Latest News
On-demand ammonia production from atmospheric air
Nearly all ammonia is produced using methane via the Haber-Bosch process, which requires high-temperature and high-pressure operation. A new portable prototype device developed by researchers from Stanford University (Stanford, Calif.; www.stanford.edu) and King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (Dhahran,…
New screw conveyor offers flexibility and easy maintenance
The Helix flexible screw conveyor (photo) features a helicoid screw that rotates within a fixed tube to transport materials efficiently from one point to another. It supports horizontal conveying up to 80 ft and vertical discharge heights of up to…
Deepwater RO could cut energy use and environmental impact of seawater desalination
Desalination of seawater with reverse osmosis (RO) membranes is a key technology for addressing water scarcity issues around the globe, but seawater desalination is energy-intensive and the brine discharge can create coastal environmental problems. The company Flocean AS (Oslo, Norway;…
Pilot project planned for thermocatalytic ethanol-to-butene process
In December 2024, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL; Richland, Wash.; www.pnnl.gov) announced a three-year collaborative project with vehicle-tire manufacturer Bridgestone (Tokyo, Japan; www.bridgestone.com) to scale up a thermocatalytic process for converting renewably derived ethanol to n-butene. Conventionally, n-butene is…
Proton-Exchange Membranes: Design Strategies for Water Electrolysis
Designing a proton-exchange membrane that will balance the efficiency, durability and safety requirements for hydrogen production requires careful consideration of materials and chemistry Among the ongoing efforts to curb climate change, researchers are actively pursuing the further development of water…
Make the Most of Alarms
As processes have become more complex and dynamic, alarm management software has evolved, and now provides deep intelligence to keep plant personnel safer, more aware and more efficient There can be little doubt that effective alarms are one of the…
Fire and Explosion Safety: Going Beyond Traditional Protection
A sophisticated approach to fire and explosion safety requires one that expands conventional protection strategies to comprehensively consider storage, containment and tool compatibility Industrial fires and explosions are a serious risk to chemical processing facilities worldwide, threatening significant harm to…
Quality Control: The Simple but Crucial Details for Safer Manufacturing
Quality control processes can have a reputation for being redundant or tedious, but they play a fundamental role in producing consistent and effective products. When it comes to the manufacturing of products for the medical and life-sciences sectors, these processes…
VoltH2 to supply Evonik with green H2 for hydrogen peroxide production
Evonik Industries AG (Essen, Germany) has signed a term sheet with Dutch company VoltH2 to advance green hydrogen production at the Delfzijl chemical park. According to the agreement, VoltH2 will construct a 50-MW electrolyzer near Evonik's hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) plant.…
PEM partnerships advance Heraeus Precious Metals’ electrolyzer efforts
Heraeus Precious Metals has recently entered two partnerships aimed at advancing green hydrogen production via proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysis. Mattiq In collaboration with Mattiq (Skokie, Ill.), Heraeus Precious Metals is working to develop and commercialize advanced electrocatalyst materials for green…