A new solid-state basic catalyst for forming carbon-carbon bonds has been developed by Masaru Ogura, an associate professor, and his research group at the Institute of Industrial Science, University of Tokyo (www.u-tokyo.ac.jp). The catalyst has been shown to accelerate the…
This month, Borregaard Industries Ltd. (Sarpsborg, Norway; www.borregaard.com) will start up an integrated, pilot-demonstration plant to further develop a new pretreatment process for converting biomass into lignin and fermentable sugars. Located at the company’s R&D Center in Sarpsborg, the pilot…
Failures of piping due to vibration-induced fatigue are a serious problem in the chemical process industries (CPI) and a matter of concern for the safety and reliability of plant operations. Due to the complexity of flow-induced vibrations in pipes, no…
A distillation process that consumes 85% less energy than traditional methods has been demonstrated by researchers from the University of Tokyo’s Institute of Industrial Science (www.energy.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp) and Nippon Steel Engineering (NSE, both Tokyo, www.nsc-eng.co.jp). The technique, which involves the incorporation…
In conventional hydrogen and ammonia plants, the final conversion of CO to H2 occurs across the low-temperature shift (LTS) catalyst. This makes the LTS catalyst one of the most important catalysts in the plant — even small changes in its…
A process to make polylactic acid (PLA) that requires no solvent or metal catalyst has been developed by Ricoh Co. (Ricoh; Tokyo, www.ricoh.com), in cooperation with Shizuoka University. Ricoh’s continuous PLA process is based on a commercially available organic catalyst…
Music is nature’s gift to humans. Irrespective of nationality, we all like to hum melodies, tap rhythms and sway to pleasing tunes. Even children just learning to stand enjoy wiggling to good music. In all cultures, the notes that comprise…
A three-piece, stainless-steel ball valve features this company’s Smart Connect feature for joining pipes without welding. The ball valves are available in two grades of stainless-steel grades (304 and 316), in sizes from 0.5 to 2.0 in., and with more…
One additive intended for use in lead-acid batteries for micro-hybrid gasoline engines, and another for lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles, can improve battery performance. PBX51 is a performance additive designed to improve performance and lifetime for lead-acid batteries requiring high…
The Model TG-300 variable-speed low-flow pump is a positive displacement gear pump designed for smooth, continuous flows from 0 to 400 mL/min (0–5 gal/h). Fluids compatible with aluminum, steel, Viton and Teflon-wetted materials and viscosities of 30–600 cSt can be…