BTX extraction A newly launched series of blended solvents for the extraction of benzene, toluene and xylenes (BTX) from a variety of feeds shows improved performance over single solvents, while avoiding environmentally problematic solvent components. The series, known as BTX…
Bauxite residue (red mud) is a byproduct from the smelting of aluminum. Like other waste slags from the metallurgy industry, bauxite residue is traditionally put into hazardous-waste landfills, although it contains a mixture of valuable raw materials in low concentrations.…
Granular activated carbon (GAC) can be used to remove polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from groundwater and drinking water, but current methods to regenerate spent GAC are costly and require high temperatures of greater than 1,000°C. A team of scientists at Battelle…
A collaborative research group in Japan has engineered a self-sustaining device that can detect the presence of COVID-19 particles or droplets in air. The device, which requires no batteries, employs a magnetostrictive clad plate composed of iron, cobalt and nickel,…
Spring-loaded pressure-relief valves (PRVs) often use bellows to ensure balanced operation. Data analysis from 30,000 PRV service records across different industries and valve brands shows a bellows failure rate between 2 to 6%, according to Emerson (St. Louis, Mo.; www.emerson.com).…
Microorganisms populate nearly any habitat, no matter how hostile it is. Their great variety of survival strategies is of huge potential in biotechnology. However, most of these organisms are unknown, because they cannot be cultivated. To make better use of…
Scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore; www.ntu.edu.sg) have developed a technique to convert waste paper, from single-use packaging, bags and cardboard boxes, into electrodes, which can be made into rechargeable batteries that power mobile phones, medical equipment and…
Plant Watch Air Liquide to supply H2 and CO to Kumho Mitsui Chemical December 13, 2022 — Air Liquide S.A. (Paris, France; www.airliquide.com) has signed a long-term contract to supply Kumho Mitsui Chemical (KMCI) with additional hydrogen and carbon monoxide…
Lotte Fine Chemicals (LFC) received the world’s first commercial shipment of 25,000 metric tons of independently certified clean (blue) ammonia from SABIC Agri-Nutrients (SABIC AN) and Saudi Aramco (Aramco). The shipment, dispatched from King Fahad Industrial Port at Jubail, Saudi…
Lummus Technology (Houston) announced it has been awarded a contract by Zhangzhou CHIMEI Chemical Co. Ltd. for digitalization services at their petrochemical facility in Gulei, Fujian Province, China. "This award builds on the previous technology license Lummus provided to CHIMEI…