Chemical Engineering
A fungus converts cellulose directly into a platform chemical
Conventional bioprocesses use three separate steps to convert cellulose into products, such as bioplastics and biofuels. The consolidated bioprocess (CBP) combines all steps — cellulase production, cellulose hydrolysis and product fermentation — in a single reactor. Using the natural abilities…
CO2-to-methanol conversion improved with catalyst-support ion swap
Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL; Oak Ridge, Tenn.; www.ornl.gov) and a team of interdisciplinary scientists tripled the yield of methanol in the catalytic hydrogenation reaction of carbon dioxide by introducing hydrides into the catalyst support material. The researchers…
CO2 captured in stationary energy storage battery
An Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) team created and tested two different formulations for stationary batteries that could utilize CO2 from industrial sources while storing energy from wind turbines and solar panels. Consisting of two electrodes in a saltwater solution,…
A new reactor system for producing polymers
Traditionally, many polymerization reactions are carried out batchwise in reactor vessels, with the reaction taking place in solution, emulsion or in a melt. This procedure reaches its limits if, for example, the reaction is very exothermic or the viscosity increases…
CP Kelco and Tate & Lyle to merge
CP Kelco (Atlanta, Ga.) announced its intent to combine its business with London-headquartered global food and beverage solutions business Tate & Lyle (London) through the sale of CP Kelco by J.M. Huber Corporation (Huber). The proposed combination will create a…
Wacker breaks ground for construction of silicone specialties plant in the Czech Republic
Wacker Chemie AG (Munich, Germany) strengthens its focus on silicone specialties in Europe with the construction of a new production site. Wacker, together with project partners and officials representing the city and the region, broke ground symbolically in Karlovy Vary,…
Technip Energies awarded contract for IOCL’s naphtha cracking unit at Paradip, India
Technip Energies (Paris) has been awarded a significant contract by Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL; Mumbai) for the license, basic engineering design package, proprietary equipment and catalyst supply and related services for the 1,500,000-ton/yr Paradip naphtha cracker unit (PDNCU) block…
Solvay and Cyclic Materials sign supply agreement for recycled mixed rare-earth oxide
Solvay S.A. (Brussels, Belgium) and Cyclic Materials, an advanced metals recycling company building a circular supply chain for rare earth elements and other critical metals, announced the signing of an agreement for the supply of recycled mixed rare earth oxide…
ALPLA acquires packaging specialist in Germany
ALPLA Group (Hard, Austria) is further expanding its pharma division ALPLApharma with its acquisition of Heinlein Plastik-Technik GmbH. The German packaging specialist Heinlein is one of the world’s best-known groups for the development and manufacture of closure systems, dosing systems…
Maire awarded $400-million EPC contract for new HVO unit at refinery in Hamburg
MAIRE S.p.A. (Milan) announced that its subsidiary KT - Kinetics Technology (Integrated E&C Solutions), also leveraging the technological know-how of NEXTCHEM (Sustainable Technology Solutions), has been awarded by HOLBORN Europa Raffinerie GmbH (HOLBORN) an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) project…