Chemical Engineering
Deepwater RO could cut energy use and environmental impact of seawater desalination
Desalination of seawater with reverse osmosis (RO) membranes is a key technology for addressing water scarcity issues around the globe, but seawater desalination is energy-intensive and the brine discharge can create coastal environmental problems. The company Flocean AS (Oslo, Norway;…
On-demand ammonia production from atmospheric air
Nearly all ammonia is produced using methane via the Haber-Bosch process, which requires high-temperature and high-pressure operation. A new portable prototype device developed by researchers from Stanford University (Stanford, Calif.; www.stanford.edu) and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Dhahran,…
Business News: February 2025
Plant Watch Messer to construct $70-million air-separation unit in Arkansas January 15, 2025 — Messer Group GmbH (Bad Soden, Germany; www.messergroup.com) has announced a strategic investment of over $70 million to construct a state-of-the-art air separation unit (ASU) in Berryville,…
Heat Exchange Solutions Support Sustainability in the CPI
Developments in heat exchange technologies promote efficiency, reliability and cost effectiveness in the chemical process industries (CPI) Heat exchange technologies play a pivotal role in industrial sustainability efforts because they are at the forefront of enabling more environmentally friendly chemical…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Blending and Segregation Mechanisms for Solids
In solids-handling, blending (combining two or more materials to achieve a combined product) and segregation (the separation of particles into distinct zones according to particle size, shape, density or other physical attributes) are competing processes. This one-page reference outlines common…
Quality Control: The Simple but Crucial Details for Safer Manufacturing
Quality control processes can have a reputation for being redundant or tedious, but they play a fundamental role in producing consistent and effective products. When it comes to the manufacturing of products for the medical and life-sciences sectors, these processes…
KBR awarded contract for lithium-extraction pilot plant in the U.K.
KBR, Inc. (Houston) announced that it has been awarded a contract by Weardale Lithium Ltd. for one of Europe’s most advanced demonstration facilities for lithium brine extraction in Eastgate, County Durham, U.K. Under the agreement, KBR will provide technology licensing…
Envalior to build new polyphenylene sulfide compounding facility in Germany
To better serve growing customer demand in Europe and the Americas, Envalior (Düsseldorf, Germany) announced that it will invest in a PPS (Polyphenylene Sulfide) compounding facility in Europe. Envalior’s PPS material, Xytron, combines a strong set of properties, including excellent…
Sulzer launches new pyrolysis quenching technology to enhance plastic and biomass waste reduction
Sulzer Ltd. (Winterthur, Switzerland) has launched the new PyroCon technology, which rapidly cools the gases emitted during pyrolysis, a process that heats and liquefies plastic without oxygen, limiting harmful pollutants. The resulting pyrolysis oil can be then used as a…
Toray to build new plant in China for high-performance resins
Toray Industries, Inc. (Tokyo) announced that Toray Plastics (China) Co., Ltd. will establish a new production site for high-performance resin compounds. These materials deliver excellent heat and chemical resistance and mechanical strength. Common applications are automotive electrical components and electrical…