Processing & Handling
Lithium Battery Demand Drives Process Evolution
An explosion in battery demand has fostered a welcoming environment for innovations in sourcing and processing lithium and cobalt The drive for higher capacity and enhanced performance from lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), in conjunction with skyrocketing demand for electronic devices and…
Methods to Achieve Sustainable Clean-In-Place
A clean-in-place (CIP) system is among the largest users of consumables at a hygienic processing plant. Presented here are tips for reducing the consumption of water, chemicals and time in CIP operations In many industries there is a burgeoning awareness…
Taking Representative Samples in Solids-Handling Processes
Non-representative sampling in solids processes has costly consequences. A better understanding of the mathematical basis for sampling and of acceptable quality levels can help to alleviate potential sampling issues and more closely approximate reality Effective sampling in solids-handling processes is…
Technology Profile: LDPE via a High-Pressure Tubular Process
This column is based the report “LDPE via High-Pressure Tubular Process – Cost Analysis,” published by Intratec. It can be found at the following URL: www.intratec.us/analysis/ldpe-production-cost. Polyethylene (PE) is the world’s largest-volume commodity polymer, due in large part to the…
Digitalization: What does it deliver today… and tomorrow?
Digitalization, properly deployed, has been proven by ABB to cut capital and operational expenditures up to 30 percent by accelerating and optimizing decision-making. By 2025, further savings and performance improvements are expected from people working collaboratively with artificial intelligence. Colin…
Recently Published Books for March 2018
The following titles are recently published books with relevance to the chemical process industries (CPI) . . . Carbon Dioxide to Chemicals and Fuels. By Aulice Scibioh and B. Viswanathan, Elsevier, 2018, 510 pages, $170.00. Polymer-based Nanocomposites for Energy…
Technology Profile: Cyclohexane Production from Benzene and Hydrogen
This column is based on “Cyclohexane from Benzene and Hydrogen – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/cyclohexane-production-cost. Cyclohexane is a relatively stable cycloalkane, present in crude oils in concentrations of 0.1–1.0%. This cycloparaffin…
Progress towards aluminum-ion batteries
Compared to conventional lithium-ion batteries, aluminum-ion batteries (AIBs) offer significant advantages, such as non-flammability, and a high capacity of the metallic Al anode. However, due to inadequate cathodic performance, especially capacity, high-rate capability and cycle life, AlBs cannot compete with…
Biomass fractionation and conversion technology to be scaled up
Plans are underway for a demonstration-scale facility in France that will convert non-food lignocellulosic biomass into raw materials for bio-based chemicals and animal feed products, such as feed for fish farming. The process, developed by Arbiom (Research Triangle Park, N.C.;…
New process converts refinery offgas into gasoline
A process technology that upgrades offgas from petroleum refineries has been commercialized by Siluria Technologies Inc. (San Francisco, Calif.; www.siluria.com) and Wood (Aberdeen, Scotland; www.woodplc.com). According to Siluria, the new Modus technology’s ability to chemically convert refinery offgases into high-quality…