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Persistent PFAS problems call for chemical processing ingenuity
It is widely known that the class of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) leads to persistent contamination in water and soil ecosystems, creating one of today’s most pressing environmental challenges. Now, recently published research findings from Texas…
Facts At Your Fingertips: Comparing Steam and Heat-Transfer-Fluid Utility Systems
While modern steam systems trace their history to James Watt’s steam engine in 1776, heat-transfer-fluid (HTF) systems are more recent, dating to 1926 with the use of diphenyl oxide as a heat recovery agent in power plants [1]. This one-page…
VOC Control: Solvent Recovery Versus Oxidation
Regenerative thermal oxidizers (RTOs) are commonly used for abatement of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), but in some cases, solvent-recovery systems can realize significant economic and environmental benefits In the field of industrial air-pollution control, the regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) is…
Drum Screen Evolution: Eliminating Trunnion Wheels Reduces Downtime and Cost
Through a trunnion-free drum-screen technology, fine screening applications with high solids loading can achieve their goals while controlling costs and reducing risk For fine screening and small-particle removal in applications like wastewater treatment, few technologies offer as much value as…
Spark ablation technology cuts iridium use by 90% in PEM water electrolysis
Proton-exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis holds significant promise for “green” hydrogen production, but broader adoption hinges on reducing dependence on costly platinum-group metals, such as iridium. A new production method for ultra-thin nanoporous layers developed by VSParticle B.V. (VSP; Delft,…
Business News: August 2026
Plant Watch Air Liquide to supply ultra-high-purity gases to semiconductor fab in Arizona July 16, 2026 — Air Liquide S.A. (Paris, France; www.airliquide.com) announced a new investment of over $160 million to build, own and operate a new large-scale production…
Precise molecular order results in remarkably thin monofilaments
A materials-science breakthrough for the production of ultra-fine monofilaments is now being commercialized by startup firm Z-Polymers (Lowell, Mass.; www.z-polymers.com). The company’s Tullomer-branded monofilaments support exceptionally thin functional fibers with low creep and shrinkage, while exhibiting extremely high mechanical strength…
The Hidden Constraint: How Decarbonization is Reshaping Steam Systems
Steam systems are among the most deeply integrated — yet routinely overlooked — utility systems in the CPI. As decarbonization initiatives take off, steam systems are impacted in ways that can influence project feasibility, operability and economics Steam systems have…
Low-energy carbon capture using food-production byproducts
Direct-air capture (DAC) of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is required to meet climate goals, but highly effective and inexpensive DAC remains elusive. Researchers at ETH Zurich (www.ethz.ch) have developed a novel approach using waste proteins from dairy and tofu…
Falling Films in Vessel CIP Applications
Applying an understanding of flow regimes and turbulence to clean-in-place (CIP) processes can optimize CIP cleaning efficiency, reducing water, solvent, energy and chemical use, while maintaining cGMP cleaning performance For vessels and bioreactors in bioprocessing applications, designing clean-in-place (CIP) cycles…