Chemical Engineering
Business News: November 2025
Plant Watch World-scale black pellet plant begins commercial operation in Vietnam October 14, 2025 — Idemitsu Kosan Co. (Tokyo; www.idemitsu.com) has commenced commercial operation of its newly constructed plant in Gia Lai Province, Vietnam, to produce black pellets (BP), a…
“Chemical sorting” process improves separation rate of solid contaminants from automotive waste
Processes to reuse plastics from end-of-life vehicles are complicated by solid contaminants — including pre-embedded metal and rubber components of different sizes and reinforcing glass fiber. Currently, recycling solids-containing waste-plastic parts is accomplished by physical sorting processes. Honda (Tokyo, Japan;…
First continuous and scalable ambient pathway to electrically conductive plastics
Electrically conductive plastics, also known as conjugated polymers, bring many cutting-edge benefits for flexible sensors, medical devices, energy-storage systems and more. They are currently produced at relatively small volumes and come with extremely high prices. A novel technology discovered at…
Improved version of PFAS capture-and-destruction technology commissioned in Germany
Following regulations for drinking water, increasingly stringent limits for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in industrial wastewater are anticipated, necessitating improved technology to handle higher rates of removal, as well as to destroy the compounds in concentrated samples. Gradiant (Boston,…
CO2-utilization technology makes renewable acrylonitrile
Nearly all of the currently produced building-block chemical acrylonitrile (AN) results from the ammoxidation of propylene, a process that requires precise heat control and generates several toxic side products, such as hydrogen cyanide. The startup company Mars Materials (Houston, Tex.;…
Novel PVC-recycling process piloted in Ohio
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is among the world’s most widely used polymers. Recycling PVC via mechanical and high-temperature chemical processes is challenging due to its chlorine content.The startup company Plastic Back (Tel Aviv, Israel; www.plastic-back.com) aims to raise the rates of…
Agitator Impeller Hydraulic Force in Mixing Vessels
Understanding the forces acting on agitator impeller blades during turbulent flow in a mixing vessel is essential for successful and efficient operation. Presented here is information on the hydraulic force, its source, and how to calculate it Mechanically agitated vessels…
Advanced Mixing Technologies for Efficient Lithium Processing
In lithium processing, advanced mixing technologies — applied across the crystallization, carbonization and decomposition steps — can serve as critical enablers in meeting efficiency, scalability and sustainability demands Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) is a key raw material in the production of…
Globe Valves’ Pivotal Role in Liquid Hydrogen Production
As the hydrogen economy matures and production scales up, critical equipment like valves must evolve to ensure safe and optimized handling and transport According to the Energy Transition Council, the overall share of fossil fuels is expected to decrease significantly…
Improving Level Measurement for Solids
Selecting the right technology to ensure accurate and reliable level measurement can help solve the unique challenges posed by storing and processing solid materials Advanced measurement solutions are helping to enhance process control, operational efficiency and safety throughout the chemical…