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A new milestone for durable fuel-cell membranes

For the first time, a hydrocarbon-based membrane has passed the performance and durability testing standards set by the U.S. Dept. of Energy (DOE; Washington, D.C.; www.energy.gov) for heavy-duty fuel-cell applications. Typically, membranes in fuel cells are made of perfluorinated materials…

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Using a ‘green’ oxidizer to degrade Kraft lignin into vanillin

The demand for vanillin vastly outstrips the natural resources of this flavoring agent. A chemical process is thus used to produce the required large quantities of vanillin from petroleum, which is far less expensive than obtaining the substance from fermented…

A new six-channel transmitter with easy setup and configuration

With the new 9950-10/11 transmitter (photo), this company has added a six-channel option to its 9950 product family. Additional features, such as derived functions and Boolean logic, provide expanded control options that may reduce the need for programmable logic controllers…

Pipes, Tubes and Fittings

Safe and reliable transport for aggressive chemicals This company has expanded upon its proven line of SYGEF fluoropolymer piping solutions with ECTFE (ethylenechlorotrifluoroethylene), a copolymer of ethylene and chlorotrifluoroethylene, for extreme chemical applications. When materials such as polypropylene (PP), polyethylene…

These ball valves minimize leakage and emissions

Worcester 51/52 Series reduced-port flanged ball valves (photo) have been reengineered for global availability by standardizing the valves’ design, materials, construction and product certifications. The bubble-tight shutoff design and robust, live-loading packings in these valves minimize fugitive emissions, enhance safety…

Electrification of Industrial Facilities

Manufacturing complexes may benefit from using more electricity instead of steam and fuel gas for their energy needs. Improved energy efficiency, lower emissions, higher reliability and debottlenecking of utility systems may be achieved Electrification is a popular buzzword when energy…

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Chem Chronicles: The first patent holder in the U.S. was a ‘Pott Ash Maker’

Robert Fulton, Eli Whitney, Thomas Edison, Henry Ford — these are some of the larger-than-life figures who spring to mind when reflecting on the history of innovation and invention in the U.S. But the first person in American history to…

Incremental Electrification Drives Sustainability

For decarbonization of chemical processing sites, electrification opens a new world of efficiencies and cost benefits The industrial sector is responsible for one-third of the world’s end-use energy consumption, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA; Washington,…

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Pneumatic Conveying Basics

Pneumatic conveying is a versatile method for transporting powders and other solid materials within chemical process plants. Success depends on understanding science and applying specific experience Undergraduate engineering programs include little instruction about powder handling. While there may be some…

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Converting waste polyolefins to isoalkanes

Chemical recycling of waste polyolefins is difficult to achieve economically partly because of the stability of carbon-carbon bonds in the plastics. In a new approach, researchers at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL; Richland, Wash.; www.pnnl.gov) and the Technical University of…