Processing & Handling
Production facility for stabilized sodium slated for startup
A new plant for manufacturing sodium silicide (Na4Si4;diagram), a non-flammable, air-stable powder that reacts with water to generate pure hydrogen, is under development near Niagara Falls, N.Y. by SiGNa Chemistry Inc. (New York; signachem.com). Scheduled for startup in the third…
Focus on Seals & Gaskets
Avoid pipe corrosion with this spacer Trelleborg Group Flexspacer has been developed to effectively create an air gap between topside pipelines and thermal insulation, thereby avoiding the corrosion that can occur when using traditional insulation systems such as mineral wool.…
Outsource high-throughput research with this service
Collaboration between an Italian university and an American company has resulted in a new service that will provide research services for outsourcing catalyst discovery and optimization to consultants and laboratory staff interested in high-throughput catalyst research. The service utilizes a…
These actuators are designed for large pressures
Promation Engineering Designed for use on rising-stem globe control valves, the PL Series actuators (photo) provide up to 4,400 lb of force and up to 3.9 in. of travel. This increased up-and-down force, the company says, allows the use of…
Integrating Gas Turbines Into CPI Facilities
To realize the best possible thermal efficiency, gas turbines should be integrated into chemical process industries (CPI) plants, but doing so can be difficult and requires special consideration. Specifically, in some CPI units, while the turbine’s shaft is driving an…
Making graphene oxide in ‘a microwave’
Microwave irradiation of graphite has been shown to produce graphene oxide with 90% yield by the research group of professor Yuta Nishina, Research Core for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Okayama University (Okayama, www.tt.vbl.okayama-u.ac.jp/archives/809). The yield is not only nearly twice that obtained…
A renewable source for methane
Conventional methanation — the reaction of CO and H2 (synthesis gas) to form methane — has recently become important as a way to produce substitute natural gas (SNG) from gasified coal in regions of the world where natural gas is…
Making cork-like monoliths from graphene
A team from Monash University (Melbourne, Australia; www.monash.edu.au) has prepared graphene monoliths with a cork-like hierarchical structure, exhibiting ultra-low density, superelasticity, good electrical conductivity and high efficiency of energy absorption. The ability to maintain structural integrity upon large deformation is…
A recipe for improved Ti extraction from ilmenite
Existing metallurgical processes for titanium production from ilmenite — by far the most sought-after titanium ore — are plagued by disadvantages, mainly the generation of large amounts of waste, and improvements are needed to treat ilmenite for the production of…
Replacing a pressurization blower with a turbocharger reduces energy use
Reductions in power consumption by over 30% have been observed at a full-scale formaldehyde production plant by introducing a new design in which a pressurization blower is replaced by a turbocharger that is powered by the exhaust gas from the…