Chemical Engineering
Chemours invests $200 million to expand production capacity for ion-exhange materials
The Chemours Co. (Wilmington, Del.) announced a planned $200-million investment to increase capacity and advance technology for its industry-leading Nafion ion exchange materials to support the Hydrogen Economy. Accelerated climate ambitions and energy challenges have fast-tracked demand for hydrogen power…
BASF and Hannong Chemicals announce JV for non-ionic surfactants
Subject to the approval of all relevant authorities, BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany) and Hannong Chemicals are planning to establish a production joint venture “BASF Hannong Chemicals Solutions Ltd.”. BASF will hold 51% and Hannong Chemicals 49% shareholding, in the proposed…
Orlen Unipetrol commissions dicyclopentadiene production unit
The ORLEN Unipetrol Group (Prague, Czech Republic) has commissioned a new production unit for dicyclopentadiene (DCPD), which will expand its product portfolio. DCPD, a liquid hydrocarbon, has a broad range of applications in the automotive industry, construction, electrical engineering, medicine,…
Fluor awarded two contracts for BASF’s Zhanjiang Verbund site project in China
Fluor Corporation (Irving, Tex.) announced today that the company was awarded two reimbursable engineering, procurement and construction management contracts by BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany) for the ethylene oxide/ethylene glycol and infrastructure, offsites and utilities packages as part of the company’s…
Technip Energies awarded contract for Ineos Olefins’ ethane cracker in Antwerp
Technip Energies (Paris) has been awarded a large contract for the proprietary equipment supply for INEOS Olefins Belgium NV’s 1,450,000 ton/yr ethane cracker in Antwerp, Belgium. This latest award is in line with the company's early engagement strategy and consolidates…
LyondellBasell acquires Colortech da Amazonia
LyondellBasell (Rotterdam, the Netherlands) announced it has acquired Colortech da Amazonia, a manufacturer of color concentrates, additive masterbatches and mineral-filled compounds located in Manaus, Brazil. “As a well-respected producer of masterbatches, compounds and additives in Brazil, Colortech da Amazonia is…
Wet Surface Air Coolers For Cryogenic Systems
Condensing industrial refrigerants in cryogenic processes is a major contributor to energy consumption and has a direct impact on the production output of the facility. By condensing at lower temperatures, the Wet Surface Air Cooler allows for increased condensing capacity…
CPI Booklist: October 2022
October 2022: The following are recently published books that may be relevant for professionals working in the chemical process industries (CPI). Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Manufacturing: Nondestructive Creation. By Girish Malhotra, deGruyter Press, 2022, 317 pages, $94.99 (e-book). Keys to Improving…
Lessons Learned in the Classroom: Tower Pressure and Capacity
Henry Kister shares lessons learned from troubleshooting distillation towers In my courses, I discuss the effect of column operating pressure on flooding and capacity. There are two counteracting effects: The volatility effect increases in importance at higher pressures and for…
Safety Relief Valves: Installation and Maintenance
Using proper installation practices and adhering to maintenance schedules helps ensure reliable operation of safety-relief valves Safety-relief valves are critical components of any pressurized system. In fact, a functioning safety-relief valve could be the most important piece of equipment on…