This sixth and final part of a series of articles [ 1 – 5] on piping for process plants discusses practical issues of leak testing and verification of piping systems. Read Part 5 here. Leak Testing Leak testing and pressure…
In Poorly Lubricated Conditions, Try this Diamond Seal... Over 50% of pump lifecycle costs result from energy and maintenance; and applying the low-wear and low-friction attributes of diamond to mechanical seals can yield significant energy savings for fluid pumps. Ultrananocrystalline…
This summer, Asahi Kasei Chemicals Corp. (AKCC; Tokyo, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7373-532) plans to begin construction on a plant for producing 200,000 m.t./yr of acrylonitrile (AN) and a plant for making 70,000 m.t./yr of methyl methacrylate (MMA), at Map Ta Phut, Rayong,…
Scientists from CSIRO (Melbourne, Australia; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7373-536) have succeeded in engineering the model plant Arabidopsis to produce 30 wt.% of vernolic acid, an unusual fatty acid (UFA), in its seed oil. The project’s leader, Allan Green — who presented the findings…
Nissan Chemical Industries Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7373-538) is commercializing "ultrahighly active" catalysts, based on the catalyst technology developed by professor Yoshiharu Iwabuchi of the Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tohoku University (Sendai, Japan), which catalyzes the oxidation of alcohols into…
Soy-oil-based hydrogels developed by the U.S. Agricultural Research Service (ARS) show promise as biodegradable encapsulants for drug delivery. Scientists at ARS’ National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (Peoria, Ill.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7373-539) have collaborated with researchers at the University of Toronto to…
Kadant AES (Queensbury, N.Y.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7373-543) has introduced a patented control technology for high-pressure positive-displacement (HPPD) pumps, which is said to be capable of reducing energy usage by up to 60%. The so-called UniGY PhD (Pump-modeling hydraulic drive) uses pump-modeling software…
Researchers at the Faculty of Engineering, Lund University (Sweden; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7373-545) have used nanotechnology to develop a transistor that is said to be 50 times more energy efficient that conventional models. The prototype transistor is made of indium arsenide, where the…
Honeywell Specialty Materials (Morristown, N.J.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7373-546) has launched PowerShield PV325, a material that protects photovoltaic (PV) modules — including the critical components that convert sunlight into electricity — in all types of environments. The material is ultraviolet, moisture and weather…
One of the earliest applications for zirconium in the chemical process industries (CPI) is for sulfuric acid service. Used commonly during the manufacture of chemicals as a catalyst, dehydrating agent, absorbent, or an oxidizing or reducing agent, sulfuric acid is…