Breaking the stable carbon-fluorine bonds within per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is one of the most significant challenges in mitigating persistent PFAS pollution. The Hydrothermal Alkaline Technology (HALT; diagram), invented at the Colorado School of Mines (Golden, Colo.; www.mines.edu) and…
Air classification of powdered materials offers a way to control particle size distribution in solids-handling operations. Information on key performance metrics and operating practices of size classification equipment is presented here The handling and processing of solid particulate materials are…
Storing energy to smooth the intermittency of wind and solar power can be accomplished in a number of ways, including mechanical (pumped hydro, flywheels, compressed air and others), thermochemical (phase-change materials and molten salts, for example), chemical (conversion of electricity…
The Netherlands-based startup company Ore Energy (Amsterdam, the Netherlands; www.oreenergy.com) recently announced that it has successfully connected its flagship iron-air battery system to the electric grid in the city of Delft, the Netherlands. It is the first iron-air battery system…
Pyrolysis has received much attention as a technology capable of breaking down waste plastics in recycling processes, but existing pyrolysis approaches often give rise to products with broad molar mass distributions and poor yields. Catalysts can improve yield and selectivity,…
Sanitary valves are essential for applications that demand product purity, process integrity and regulatory compliance. This article discusses valve types, working principles and components, and provides considerations for selection and specification Sanitary valves are essential components for applications in the…
Two recent developments at Queens Carbon Inc. (Pine Brook, N.J.; www.queenscarbon.com), a spinoff company from Rutgers University (New Brunswick, N.J.; www.rutgers.edu), illustrate the potential for reducing the high carbon-dioxide emissions that result from cement and concrete production. Both are results…
A first-of-its-kind energy-recovery system harnesses the energy of water flow and pressure in pipelines to produce renewable energy. The patented HydroXS unit, developed by InPipe Energy, Inc. (Portland, Ore.; www.inpipeenergy.com) in collaboration with Grundfos Corp. (Brookshire, Tex.; www.grundfos.com/us), is a…
Plant Watch Chevron Phillips Chemical completes LV PAO expansion in Belgium August 12, 2025 — Chevron Phillips Chemical L.P. (CPChem; The Woodlands, Tex.; www.cpchem.com) has completed the expansion of its low-viscosity polyalphaolefins (LV PAO) production unit in Beringen, Belgium, significantly…
GEA (Düesseldorf, Germany; www.gea.com) is supplying Chugai Pharmaceutical in Japan with a cutting-edge pharmaceutical spray dryer designed and built to meet the highest containment standards. The PSD-3 spray dryer was successfully commissioned in the first quarter of 2025 and represents…