The SAGE UMT (photo) is a wireless, hand-held steam-trap-testing solution that enables accurate, on-the-go testing of steam-trap performance. SAGE UMT leverages radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology to quickly locate and identify steam traps. Its piezoelectric acoustic and non-contact infrared (IR) temperature…
Reducing the total cost of ownership is paramount for manufacturers of dairy, food and beverage products. Using the new Aseptic Mixproof Valve (photo) instead of alternatives can deliver a total cost saving of up to 45% for manufacturers using aseptic…
The ideal gas law ( PV = nRT), relating molar volume of a gas to pressure and temperature, is predicated on two assumptions: 1) that the volume occupied by the gas molecules is negligible compared to the volume of the…
This column is based on “HDPE Production via Slurry Loop Process – Cost Analysis,” published by Intratec. The report can be found at the following URL: www.intratec.us/analysis/hdpe-production-cost. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the three main types of polyethylene, and…
Surprising observations regarding flooding in the upper fractionation trays of an atmospheric crude-petroleum distillation column are investigated In industial distillation processes, flooding is an abnormal, but relatively common, process condition in which liquid accumulates in the column. The accumulation may…
New technologies can provide competitive advantages compared to established processes, but significant effort is required to transition a promising concept into a commercial reality Many students study chemical engineering with the aspiration of someday inventing an innovative process that could…
JGC Corp. (Yokohama, Japan; www.jgc.com) has been awarded the contract for the construction of chemical plants that will be the foundation of a high-performance synthetic-resin manufacturing and sales undertaking in Thailand involving Kuraray Co., Ltd., PTT Global Chemical Public Co.…
MilliporeSigma (Billerica, Mass.; www.emdmillipore.com) announced it has extended and expanded its collaboration with Kuraray Europe GmbH (www.kuraray.eu) to exclusively supply pharmaceutical polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) grades and improvements to benefit the pharmaceutical market. PVA polymers are used as matrix/drug delivery compounds to…
BASF SE (Ludwigshafen, Germany; www.basf.com) intends to expand the production capacity for methane sulfonic acid (MSA) at its Ludwigshafen site by around 65% and increase the global capacity to 50,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr). With the investment, the company…
INEOS Styrolution (Frankfurt, Germany; www.ineos-styrolution.com) has announced the final investment decision to construct a new ASA (acrylonitrile styrene acrylate) plant at its site in Bayport, Texas. The new plant’s capacity is planned to be 100,000 metric tons per year (m.t./yr).…