Processing & Handling
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,…
Extra protection for pumping heat-transfer fluids
The Etanorm SYT heat-transfer-liquid pump features a new VenJet venting device, which ensures that the low-boiling fractions or water vapor do not get near the plain bearing or mechanical seal. The new pump features several design improvements. For example, the…
Chemical-resistant tubing with higher pressure rating
This company is replacing its Tygon 2075 tubing line with the Tygon 2375 Ultra Chemical Resistant Tubing, providing an improved pressure rating, outstanding chemical resistance and superior flexibility. A clear non-DEHP high-purity tube, Tygon 2375 can be disposed of safely…
Making Pump Maintenance Mandatory
One of the key components in the operational success of chemical process industries (CPI) facilities is the transfer pump. These pumps must handle a wide variety of materials under a broad range of operating conditions. These diverse operational conditions may…
A booster for quick, precise control of large valves
In most process control applications, larger valves tend to be fitted with pneumatic actuators that provide significant positioning forces. In these situations, the positioner is used to precisely position the valve by filling the actuator with the corresponding amount of…
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%,…