Researchers from the Adolphe Merkle Institute (AMI; Fribourg, Switzerland; www.ami.swiss), together with international collaborators, have pioneered a novel method for creating thin, energy-converting membranes that mimic the structure and function of biological cell membranes. This discovery, described in a recent…
Bio-based polymers, such as polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), are seeing increasing application as a more sustainable alternative to fossil-based materials. A new, flexible production platform developed by CJ Biomaterials, Inc. (Woburn, Mass.; www.cjbiomaterials.com) is now enabling the production of PHA in both…
Concrete production is responsible for 6–9% of global anthropogenic CO2 emissions. “The largest contribution to that comes from the production of cement, a precursor product,” says Peter Stemmermann from the Institute for Technical Chemistry (ITC) at the Karlsruhe Institute of…
At Achema 2024 (Frankfurt, Germany; June 10–15), Sulzer Chemtech (Winterthur, Switzerland; www.sulzer.com) revealed MellapakEvo (photo), the latest addition to its structured-packing product family. The MellapakEvo structured packing has been developed to enhance the efficiency and capacity of distillation columns, maximizing…
The pneumatically actuated P40 PD tank-bottom valve (photo) is designed for use in sterile applications. The sealing principle of the valve is based on the company’s PD sealing technology, which hermetically separates the actuator from the medium. All actuator parts…
Tanning Agent Södra Skogsägarna (Södra; Växjö, Sweden; www.sodra.com) is investing in a production line at Värö that will create a tanning agent from tree bark. This new tannin can be used to process leather in a more environmentally friendly way,…
The inclusion of nozzle flexibility (directional spring rate) in pipe-stress analysis results in more realistic piping reactions on pressure-vessel nozzles, whereby it will be easier to meet the limited nozzle-load capacity of the nozzles. It will surely contribute to a…
This company has launched an enhanced version of its Ninva TSP341-N non-invasive temperature sensor (photo), which is said to be the first SIL2-certified non-invasive temperature transmitter. Using the surface temperature of the piping to infer the process temperature, Ninva provides…
For the first time, perfusion disc separators for continuous production and faster processing can be implemented in biopharmaceutical cell-harvesting processes based on labor-saving, easy-to-use single-use devices. The newly introduced perfusion separators in this series (photo) offer the same advantages as…
The Viper-28 flange-spreading wedge (photo) is said to be the most powerful flange spreader in the world, boasting a spreading force of 28 metric tons and a precision tip measuring just 5 mm. This tool handles a wide range of…