By replacing part of cement clinker with calcined (thermally activated) clay, CO2 emissions in cement production are lowered by up to 40%, according to thyssenkrupp Industrial Solutions AG (Essen, Germany; www.thyssenkrupp-industrial-solutions.com), which developed the technology known as “polysius activated clay.”…
Industrial crystallization processes are widely used in the chemical process industries (CPI) for their ability to separate and purify products in a single step, often to greater than 99.9% purity. Crystal growth proceeds after nucleation, a molecular aggregation process whereby…
This column is based on “Vinyl Chloride Production from Ethylene and Chlorine – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/vinyl-chloride-production-cost. Vinyl chloride (also known as vinyl chloride monomer, VCM and chloroethene) is an organochloride…
The Chemical Activity Barometer (CAB), a leading economic indicator created by the American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com), fell 5.5 percent in April on a three-month moving average (3MMA) basis following a downwardly revised 2.9 percent decline in March.…
When plants are built with excessive design margins, problems can arise when operating under turndown conditions. This article helps explain how overdesign tends to occur and how to avoid problems when operating at turndown Operating under turndown can be problematic,…
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare workers and the general public are facing shortages of hand sanitizers, and many manufacturers are augmenting their facilities produce the necessary ingredients. DEKRA North America (Atlanta, Ga.; www.dekra.us) is warning of the…
The American Chemistry Council (ACC; Washington, D.C.; www.americanchemistry.com) reported that with the effects of COVID-19 fully affecting in the U.S. economy, U.S. specialty chemicals market volumes fell 5.0 percent in March, accelerating from a 0.5 percent decline in February. Of…
This column is based on “Neopentyl Glycol Production Process – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/neopentyl-glycol-production-cost. Neopentyl glycol (NPG; 2,2-dimethylpropane-1,3-diol) is an industrially important and versatile diol, mainly employed as a building block…
Pelletizing, a tumble-growth agglomeration process, offers many potential benefits to processors handling bulk solid materials. This article provides an overview of how agglomerate pelletizing works and the important elements that must be considered Pelletizing, a form of agglomeration (particle size…
Designing easier access to mechanical components in solids-conveying systems reduces maintenance costs and improves safety Virtually every vehicle on the road today is designed with an engine hood that can be easily opened for access to the engine, so mechanics…