Processing & Handling
A Primer on LPG Storage Systems
Any loss of containment for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) can have potentially catastrophic results. This article details various LPG storage configurations with special focus on the design of mounded-bullet systems Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is a mixture of propane and…
Bookshelf September 2024: Recently published books for the CPI
The following titles are recently published books that may be relevant for professionals in the chemical process industries (CPI): Fundamentals and Practice in Statistical Thermodynamics. By Jianzhong Wu and John Prausnitz. Wiley and Sons Publishing, 2024, 768 pages, $149.95. Rare…
Pilot plant produces climate-friendly cement clinker
Concrete production is responsible for 6–9% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. “The largest contribution to that comes from the production of cement, a precursor product,” says Peter Stemmermann from the Institute for Technical Chemistry (ITC) at the Karlsruhe Institute of…
Cyanobacteria mineralize CO2 into biogenic construction materials
Researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS; www.ikts.fraunhofer.de) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Electron Beam and Plasma Technology (FEP; both Dresden, Germany; www.fep.fraunhofer.de) are introducing an eco-friendly, biologically induced method of producing biogenic construction materials as…
Chementator Briefs
Tanning Agent Södra Skogsägarna (Södra; Växjö, Sweden; www.sodra.com) is investing in a production line at Värö that will create a tanning agent from tree bark. This new tannin can be used to process leather in a more environmentally friendly way,…
Versatile production of biopolymers in new semi-crystalline format
Bio-based polymers, such as polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), are seeing increasing application as a more sustainable alternative to fossil-based materials. A new, flexible production platform developed by CJ Biomaterials, Inc. (Woburn, Mass.; www.cjbiomaterials.com) is now enabling the production of PHA in both…
A proof-of-concept “BionicHydrogenBattery”
At a press conference during Achema 2024, Festo SE & Co. KG (Esslingen, Germany; www.festo.com) presented the BionicHydrogenBattery — a new concept for the simple storage and safe transportation of hydrogen. Currently, H2 can only be stored and transported safely…
Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 into a range of chemicals
At Achema in June, GIG Karasek GmbH (Gloggnitz, Austria; www.gigkarasek.com) introduced the ECO2Cell, an electrochemical CO2-recycling technology that utilizes proprietary catalysts to convert captured carbon dioxide into a range of chemicals. Using only water, CO2 and electricity as process inputs,…
New bio-based concrete admixture is scaling up production
A new biomass-based liquid admixture for concrete uniquely combines the benefits of traditional performance-enhancing additives with decarbonization. Hydrous bio-graphene oxide (hBGO), developed by AlterBiota (Edwardsville, Nova Scotia, Canada; www.alterbiota.com), is a stable, high-solids dispersion that helps to improve strength and…
A biocatalytic process for producing nitriles — without cyanide
Nitrile compounds (R–N≡N) are important for the manufacturing of fragrances, pharmaceuticals, superglue and chemical-resistant gloves. Currently, such nitrile compounds require the use of highly toxic cyanide in their synthesis. Now, an alternative cyanide-free chemo-enzymatic cascade process is being developed by…