In April, a demonstration plant started up that makes bioethanol from cassava residue — a byproduct of tapioca production. The demonstration plant, located at the cassava starch plant of EBP Ethanol Co. in Sa Kaeo Province, Thailand, is part of…
In the ten years since its first isolation by a pair of Russian physicists, the single-atom-thick carbon allotrope known as graphene has been extolled as a “miracle material” for everything from television screens to tennis rackets to superabsorbent fabrics. What…
Adipic acid is a dicarboxylic acid that is widely applied to the production of nylon, polyurethanes, plasticizers and other polymers. Its main use is as one of the raw materials for the manufacture of the polyamide nylon 6,6. In 2012,…
Larger valves (200 mm and above, with flowrates in excess of 200 m3/h) tend to be fitted with pneumatic actuators. However, the air-output capacity required to achieve fast positioning in larger actuators is simply too high for normal positioners and…
This 110-gallon heavy-duty industrial vacuum (photo) is designed to move material with little wear to the equipment. Engineered to filter contaminants to high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) requirements, the vacuum is fitted with two filters: a pre-filter to stop larger particles…
This company has simplified transitions to its modular pipework system by introducing adapter flanges, which are available in square or round form. The new adapters are welded onto the machine outlet or inlet ports. Matching counter flanges from the company’s…
Compressors for specialized chemical process industries (CPI) applications — particularly high-pressure applications (involving large- and medium-sized machines) and those calling for small compressor units — present particular challenges to system designers and operators. This article discusses a variety of engineering…
An inexpensive and scalable composite catalyst that is said to outperform platinum for oxygen reduction in metal-air batteries and fuel cells has been developed by a research team led by professor Jaephil Cho from Ulsan National Institute for Science and…
With a separate algae-based technology, Algal Scientific has invented a sterile fermentation process for making beta-1,3-glucan from algae that has lower costs than those associated with fermenting the molecule with yeast. Beta-1,3-glucan is a polysaccharide that boosts immune-system function in…
Process monitoring in biotechnology processes is critical to maximizing product yield and optimizing nutrient consumption. Startup company Stratophase Ltd. (Romsey, U.K.; www.stratophase.com) is now offering the first realtime, in-situ micro-optical sensor for monitoring and control of bioprocesses involving both microbes…