Processing & Handling
A new catalyst for asymmetric-transfer-hydrogenation reactions
The Fine Chemicals div. of Takasago International Corp. (Tokyo, Japan; www.takasago.com) has commercialized Deneb: Oxo-Tethered Ruthenium (II) Complex, which shows higher catalytic activities compared to conventional RuCl (arene)(N-sulfonylated diamine) catalyst systems. The higher activity enables a reduction in catalyst loading…
New catalyst allows lower-temperature waste destruction
Base-catalyzed decomposition (BCD) is a commercially used process developed in the early 1990s by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA; Washington, D.C.) for the destruction of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). It has been used as an alternative to incineration for…
Thin-film membranes promise a dramatic reduction in energy use
Researchers at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul; www.umn.edu) have produced thin-film zeolite membranes that are only 200 nm thick, compared to 5–10 µm for conventional zeolite membranes. The new membranes could cut energy and capital costs by 90% for…
Commercial debut for a new olefins-production process
Last month, KBR (Houston; www.kbr.com) was awarded a license and process-design-package contract for a new olefins-production unit using the Advanced Catalytic Olefins (ACO) technology. The contract represents the first license of the ACO process, which catalytically cracks naphtha and other…
A polarizable membrane for improved energy storage
The two basic energy-storage devices — dielectric and double-layer capacitors — entail serious limitations. Dielectric capacitors have low capacitance, on the order of 0.1 to 1.0 µF/cm2, while the double-layer capacitor has a high capacitance, on the order of 0.5…
Focus on Pipes, Tubes & Fittings
Single-use tubing for biopharmaceutical applications Meissner Filtration Products BioFlex tubing assemblies (photo) are designed for secure fluid transfer in critical biopharmaceutical processing applications. The assemblies are configured from this company’s library of pre-qualified components, including its sterilizing-grade membrane filter capsule,…
A process pump with a water-cooled head option
The N0150 diaphragm pumps can now be customized with water-cooled heads to prevent pump overheating in process applications where exothermic reactions can produce excessive heat and potentially shorten pump service life. Capable of serving a range of industries, the pumps…
This high-speed disperser handles viscosities up to 50,000 cP
d fsbgsd High-speed dispersers from this company are suitable for most straightforward powder wet-out applications with fluid viscosities up to 50,000 cP. The units, which can be built to mix vessels up to 6,000 gal or larger, are constructed with…
Use this booster to help valve positioners
Incorporating a fixed deadband, internal soft seats and an integral bypass restriction, the VBL pneumatic volume booster has an enhanced performance capability that is important in applications where a valve positioner alone cannot provide the stroking speed needed to meet…
Improved LPLC with this metering pump
The new EcoPrime metering pump delivers a precise flowrate in low-pressure liquid chromatography (LPLC) systems, and provides a linear gradient between 0.5 and 99.5% — with 0.5% accuracy. Traditional systems only work linearly over a range between 20 and 70%,…