Latest News: Technologies
Novel co-catalyst system could enable CO2-to-syngas processes
A metal-free catalyst system involving ionic liquids and doped carbon nanofibers can efficiently reduce carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, offering a cost-effective electrochemical route from CO2 to synthesis gas (syngas), and further, to liquid transportation fuels. A research group at…
A new adsorbent to recover uranium and other heavy metals from wastewater
A new method for removing uranium and other heavy metals (HMs) from wastewater has been developed by researchers at the University of Eastern Finland (Joensuu; www.uef.fi). The technology has been licensed by Oy Chemec AB (Espoo, Finland; www.chemec.fi), which plans…
January Chementator Briefs
Sludge dewatering Last month, Metso Corp. (Helsinki, Finland; www.metso.com) introduced what it claims to be the worlds first advanced solution — both measurements and control system — to optimize sludge dewatering at wastewater treatment plants. The Metso SDO (sludge…
This catalyst system requires significantly less palladium
A stabilized palladium catalyst system that can be used for making materials for organic solar cells and pharmaceuticals has been developed by the research groups of of Yoichi Yamada at Riken (Wako city; www.riken.jp) and Shigenori Fujikawa at the International…
Bacteria and algae team-up to tackle arsenic-contaminated water
Australian researchers have developed a method of cleaning arsenic out of contaminated water by combining the effects of bacteria and microalgae. Professor Megh Mallavarapu and his team, from the Cooperative Research Center for Contamination Assessment and Remediation of the Environment…
Optimization of a Steam Network
Petroleum refineries generate power from a number of sources, including cogeneration plants and steam networks. Generally, steam networks use turbines to improve operational reliability, specifically as drivers for rotating equipment. Due to increasing energy costs, it is essential to maximize…
New process for monoethylene glycol completes pilot stage
A new process for producing monoethylene glycol (MEG) from synthesis-gas-based feedstocks is nearing completion of extensive pilot plant operation, according to developers Eastman Chemical Co. (Kingsport, Tenn.; www.eastman.com) and Johnson Matthey Davy Technologies Ltd. (London, U.K.; www.davyprotech.com). The technology enables…
Improving extraction yields of Ni and Co from laterite
Low-grade nickel (less than 1.5 wt.%) laterite ores represent about 70% of global reserves but account for only 40% of nickel production. Increasing demand for nickel in recent years has created the need to process such ores. Atmospheric acid leaching…
First commercial process for K2SO4 from polyhalite completes pilot
Pilot plant operation has been completed for a process that produces the fertilizer potassium sulfate from the mineral polyhalite, a hydrated sulfate of potassium, magnesium and calcium. The process, developed by Intercontinental Potash Corp. (ICP; Golden, Colo.; www.icpotash.com), resurrects a…
An efficient way to make fermentable sugars from fibrous waste
The National Food Research Institute (NFRI) of the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO; Tsukuba City, Japan; www.naro.affrc.go.jp) has developed an enzymatic pretreatment process for producing highly concentrated sugar solution from fibrous materials containing rice straw and starch. The…