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The Importance of Steam Quality for Steam-System Process Operation

Often, operational problems in steam systems are misattributed because the system’s steam quality is not closely monitored. A clear understanding of steam quality can help to better address these issues Steam quality describes the proportion of saturated steam (vapor) in…

Layered catalyst selectively generates two-carbon compounds from CO2

Copper-catalyzed electrochemical reduction offers a path for making valuable chemicals, such as ethanol or ethylene, from CO2. However, selectively generating sufficient yields of two-carbon products requires precise manipulation of the microenvironment near the surface to control reaction activity and product…

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Bifunctional catalyst enables economically viable production of bio-based acrylates

The prospects for a bio-based route to acrylates (diagram) received a significant boost recently, when startup company Låkril Technologies Corp. (Chicago, Ill.; www.lakril.com) licensed technology from the laboratory of Paul Dauenhauer at the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.; twin-cities.umn.edu). Dauenhauer…

Commercial production of glucaric acid from sugar substrate

The synthetic biology company Kalion Inc. (Milton, Mass.; www.kalioninc.com) recently completed its first commercial-scale production run of high-purity (98–99%) glucaric acid via fermentation of glucose at a custom-manufacturing facility owned by Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com). The high purities…

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Bulk polymerization of elemental sulfur yields new flame-retardant plastics

A group of researchers from the University of Arizona (Tucson; www.arizona.edu), led by chemistry and biochemistry professor Jeff Pyun, are aiming to make use of sulfur waste streams from petroleum refineries. To meet environmental regulations, sulfur must be removed from…

Cummins and Sinopec launch JV to produce ‘green’ hydrogen technologies in China

Cummins Inc. (Indianapolis, Ind.) and China Petrochemical Corp. (Sinopec Group) announced the formation of a 50:50 joint venture (JV) — Cummins Enze (Guangdong) Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd (Cummins Enze). The JV will accelerate the affordability and availability of green hydrogen…

thyssenkrupp signs contract to install over 2-GW electrolysis plant for Air Products in NEOM

Air Products (Lehigh Valley, Pa.) has awarded thyssenkrupp Uhde Chlorine Engineers GmbH (Dortmund, Germany) a contract to supply a more than 2-GW electrolysis plant for one of the world’s largest green hydrogen projects at NEOM in Saudi Arabia. Under this…

Chevron Lummus Global and Saudi Aramco Sign LC-HOPI+ Collaboration and Licensing Agreement

Chevron Lummus Global LLC (CLG; Richmond, Calif.) and Saudi Aramco (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; www.aramco.com) have signed a Joint Collaboration and License Agreement to co-develop and license Saudi Aramco's Heavy Oil Processing Initiative (HOPI+) technology. HOPI+ aims to achieve relatively higher…

Structured catalyst improves efficiency and hydrogen yields in steam methane reforming

Commissioning has begun on a pilot plant designed to demonstrate the effectiveness of a structured catalyst module for steam-methane reforming (SMR) that solves the main heat-transfer inefficiencies associated with the conventional process. The structured catalyst technology improves the efficiency of…

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This steam-methane reforming technology has higher efficiency

A collaboration between Clariant Catalysts (Munich, Germany; www.clariant.com/catalysts) and Technip Energies N.V. (Zoetermeer, the Netherlands; www.technipenergies.com) has led to steam-methane reforming (SMR) SMR technology that is said to achieve higher throughput and heat recovery in SMR. Technip Energies’ Enhanced Annular…