Researchers at the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR; Singapore; www.a-star.edu.sg), led by Sudhakar Jonnalagadda, have provided another step toward replacing petrochemicals with renewable resources in the manufacture of synthetic fibers and plastics. The team has genetically modified Escherichia…
Plant Watch BASF expands global production capacity of Ultrason polyarylsulfone September 8, 2016— BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) will set up an additional production line for Ultrason polyarylsulfone at its site in Yeosu, Korea. The new line will start up…
Responses from 2015 CE ethics survey range from hopeful to cynical, and both similarities and differences emerge when compared to earlier surveys In October 2015, Chemical Engineering conducted a survey among chemical process industries (CPI) professionals about workplace ethics and…
Passage of the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act has created a long and challenging road ahead for U.S. EPA rulemaking On June 22, 2016, the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act (LCSA) was signed into law with…
More intuitive software allows new users to address optimization and complex tasks Modeling and simulation software is finding more use in chemical processing facilities because software vendors are making it easier to use and, therefore, more accessible to a wider…
This variable-speed drive for compressors pays for itself The Vorecon (photo) is a variable-speed planetary gear that is used to control the speed of compressors, fans and pumps. The Vorecon combines reliable a mechnanical design with hydrodynamic power transmission, which…
Engineers can make better use of the results of process simulations by automatically exporting data into heat and material balance tables in Microsoft Excel Chemical engineering projects require process simulation to validate the chemical reactions and mechanical operations of the…
Agglomeration is a natural phenomenon in which solid particles stick to each other or to surfaces. When unwanted, agglomeration can cause problems, such as caking, buildup or lumping, but it is also an important particle-size enlargement process widely used in…
This column is based on “Aluminum Chloride Production Process – Cost Analysis,” a report published by Intratec. It can be found at: www.intratec.us/analysis/aluminum-chloride-production-cost. Aluminum chloride (AlCl3) is among the most widely used Lewis acids in industry, and is also one…
Significant improvement in reducing fluid loss, optimizing flow paths and easing operation are among the advances in next-generation coupler technologies According to the National Response Center’s (NRC) “Spills and Accidents” database, which collects data on toxic chemical spills and other…