BASF AG (Ludwigshafen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6519-551) has commercialized specialty amino-acid salt formulations that are specially designed for the purification of highly aggressive gas streams at petroleum refineries. PuraTreat R formulations can be used to remove hydrogen sulfide and — if necessary…
At Glasstec 2006 (Düsseldorf, Germany; October 24–28), the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC; Würzburg, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6519-553) unveiled a prototype for a new vacuum-insulated window that promises to save energy. The window — consisting of two glass panes separated by…
When in 1997 a United Nations’ conference at Kyoto, Japan, called into being the Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), it seemed that greenhouse-gas emissions regulations were just around the corner. Not so fast, was the world’s answer.…
Portable and fixed detectors for toxic and flammable gases are offering more choice and better value for the money, say experts, thanks to technology developments and strong market competition. In Europe, competition triggered by consolidation in the last…
Accidents do happen. While not everything can be predicted, addressing safety concerns throughout the design of a process can help to prevent accidents from occurring. Designing with safety in mind can also help to minimize potentially serious consequences…
Understanding why rupture disks fail can help ensure that they don’t Even with the best process design, the unexpected can happen. Anticipating this, rupture disks are often installed as the last line of defense against the over-pressurization of equipment used…
DNV Software (Oslo, Norway; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6519-533) and The SimSci-Esscor unit of Invensys (Lake Forest, Calif.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6519-534) have developed a link between the former’s Phastfx flammable-effects-software module and the latter’s Visual Flow safety-system-design software. The link allows process engineers to quickly and…
Although there has been big surge in biodiesel production recently, such fuels are not without problems of their own, such as low mileage, poor performance at lower temperatures, and adverse effects on engine components. Also, the production process for making…
Last month, the American Chemical Society (ACS) celebrated its 19th annual National Chemistry Week, a community-based program that aims to communicate how chemistry benefits quality of life. The initiative goes hand-in-hand with the American Chemistry Council’s (ACC’s) “essentialâ‚‚” advertising campaign,…
More and more, it is recognized that business and science are interwoven, and that these disciplines can complement each other to achieve corporate goals. In the chemical process industries (CPI), a noteworthy role is that of engineering in…