Processing & Handling
Solar clinker produced for the first time
Last month, Cemex, S.A.B. de C.V. (Cemex; Monterrey, Mexico; www.cemex.com) and Synhelion SA (Lugano, Switzerland; www.synhelion.com) successfully connected the clinker production process with the Synhelion solar receiver to produce solar clinker. The milestone is a first step towards fully solar-driven…
A new catalyst for the oxidative dehydrogenation of propane
Converting propane to propylene by oxidative dehydrogenation with CO2 is an alternative route to conventional propane dehydrogenation, but existing catalysts for this conversion are not very efficient. Now, in a study described in a recent issue of Nature Catalysis, researchers…
PFAS destruction using supercritical water
The presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in wastewater and groundwater has garnered increased attention as a health and environmental issue because of their recalcitrance and bioaccumulation. To complement existing PFAS separation technologies, the Battelle Memorial Institute (Columbus, Ohio;…
Ultra-rapid production of battery materials using plasma technology
A new ultra-rapid plasma-based process could significantly expand the availability of premium materials for battery applications. Developed by 6K, Inc. (North Andover, Mass.; www.6kinc.com), UniMelt is a single-pass, continuous process that employs a proprietary microwave torch technology to create a…
A sulfur-tolerant catalyst for the deoxygenation of sulfoxides
The transformation of sulfur-containing molecules is an important reaction in organic and pharmaceutical chemistry. However, the sulfur atom strongly coordinates with the active sites of metal catalysts, significantly decreasing the catalytic performance. Sulfur impurities contained in chemical feedstocks also cause…
First ferric chloride plant based on proprietary technology built in Kuwait
The end of 2021 saw an important milestone for Chemieanlagenbau Chemnitz (CAC; Germany) — the successful commissioning of the first ferric chloride plant using proprietary technology. In this plant, the client from Kuwait produces a saleable product, which can be…
thyssenkrupp to build three major polymer plants for SASA in Turkey
Thyssenkrupp Uhde’s (Dortmund, Germany) subsidiary Uhde Inventa-Fischer signed a contract to build three new world-scale polymer plants for SASA Polyester Sanayi A.Ş in Adana, Turkey. One plant is planned to produce 1,050 metric tons (m.t.) per day polyethylene terephthalate (PET)…
Bilfinger and Rock Tech Lithium sign letter of intent to cooperate on Europe’s first lithium refinery
Industrial services provider Bilfinger SE (Mannheim, Germany) and clean-tech company Rock Tech Lithium Inc. (Vancouver, B.C., Canada) have signed a letter of intent for an EPCM (engineering, procurement, construction and management) partnership. The agreement relates to the construction of Europe’s…
Chemieanlagenbau Chemnitz receives order for chlor-alkali plant in France
Chemieanlagenbau Chemnitz GmbH (CAC; Germany) is building a chlor-alkali electrolysis plant for KEM ONE (Lyon, France), Europe's second largest manufacturer of polyvinylchloride (PVC). The €57-million contract is said to be the largest order of this kind in the history of…
Spotlight on hydrogen
Driven by climate-related concerns, interest in hydrogen for its potential to play a significant role in decarbonization is surging. An increased urgency to get on track with decarbonization targets set by governments and corporations for the next few decades has…