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Powerful permanent magnets — without the rare-earth elements
Permanent magnets — materials that create their own persistent magnetic field — are frequently used in most types of electronics, turbines, engines and motors. Currently, nearly all powerful permanent magnets require rare-earth elements (REEs), such as neodymium or samarium. A…
Entrainment Flooding and Weeping Velocities
Weeping and flooding phenomena set the vapor velocity in industrial distillation columns. Presented here are procedures for calculating flooding and weeping velocities in a four-pass sieve-tray column In industrial distillation, the term “weeping” is primarily used when the liquid in…
CPI Outlook for 2025
The industrial sector consumes more than 80% of basic and specialty chemicals. Worldwide, industrial activity saw a modest recovery in 2024. Global industrial production is expected to have increased by 1.3% by the end of 2024, with predictions of about…
Business News [January 2025]
Plant Watch Chevron upgrades Pasadena refinery to increase capacity and flexibility December 11, 2024 — Chevron Corp. (Houston; www.chevron.com) has completed a retrofit of its petroleum refinery in Pasadena, Texas, which is expected to increase product flexibility and expand the…
Single-atom catalysis reduces water-splitting costs
One of the main limiting factors in the production of “green” hydrogen via electrochemical water splitting is the relatively slow rate of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and the use of very expensive noble metals like iridium to catalyze the…
Electrically powered heat pumps and vacuum pumps simplify CO2-capture retrofits
Meeting climate-change goals requires steep reductions in greenhouse-gas emissions from existing power plants and hard-to-abate industry operations. However, the energy required to release captured CO2 from sorbent material is a challenge for the economic viability of these efforts. Also, retrofitting…
Safeguarding the Hydrogen Economy: A Focus on Leak Detection and Mitigation
The use of fixed gas detectors can play a crucial role in mitigating the environmental impact of hydrogen leakage and help protect workers in the hydrogen value chain Governments, industry sectors and companies seeking sustainable energy sources to reduce greenhouse…
Troubleshooting a Trayed Distillation Column
Presented here is the progress and resolution of a troubleshooting case involving a distillation column with a capacity reduction problem Troubleshooting distillation columns during operation is often the key to stable production at industrial facilities. The collection of troubleshooting references…
Improve Ethylene Production Margins with Digitalization
Digitalization can help ethylene producers to flexibly respond to economic uncertainties and assess available options based on their existing infrastructure and priorities Post-pandemic, olefin and polyolefin producers have been faced with regional and global economic headwinds. Inflation, energy security, rising…
Enhancing Communication in Engineering Teams
Clear communication among team members is important for a successful engineering project. Tips for avoiding pitfalls are outlined here In the fast-paced world of engineering, mastering communication and conflict resolution is essential for team success and project efficiency. Engineering teams…