Automated synthesis One of the most modern infrastructures for automated process control in chemistry is being built by the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT; www.kit.edu) together with BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com). The facility will initially produce new substances in…
Plant Watch PPG starts up sealants manufacturing plant in Morocco August 13, 2021 — PPG Industries, Inc. (Pittsburgh, Pa.; www.ppg.com) started up a facility in Tangier, Morocco that will produce automotive sealants for local vehicle production. The plant marks the…
New electrochemical processes are being developed to help CPI companies reduce their carbon footprint For over a century, electrochemistry has played a crucial role in the chemical process industries (CPI), and many chemicals are still produced using traditional electrochemical processes,…
Biological processes can be used for the conversion of greenhouse gases into added-value chemicals. With a new, unique high-pressure (up to 10 bars) fermenter, the Flemish Institute for Technology Research (VITO; Mol, Belgium; www.vito.be) is researching how these processes can…
Construction is underway on a demonstration plant for manufacturing 1,5-pentanediol (1,5-PDO) from bio-based furfural, a platform chemical that can be derived from plant-based hemicellulose sugars. The process under construction by the company Pyran Inc. (Madison, Wis.; www.pyranco.com) offers a lower-cost…
A new fibrous catalyst-support material can enhance a wide range of industrial catalytic reactions, allowing higher yields and reduced coke buildup compared to pellet supports. Unifrax (Tonawanda, N.Y.; www.unifrax.com) leveraged its expertise in ceramic materials to develop the high-alumina fiber…
A first-of-its-kind pilot project in Abu Dhabi is integrating large-scale atmospheric water generation (AWG) with solar-thermal energy storage to enable carbon-free production of water. Led by partners AQUOVUM LLC (Dover, Del.; www.aqvglobal.com), Masdar Clean Energy (www.masdar.ae) and Khalifa University of…
Synhelion S.A. (Lugano, Switzerland; www.synhelion.com) and the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa; Dübendorf; www.empa.ch) are conducting a joint research project, co-funded by the Swiss Innovation Agency Innosuisse, to further develop a high-temperature energy-storage technology that is…
Hydrogenation is an important reaction in many sectors of the chemical process industries (CPI), but H2 gas is not only expensive, its use requires considerable safety measures to prevent explosions. Significant cost savings could be achieved if hydrogenations did not…
Plant Watch Chemours breaks ground on $93-million mining facility in Florida July 14, 2021 — The Chemours Co. (Wilmington, Del.; www.chemours.com) recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for a new $93-million mining facility in Clay County, Fla. This site will give…