Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Environmental, Safety and Energy Technology (Umsicht; Oberhausen, Germany; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6516-533) are developing a new type of filter medium that can be manufactured with pores of precisely the same size (photo). The filter is made of…
Manufacturing soda ash by either the Solvay or Hou process produces a large amount of waste sludge. About 10 m3 of waste — mostly liquid with 2–8 wt.% solids — is generated per ton of soda ash produced, says Trevor…
(Wilmington, Del.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6516-544) launched a new temperature-controlled evaporation source for depositing sensitive materials used for producing organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) and organic-chemical-based solar cells. The source enables greater control of deposition rate, which reduces material loss and associated costs, says…
A chemical-treatment process, called Kemicond, that reduces the volume and odor of sludge has been commercialized by its developer Kemitra Kemi AB Kemwater (Helsingborg, Sweden; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6515-532). The first commercial application - a system for Käppala Association (Stockholm, Sweden) that treats…
Eltron Research, Inc. (Boulder, Co.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6515-553), in partnership with the U.S. Dept. of Energy's (DOE; Washington, D.C.) National Energy Technology Laboratory (Pittsburgh, Pa.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6515-554), has engineered membrane materials for producing pure hydrogen from coal-derived synthesis gas. In bench-scale tests, the…
PuriTech (Dessel, Belgium; edlinks.chemengonline.com/6514-536) has developed a continuous ion-exchange system, called Ionex, which uses up to 75% less water and requires about half the volume of ion-exchange resin, compared with traditional fixed-bed systems, says PuriTech projects director Filip Rochette. Ionex…
Sodium chloride aerosols are widely used as part of bronchial provocation tests to identify people with asthma, and those who wish to enter military or police service. To maximize their effectiveness, salt aerosol crystals should be as small as possible…
Toyo Engineering Corp. (TEC; Tokyo; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5829-536) has developed a new, cryogenic process for extracting natural-gas liquids (NGLs; ethane, propane, butane and other hydrocarbons) from liquefied natural gas (LNG). The Coreflux-LNG process boasts an ethane recovery efficiency of around 98%, compared…
Cartridge trays, defined below, can be the perfect hardware solution for distillation columns that are less than 3 feet (0.9m) in diameter and have a unique need for trays. Packing is usually the preferred choice for small-diameter columns, but there…
The presence of TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) in cork can lead to undesirable tastes or smells in wine; this so-called cork taint affects about 3–6% of bottled wine. Although techniques (such as boiling in water or striping with superheated steam) have been…