A collaboration between Clariant Catalysts (Munich, Germany; www.clariant.com/catalysts) and Technip Energies N.V. (Zoetermeer, the Netherlands; www.technipenergies.com) has led to steam-methane reforming (SMR) SMR technology that is said to achieve higher throughput and heat recovery in SMR. Technip Energies’ Enhanced Annular…
Zero-liquid-discharge project to recover products from brine
HRS Heat Exchangers Ltd. (Watford, U.K.; www.hrs-heatexchangers.com) was recently awarded an order for the design, manufacture and installation of a mechanical vapor recompression (MVR) evaporation system for LIFE Desirows (lifedesirows.eu) — a three-year, €1.6-million project funded under the E.U.’s LIFE19…
Mining REEs from phosphogypsum
Last month, the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State; University Park, Pa.; www.psu.edu), Case Western Reserve University (Cleveland Ohio; www.case.edu) and Clemson University (S.C.; www.clemson.edu) received a $1.7-million National Science Foundation grant for a four-year project to recover rare earth elements…
New catalyst technology for methanol synthesis boosts production and extends lifetimes
Newly launched catalyst technology, developed through a collaboration between Clariant (Muttenz, Switzerland; www.clariant.com) and Air Liquide Engineering & Construction (Frankfurt am Main, Germany; www.engineering-airliquide.com) and designed for methanol (MeOH) production, is capable of boosting cumulative MeOH yields by up to…
Structured catalyst improves efficiency and hydrogen yields in steam methane reforming
Commissioning has begun on a pilot plant designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of a structured catalyst module for steam-methane reforming (SMR) that solves the main heat-transfer inefficiencies associated with the conventional process. The structured catalyst technology improves the efficiency of…
Fast, safe integration of Ex i isolators
The pac-Carrier 9295 (photo) is a new, space-saving integration solution for this company’s 12-mm ISpac Ex i isolators. This significantly simplifies the installation and wiring of isolators to input/output (I/O) cards in automation systems from all manufacturers. Prefabricated connecting cables…