Harnessing Biotechnology: A Practical Guide
Biotechnology is increasingly proving its ability to address chemical industry challenges. An engineering-focused approach —…
Cover Story
Synthetic Biology for Chemical Production
Rapidly expanding computational power and decreasing costs for DNA sequencing and synthesis have made synthetic…
Commentary
Interfacing biology and engineering
When I was studying for my degrees in chemical engineering, I had the option to…
In The News
Newsfronts
New Possibilities in Upstream Milk Processing
While thermal treatment remains king, new alternatives for processing milk are promising a number of…
Advances in Process Gas Analyzers
Advances in technology boost productivity and make today’s analyzers user-friendly Between process-control optimization initiatives and…
Chementator
Chementator Briefs
Fe-free HTS catalyst Last month at the Nitrogen + Syngas 2016 conference (Berlin, Germany; February…
A new process to make olefins from syngas
Light olefins, such as ethylene and propylene, are primarily made by the catalytic cracking of…
First commercial-scale gas fermenter in U.S. to break ground
The first commercial-scale, natural-gas-fermentation facility in the U.S. will break ground by the end of…
Making H2 and graphite from methane
Sydney University’s Laboratory for Sustainable Technology (Sydney, Australia; www.sydney.edu.au) and the technology-commercialization-firm Hazer Group (Perth,…
Partnership scales up the first ethylene-based metathesis process
A multi-company partnership has achieved the largest-ever use of molybdenum/tungsten (Schrock-type) catalysts for a metathesis…
Optimized version of polymer additive raises PP clarity
Milliken & Co. (Spartanburg, S.C.; www. millikenchemical.com) has optimized its core clarifying technology for polypropylene…
A new catalyst may reduce costs of catalytic converters
Conventional catalytic converters in automobiles are based on heterogeneous catalyst systems with precious metals (such…
Recovering rhenium photochemically
Professor Hisao Hori and his research group at Kanagawa University (Hiratsuka City, Japan; www.kanagawa-u.ac.jp) have…
Metal-organic-framework adsorbent promise to cut costs for capturing and storing flare gas
A process for the separation and recovery of stranded and associated natural gas is being…
Bio-based heat-transfer fluid for solar-thermal applications
A recently introduced heat-transfer fluid is made from corn sugar, rather than from petroleum. Known…
A technique for making superhydrophobic metals
A scalable technology for allowing the cost-effective manufacture of superhydrophobic metallic coatings has been demonstrated…
Engineering bacteria to tolerate higher temperatures
Vigorous microbial growth in bioreactors raises cell density, which is a source of heat stress…
Business News
Business News
Plant Watch NET Power breaks ground on clean-power demonstration plant March 10, 2016 — NET Power, LLC…
Technical & Practical
Feature Report
Characterize Bulk Solids to Ensure Smooth Flow
To minimize problems associated with handling all types of bulk solids, engineers must adopt a…
Facts at Your Fingertips
Organic Chemical Functional Groups
Chemical functional groups are critical determinants of the properties and reactivity of compounds. The following…
Technology Profile
Methanol Production from Natural Gas
This column is based on “Economics of Methanol Production from Natural Gas,” a report published…
Engineering Practice
Supply Chain Challenges and Solutions
Transportation is vital to the CPI, so here are some tips to keep your products…
Environmental Manager
Biological Wastewater Treatment: Maintaining the Needed Microorganism Population
Activated sludge processes are inherently complex. Proper system design, operation and maintenance are essential to…
Equipment & Services
Focus
Focus on Industrial Hygiene
This hood captures unwanted fumes from work spaces The Purair Advanced P20 Ductless Fume Hood…
New Products
Use these metering pumps at pressures up to 12,000 psi
VP-Series metering pumps (photo) are designed for applications requiring continuous, pulse-free fluid flow at pressures…
This ribbon blender meets sanitary standards
The HD-3.5-7-S316 ribbon blender (photo) is constructed of 316 stainless steel to meet sanitary standards,…
This flowmeter automatically synchronizes calibration data
The FCB400 (photo) is the latest expansion in the CoriolisMaster product range of mass flowmeters.…
This walk-in oven is designed to process flammable solvents
The No. 1003 gas-fired walk-in oven (photo) is intended for drying molded fiber parts. The…
Dust-collecting filters that are flame retardant and conductive
The new HemiPleat FR Carbon dust-collector filter (photo) combines flame-retardant and conductive properties in a…
A small-footprint grinder for wet or dry operation
The 1-SHRED-H (photo) is an industrial grinder intended for small-facility use in recycling, food-processing and…
This back-pressure regulator is available in five different sizes
Applications for the new Model BR back-pressure regulator (photo) include overpressure regulation of cryogenic liquids,…
This weight processor boasts fast PLC communications
The HI 6500-XP Extreme Weight Processor (photo) is an EtherNet/IP-enabled weight processor that can process…
A two-layer rupture disc with a long service life
KUB reverse-acting buckling-pin rupture discs (photo) are well suited for use with pressure equipment, such…
Modular, electronic pressure compensation for feeders
This company has introduced a new Electronic Pressure Compensation (EPC) system for high-accuracy loss-in-weight feeders.…
A leak-detection solution for helium and hydrogen
The ASI 35 modular leak-detection system is especially suited for use with tracer gases, such…
A vacuum-pump system for tabletop or mobile use
Turbolab high-vacuum pump systems (photo) are compact and pre-assembled, and are available with different configurations…
New graphics engine introduced with this software’s recent release
In March, this company released Version 7.0 of its ChemCad process-simulation software. Featuring a new…
These induction motors feature many frame and cooling options
The new TM21-G family of induction motors is designed for driving pumps, compressors, fans,…
Show Previews
Show Preview-Powtech 2016
About 900 exhibitors will present the latest technologies for processing, analyzing and handling powder and…
Show Preview-BulkSolids
Over 3,300 industry professionals will attend the International Powder & Bulk Solids Conference and Exhibition,…
Show Preview-Achemasia
AchemAsia 2016 — the 10th International Exhibition and Conference on Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology —…