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Field-trials upcoming for salt-based thermal-energy storage demonstration program
Field trials are expected to begin shortly for a high-temperature thermal-storage demonstrator built by AED Energy (London, U.K.; www.aedenergy.com). The field trials follow the successful completion of a test program of the demonstrator at AED’s London facility. The test program,…
Focus On: Analyzers
This analyzer is designed to improve paper product quality The next-generation Wet End Analyzer (photo) is designed to help paper, board and tissue producers improve wet-end processes to achieve superior product quality, improved process stability and reduced operating costs. With…
Advanced Seals Enhance Safety and Reliability
Premium solutions prevent seal failure caused by extreme chemical process conditions Seals and gaskets are mission-critical components in the chemical process industries (CPI), where seal failure can have catastrophic consequences. While the corrosive and aggressive media and extreme operating conditions…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Mixing in Stirred Tanks
Stirred tanks are common throughout the chemical process industries (CPI), used as batch reactors and continuous-flow reactors, as well as for physical processing of product formulations in which no chemical reaction is occurring. In all cases, fluid mixing — in…
Novel chlorine-resistant membranes set new standards for reverse osmosis
A unique class of chlorine-resistant membranes is set to enhance the performance of processes requiring zero liquid discharge. NALA Membranes (Morrisville, N.C.; www.nalmembranes.com) has developed highly stable and durable membranes based on sulfonated polysulfone materials that overcome many of the…
Securing the Industrial Edge: Protecting Legacy Systems in the IIoT Era
Edge platforms, which provide a liaison between networks and legacy equipment, can provide a layer of cybersecurity protection without infrastructure modifications Chemical processing facilities worldwide are connecting decades-old equipment to modern networks for real-time monitoring and optimization. While this digital…
Business News: January 2026
Plant Watch Aster invests in expansion projects at Bukom petroleum refinery December 11, 2025 — Aster Chemicals and Energy Ltd. (Singapore; www.aster.com.sg) announced a significant investment program at its Bukom petroleum refining facility in Singapore. The project includes a $75-million…
A superconducting magnet for hydrogen liquefaction is demonstrated in Germany
A first-of-its-kind demonstration unit is showcasing hydrogen liquefaction using magnetocaloric cooling, a process that demands much lower energy consumption than conventional methods used in industry. A joint venture between Magnotherm Solutions GmbH (Darmstadt, Germany; www.magnotherm.com) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR; Dresden,…
‘Preorganization’ strategies allow polymer degradation through self-deconstruction
Designing plastics that can be broken down easily after their use phase have often required a trade-off between stability and ease of deconstruction. Recent research by scientists at Rutgers University (New Brunswick, N.J.; www.rutgers.edu) opens a path to resolve that…
2025 CECPI updates: Sept. (prelim.) and July (final)
A federal government shutdown in the U.S. from October 1 to November 12, 2025 disrupted the release of producer price index (PPI) data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), so the CE Plant Cost Index (CEPCI) is behind schedule.…