Cartridge trays, defined below, can be the perfect hardware solution for distillation columns that are less than 3 feet (0.9m) in diameter and have a unique need for trays. Packing is usually the preferred choice for small-diameter columns, but there…
The presence of TCA (2,4,6-trichloroanisole) in cork can lead to undesirable tastes or smells in wine; this so-called cork taint affects about 3–6% of bottled wine. Although techniques (such as boiling in water or striping with superheated steam) have been…
Another process that removes up to 90% of the TCA from cork (see item above) was recently launched by Cork Supply USA (Benica, Calif.; edlinks.chemengonline.com/5828-534). The Cork Supply Group in Portugal has been testing the process for over three years…
Researchers at the Dept. of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin (edlinks.chemengonline.com/5827-547) have developed a rubbery membrane that can be used purify hydrogen. The membrane, based on ethylene oxide polymers, is 40 times more permeable to CO2 than H2,…
A gas-liquid nozzle that reduces the size of the gas bubbles blown into a liquid — thus increasing the rate at which the gas is absorbed into the liquid — has been developed by a research team led by Jie…
Cyclones are among the simplest and most easily fabricated pieces of processing equipment. They are used extensively in the chemical process industries (CPI) for gas-solids separation. In petroleum refineries, for example, cyclones are used in the reactors and regenerators of…