Saida FDS Inc. (Shizuoka, http://saidagroup.jp/fds_en/) has commercialized a flow reactor that uses microwaves to produce fine chemicals and pharmaceutical intermediates at high temperatures and pressures. The system has been shown to boost productivity by a factor of 3–6 compared to…
At a pilot plant near Ames, Iowa, a team of researchers from Iowa State University (Ames; www.iastate.edu) and Chevron Corp. (San Ramon, Calif.; www.chevron.com) has validated the production of bio-oil via a new process technology called solvent liquefaction. Developed by…
A new patent-pending solution-mining technique known as SMER (selective mining with enhanced recovery), developed by Innovare Technologies Ltd. (Carlyle, Sask.; www.innovaretechnologies.ca), can increase yields of potash (potassium chloride; KCl) and achieve lower operating and capital costs compared to traditional potash…
In response to water scarcity and declining grades of ore, the mineral processing industry has been investigating ways to improve processes, such as bioleaching to deal with increased impurity concentrations in process streams. Advantages of bioleaching for low-grade ores, such…
Scientists at the U.S. DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL; Tenn.; www.ornl.gov) have developed an electrochemical process that directly produces ethanol from CO2. The researchers used a catalyst consisting of copper nanoparticles embedded in carbon spikes, and applied voltage to…
Changing employment situations can leave affected employees trying to redefine their career paths. The positive experiences shared by these authors can provide some options and strategies The corporate world can be challenging because business fluctuates with time, and employment reductions…
The entire spectrum of industrial valves will be covered by Valve World Expo (www.valveworldexpo.com) in three halls of the Düsseldorf fairgrounds from November 29 to December 1. Over 19,000 m2 of net exhibition space will be occupied by over 638…
Plant Watch Covestro doubles polycarbonate resin production capacity in Shanghai October 12, 2016 — Covestro AG (Leverkusen, Germany; www.covestro.com) is doubling production capacities for polycarbonate resin from 200,000 to 400,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr) by inaugurating two new production…
Testing and characterization techniques are rising to meet the demands of increasingly complex materials and applications Ensuring the integrity of materials is essential in the chemical process industries (CPI) for the continued maintenance of long-lifetime process equipment like vessels and…
Connected enterprises and intelligent instrumentation promote predictive maintenance and improve reliability Process reliability is one of the most important factors in achieving a profit for producers in the chemical process industries (CPI). However, maintenance departments in these facilities deal with…