A prototype solar reactor that will break carbon dioxide into carbon monoxide and oxygen, or split water into hydrogen and oxygen, will be started up this spring by researchers at Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, N.M.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7368-535). The ultimate goal of…
Rentech, Inc. (Los Angeles, Calif.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7368-537) will build its first commercial synthetic fuels plant, using the company’s proprietary Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process, near Natchez, Miss. The plant will gasify locally purchased petroleum coke or barged-in coal, along with at least 5%…
Basell Corp. (Frankfurt, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7368-540), the National Gas Co. of Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), Ltd. (NGC) and the National Energy Corp. of T&T, Ltd. (NEC; both Point Lisas, Port of Spain) have entered a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to construct…
UOP LLC (Des Plaines, Ill.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7368-542) has partnered with the University of Southern California’s (USC) Loker Hydrocarbon Research Institute (Los Angeles; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7368-543) to develop and commercialize new technology to transform carbon dioxide into clean-burning alternative fuels. USC developed fundamental chemistry…
Royal Dutch Shell Plc. (The Hague, Netherlands; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7368-544) and HR Biopetroleum (Honolulu, Hawaii; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7368-545) have begun construction of a pilot facility to grow marine algae, which will be harvested for producing vegetable oil that will be converted into biofuel. The…
Opinion on ChE Graduate Shortages Your editorial (Calling all chemical engineers, Sept., p. 5) on the subject of the lack of entrants to chemical engineering studies and careers invited readers to reply. I think that this problem will not go…
Introduction to Process Engineering & Design. By S. B. Thakore and B. I. Bhatt. Tata McGraw Hill, B-4, Sector 63, Distt. Gautam Budh Nagar, Noida, UP-201301. Web: tatamcgrawhill.com. 2007. 768 pages, Rs 500. Reviewed by Michael E. Ryan, Department of…
At the beginning of 2008, it’s clear that global economic growth is slowing. The housing downturn has adversely affected the U.S., and the ensuing credit problems (and tightening) have spread to other nations. A key issue is whether or…
It is likely that in your work, you have crossed paths with a person you admire for a career involving excellence in chemical engineering. If you would like to recognize this individual’s accomplishments, nominate him or her for our 2008…
Thomas H. Lane is named president-elect and will serve as president in 2009 for the American Chemical Society (Washington, D.C.). Calvalley Petroleum, Inc. (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) elects Bill Cummins chief financial officer. ESR Technology Ltd. (Warrington, U.K.) appoints Roel Berendsen…