In The News
Uhde wins clean-fuels contract for Bulgaria
Uhde GmbH (Dortmund, Germany; www.uhde.biz) won two major contracts from the Bulgarian company LUKOIL Neftochim Bourgas AD, part of the Russian petroleum group LUKOIL, to engineer and supply clean-fuels plants for diesel and gasoline desulphurization for its refinery located in…
Lanxess to make record investment in Singapore
Specialty chemicals group Lanxess AG (Leverkusen, Germany; www.lanxess.com) is set to make the biggest single investment in its history in Singapore. A new chemical production site for synthetic rubber is to be built at the chemical park on Jurong Island.…
Bayer invests in research center in Aachen
A new catalysis center (www.catalyticcenter.de) has opened today in Aachen, Germany, for which the Bayer company provides more than seven million euros of funding. “To further boost our innovative strength, we support excellent performance and talent in science,” says Peter…
Africa’s largest desalination plant inaugurated
A persistent shortage of potable water in the City of Algiers, Algeria was eased today as the $250-million Hamma Seawater Desalination Plant (SWDP) was officially opened by Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika and Jeff Garwood president and CEO, GE Water &…
Lurgi Zimmer wins a another PA 6 contract in China
Lurgi Zimmer GmbH, a company of Lurgi GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany; www.lurgi.com), has contracted a Polyamide 6 plant to be built for Zhejiang Huajian Nylon Co. Ltd., China. Polyamide is a widely used polymer for sophisticated technical and textile applications. Zhejiang…
Chementator: New ceramic-membrane system doubles rate and slashes cost for dehydrating ethanol
Hitachi Zosen Corp. (Hitz; Tokyo, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-531) is commercializing a new membrane for a hybrid-distillation system (HDS) that is especially suitable for dehydrating ethanol and isopropanol. The HDS can produce 99.7 vol.% ethanol from ethanol-water mixtures with 10 vol.% H2O…
Chementator: This platinum-free fuel cell runs on hydrazine
Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (Osaka, Japan; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-532) has designed a fuel cell for powering automobiles, using nickel and cobalt for the electrodes (instead of conventional platinum and carbon), and hydrazine hydrate (N 2H4. H2O) as its fuel (instead of hydrogen).…
Chementator: Commercial production and debut of a new solid-acid catalyst for making biodiesel
Last month, Benefuel, Inc. (Mt. Prospect, Ill.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-533) established an exclusive global agreement with Süd-Chemie India Pvt. Ltd. (SCIL; New Delhi) whereby SCIL will manufacture proprietary solid-acid catalysts for Benefuel’s biodiesel production facilities around the world. The patent-pending catalysts —…
Chementator: One less step to make activated carbon with dispersed metal nanoparticles
Nanostructured microporous carbons containing well-dispersed metal nanoparticles have the potential to improve the performance of fuel cells or catalysis. However, traditional techniques for embedding metal particles in porous carbons (post-synthesis treatment either by impregnation, adsorption, or ion exchange) can lead…
Chementator: New solid-state heat engine cycles H 2 through MEA like a fuel cell
Johnson ElectroMechanical Systems, Inc. (Atlanta, Ga.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-536) in conjunction with professor Heshmat Aglan of Tuskegee University (Tuskegee, Ala.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/7369-537) has received a $75,000 grant from the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE; Washington, D.C.) to further develop the firm’s solid-state heat…