This month, a demonstration experiment will begin on a new firing furnace for ceramics that is being developed by NGK Insulators, Ltd. (NGK; www.ngk.co.jp). The furnace is fired with hydrogen instead of fossil fuels, thereby reducing CO2 emissions. H2-fired combustion…
Recycling lithium batteries (LIBs) requires extensive use of hydrometallurgy, which requires multiple steps of extraction-stripping processes, each requiring separate reactors and different parameters. Although there have been attempts to devise a single-step, one-pot solution by partitioning the reactor using membranes,…
This summer, pilot trials will begin at a Buzzi Unicem S.p.A. (Casale Monferrato, Italy; www.buzziunicem.com) cement plant in Monselice, Italy, which will perform field tests of a new carbon-capture process developed by Nuada, the new tradename of MOF Technologies Ltd.…
Rare-earth elements (REEs) are difficult to separate because of their similar properties, so conventional methods are often costly and generate significant amounts of waste. Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL; Oak Ridge, Tenn.; www.ornl.gov) have developed a new technique…
Plant Watch Trinseo inaugurates new PC dissolution pilot facility in the Netherlands May 15, 2023 — Trinseo LLC (Berwyn, Pa.; www.trinseo.com) inaugurated its polycarbonate (PC) dissolution pilot facility in Terneuzen, the Netherlands. Dissolution recycling is a type of physical recycling…
Technologies to process lithium-containing brines are in high demand as manufacturers seek to improve recovery volumes and sustainability The two main sources of lithium — one of the most in-demand materials on earth — are mining from ores and extracting…
BKV Beyond (photo) is a new platform extending condition monitoring from edge to enterprise. Designed for optimal machine healthcare with verified actionable insights, BKV Beyond helps avoid costly downtime through BKV Collect wireless sensors. The sensors, fitting directly onto machinery,…
Fugitive emissions — defined as unintended releases of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from process equipment to the atmosphere — have been a long-standing issue in the chemical process industries (CPI). Valves and pumps are two of the leading sources. With…
The Open Process Automation Standard (O-PAS) Business Guide makes the business case for the O-PAS. An example from the biopharmaceutical industry illustrates the benefits of interoperability and open process automation architecture Normally, technical standards focus purely on technology. However, while…
LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) announced that Alujain National Industrial Company (Alujain) has selected polypropylene process technology from LyondellBasell for a new Spherizone process technology line. Alujain owns National Petrochemical Industrial Co. (NatPet), which operates a Spheripol process technology…