Chemical Engineering
Evonik opens new plant for sustainable emollients at its Steinau, Germany site
Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany; www.evonik.com) has officially inaugurated its new production plant for cosmetic emollients at its site in Steinau, Germany. These esters are manufactured using an enzymatic process. The double-digit million-euro plant will significantly increase Evonik’s production capacity…
PPG expands coatings production capacities in Malaysia
PPG (Pittsburgh, Pa.) announced that it has expanded operations in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia to include the production of non-stick coatings for kitchenware, industrial bakeware and low friction applications. The plant now has additional capacity to support growing regional coatings demand…
AtkinsRéalis to design major vaccine manufacturing facility in Canada
AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. (Montreal, Queb., Canada) has won a mandate from Jubilant HollisterStier, a leading global pharmaceutical contract manufacturer, to provide detailed design for the expansion of their sterile injectable facility in Montreal as part of Canada’s Biomanufacturing and Life…
Motiva licenses UOP process technologies for new aromatics complex in Texas
Motiva Enterprises, LLC (Houston) announced that it has advanced its aromatics project by executing a license for Honeywell UOP's aromatics technologies and is now undertaking engineering and design work. The project, planned for construction at Motiva's Manufacturing Complex in Port…
Two-dimensional template increases stability of perovskite photovoltaics
Using halide perovskites for photovoltaic (PV) solar-energy cells could dramatically reduce production costs compared to silicon-based PV cells, because perovskites are solution-processible at relatively low temperatures. However, long-term stability of these materials has been a significant challenge. Now, a research…
This electrolysis reactor requires no external electricity source
Electrolyzers are the key technology for producing “green” hydrogen using renewable energy. However, a new reactor platform aims to facilitate electrolysis without the need for any external electricity. The Electroless Coupled Exchange Reduction Oxidation technology platform (eXERO), developed by Utility…
Chementator Briefs
Methane pyrolysis catalyst Catalytic methane pyrolysis (CMP) is an attractive route to producing hydrogen, because rather than generating CO2, the process produces solid carbon, which can be made in valuable forms that could offset the cost of hydrogen production. However,…
This integrated technology effectively destroys PFAS — even short-chain compounds
The prevalence of the various per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) — compounds that are notoriously difficult to break down — in the water supply is causing global concern. A new partnership between Element Six (Oxford, U.K.; www.e6.com) and Lummus Technology…
Business News: September 2024
Plant Watch Sika more than doubles capacity at its largest manufacturing plant in Indonesia August 13, 2024 — Sika AG (Baar, Switzerland; www.sika.com) has more than doubled the production capacity at the Bekasi plant, its largest manufacturing facility in Indonesia.…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Efficiency in Electric Induction Motors
The purchase price of an electric motor is generally thought to end up as a small fraction (2–3%) of the motor’s total lifetime cost, with the majority of costs resulting from the electricity used by the motor. This makes motor…