Latest Technologies
A more straightforward condensation route from bioethanol to linear alcohols
Linear alcohols, such as butanol, hexanol and octanol are widely used in coatings, adhesives, surfactants, detergents, lubricants, cosmetics and many other products, as well as fuels. Typical industrial methods for producing these alcohols rely on fossil resources and low-selectivity mechanisms…
Alkaline thermal process generates hydrogen fuel from mixed plastic waste
A team of researchers from the Ewha Women’s University (Seoul, South Korea; www.ewha.ac.kr) and the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA; www.ucla.edu) have taken a step toward addressing one of the main challenges in plastics recycling — economically processing…
Novel microwave method reshapes thermal regeneration for direct-air CO2 capture
Many direct-air capture (DAC) technologies employ sorbent materials to remove CO2 from ambient air. These sorbents require periodic thermal regeneration — typically using steam — to release bound CO2. This thermal regeneration step is often the largest cost and energy…
Refinery-grade crude oils can be made from biogenic waste using this technology
A pre-commercial plant is now providing operational data for eventual scaleup and industrial integration of a technology that generates refinery-grade crude oils from biogenic waste, such as agricultural and forestry waste and sewage sludge. The 12-ton/d demonstration plant (photo), built…
New electrochemical route to critical chemicals is scaling up with significant industrial support
A new electrochemical process developed by French-American startup firm Dioxycle (Paris, France; Menlo Park, Calif.; www.dioxycle.com) produces critical chemicals from industrial by-products and electricity, independent from fossil-fuel imports. Recently, the company announced the deployment of their platform for the conversion…
Printable gel electrolytes support bespoke battery architectures
Unlike conventional liquid electrolytes used in lithium-ion batteries, gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) are immobilized within a polymer network, which reduces leakage risks, thereby improving mechanical and thermal stability. However, current methods for GPE fabrication result only in two-dimensional planar films,…
Advancing Electrical-System Reliability in the Chemical Process Industries
From Reactive to Resilient Electrical infrastructure has quietly become one of the highest-stakes reliability challenges facing chemical process industries today — and the consequences of getting it wrong extend well beyond equipment downtime. This white paper examines how aging assets,…
Rethinking Electrical-Distribution- System Reliability in the CPI Facilities
The Electrical System Problem CPI Facilities Can No Longer Ignore Electrical distribution systems underpin every pump, compressor, safety instrumented system, and emergency shutdown function in a chemical process facility — yet they remain one of the most under-monitored and under-digitized…
Is your pump’s mechanical seal causing leaks?
Seal-less eccentric disc pumps eliminate the risk. Loading and unloading hazardous liquids from tank trucks and railcars presents significant challenges for pump technology, from mechanical seal failure to product shear and spillage. This white paper examines the operational risks…
Stop the Cake Before It Starts
A Multiphysics Approach to Moisture-Induced Caking in Super Sacks Discover how to identify and prevent powder caking before it leads to product rejections, discharge failures, and costly rework. This white paper presents a multiphysics engineering approach combining material…