Since 2010, Kaneka Corp. (www.kaneka.co.jp) and Kansai University (both Osaka, Japan; www.kansai-u.ac.jp) have been collaborating on the development of special antifreeze materials for applications in the food industry. In 2012, the group developed an antifreeze based on a protein derived…
Changing markets and new applications are putting more demands on the protective coatings industry than ever before. While developing environmentally friendlier and less labor-intensive corrosion- and chemical-resistant paints and coatings is always a major goal, new formulations are needed to…
Last month, Toyo Engineering Corp. (Toyo; Chiba, www.toyo-eng.co.jp) was awarded a contract for a distillation column in a methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) production plant of Maruzen Petrochemical Co. (Ichihara City, Chiba, Japan). The contract marks the first commercial application of…
Lödige Maschinenbau Designed for the preparation of bulk material, the Ploughshare batch mixer FKM 2000 features a low-maintenance mixer that delivers short mixing times, good mixing quality and high batch reproducibility. Even pumpable materials can be processed using this versatile…
Now available in ½- to 36-in. sizes, the Pacific Wedgeplug valves range has been expanded to increase the breadth of solutions for users in the petroleum refining, petrochemical and power generation industries. The valve’s unique design offers users a number…
This letter is in reference to the article, Forces Acting on a Gasket [ Chem. Eng. October, 2014, p. 32a]. I need to clear my understanding on the seating stress required for the proper sealing. As per the article, seating…
Construction has begun on a unique refinery project that will convert Canadian bitumen into ultralow-sulfur diesel while producing high-purity CO2 for enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and subsequent carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). The project, located near Edmonton, Alta. and run…
A high-temperature pressure-swing-absorption (HT-PSA) process that reduces energy consumption by up to 50% compared to conventional PSA technology is being developed by Tokyo Gas Co. (Tokyo, Japan; www.tokyo-gas.co.jp), with support from the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).…
Last month, Veolia Water Technologies (Birmingham, England; www.veoliawaterst.co.uk) introduced a new generation of biofilm carriers for moving-bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs). Trade-named AnoxKaldness Z-MBBR, the new carrier is the result of two decades of development work, says the company. Unlike conventional…
The research group of Masatsugu Morimitsu at Doshisha University (Kyoto, Japan; www.doshisha.ac.jp) has developed an “evolutionary” electrowinning process for the production of rare and base metals that promises to reduce both the power consumption and environmental burden. The process features…