Australia’s vanadium project breaks new ground

Australian Vanadium (AVL) has been successful in producing its first batch of vanadium electrolyte from its commissioned pilot plant at the University of Western Australia.This is another milestone for AVL’s energy storage plan as the product has the potential to be used in vanadium redox flow batteries (VRBs). What are VRBs? They are energy storage devices that have been designed to store energy generatedfrom renewable sources.

However, the company does not plan on stopping there. The proposal for a larger plant will be studied to assess its feasibility. The company plans to deliver vanadium products like batteries to end users, while also supplying and processing raw materials from the Gabanintha vanadium project in Western Australia.

The journey

The company has been using the pilot plant to test and verify the manufacture of vanadium electrolyte products that are deemed suitable for third party VRB. The company plans to supply vanadium electrolyte to VRBs that are being sold in Australia, New Zealand, and other Pacific and Asian countries.

However, ASL has also been approached by European battery manufacturers who seek electrolyte supplies for the long term. A number of additional vanadium electrolyte batches will be analysed and produced over time. Before that step, the company intends to gather information from the testing, which includes reviews by vanadium battery manufacturers and researchers.

By successfully installing the pilot plant, the company has taken a leap in the right direction as far as its strategy is concerned to become a player in the vanadium market. The development of a commercial plant in Australia is in sync with the company’s strategy to involve investors in the energy storage value chain, while also providing cash flow opportunities.

Pilot Plant to Drive Ox-Combustion Carbon Capture

In a bid to push forward the commercialisation of a first-of-its-kind carbon capture technology, a thermal facility will test a way to capture CO2 emissions from coal-fired power plants. It will soon start operations in Ottawa, Canada.

The project is being jointly undertaken by the US Department of Energy and Natural Resources Canada. Both countries will come together to test oxy-fired pressurised fluidized bed combustion (oxy-PFBC). Officials from both countries believe the new process will be able to capture CO2 economically and efficiently, as opposed to other technologies. If the pilot plant results are successful, it will help boost the oxy-PFBC process to commercial use.

What is Oxy-PFBC?

It is based on the oxy-fuel combustion process, which makes use of pure oxygen as opposed to air in the mission to burn fuel and manufacture heat. [Read more.....]

Pharmaceutical Packaging with a Twist

A number of renowned pharmaceutical customers are opting for innovative primary packaging products to meet their global requirements. In fact, a number of companies are offering pharma glass and plastic packaging products that are registered with the FDA. These innovative packaging products have been manufactured according to stringent quality parameters to ensure longevity and client satisfaction.

Plastic and glass rank among the best, and primary packaging material choices for liquid and solid dosage pharmaceuticals. Therefore, it becomes necessary for companies to produce pharma glass and plastic packaging that meets requirements.  

In addition to ensuring durability, most of the packaging comes in interesting shapes and sizes. Therefore, these companies are also about providing visual appeal, in addition to functionality. [Read more...]

The Corrosion-Resistant Resin Market Looks to do Brisk Business

There are a number of industries globally that incur heavy losses that can be attributed to corrosion annually. How is corrosion harmful? It can become an impediment and pose as a hazard to people and property. In a bid to prevent such damage, corrosion resistant resins come into use. They help minimise these damages that affect equipment, structures, and machinery. These can be identified as the main drivers for the corrosion resistant resins market.

Going solely by the type, the epoxy segment is touted to lead the CRR market during the forecast period. Why is epoxy touted to do so well? It has cost-efficient and has superior physical properties. In fact, it is preferred over other variants of corrosion resistant resins.

Corrosion Resistance

This apart, the composites application segment is touted to grow at the highest CAGR during the period under forecast.  Going by the application, the composites segment may grow at the highest CAGR between the period from 2016 and 2026. Considering more businesses are adopting lightweight materials, these composites are now being used more often instead of traditional metals, mainly because they are cost-effective and do not require much maintenance. Most manufacturing companies’ R&D departments are in the process of conducting researches to open up and expand the application area of Corrosion Resistant resins. Once this kicks into high gear, it will in all probability drive the market during the forecast period. All one can do now is wait and watch to see how it goes.

Ontario Pledges $4.5 Million For Bio-Refinery Pilot Plant

In August, the Ontario government made its intentions clear about investing $4.5 million into a bio-refinery pilot plant with the aim to produce eco-friendly products in the area of Thunder Bay.

Pilot Plant

The financial aid will allow FP Innovations to set up a pilot plant, which will aid in producing green chemicals from wood to be used in the construction and mining industries, thereby replacing petroleum-based chemicals. Government officials believe that this financial investment will give Ontario's forestry sector the boost it needs to create jobs for the residents of Thunder Bay.

When the project hits the ground running, it will help Ontario’s pulp and paper industry to become more sustainable and profitable. How can they achieve it? By making the big shift from newsprint to the use of other products, said Pedram Fatehi, the industrial research chair in green chemicals and processes at Lakehead University.

Fatehi was quick to point out that the paper industry has been struggling because newsprint was their major product. He added that the consumption of newsprint is very low at the moment. Therefore, they want to do their best to convert the current process into something that will be more profitable and sustainable. If this plan comes into fruition, it will definitely be a win-win for everyone involved.

The proposed pilot plant will be set up at Thunder Bay plant of Resolute Forest Products, which has also pledged an addition amount of $3.5 million for the project.According to media reports, the new plant will help with mass production and the commercialization of green bio-chemicals that have been derived from wood

The Industrial Agitators Market is expected to Skyrocket by 2024

If one thought the industrial agitators market was doing well at the moment, there’s more good news in store. According to a report by Grand View Research, Inc, the –mark global industrial agitators market may well touch the USD 3.46 billion by 2024.

The industrial agitators market will likely witness a significant growth because of rapid industrialization in growing economies like India, Brazil, and China. What is the primary factor driving this growth story? The increased industrial activities in these countries are boosting the demand for agitators that are highly-efficient.
Agitators are most commonly, and efficiently, used in the chemical, food and beverage, and wastewater treatment applications. Therefore, the move to embrace mixing and blending technology in process industries is expected to drive the market over the period.

What are industrial agitators? They are the machines that help process the products in industries for the job of mixing liquids, promoting the reaction of chemical substances and increasing heat transfer. The demand for advanced and customised devices which are specific to the end-user application will help drive market growth. Wastewater and chemical treatment industries have a huge complex agitation demand. This has helped spike the demand for these devices.

industrial agitators

The report also suggested the following:
The top entry segment is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 6.5% from 2016 to 2024.These industrial agitators are highly durable. This apart, increasing adoption in the oil & gas and chemical industry will help boost the overall industry growth. Asia Pacific is projected to be the fastest-growing region because of the growth in the industrial sector. Favourable government policies will also help boost regional demand.

Decoding the Nutsche Filtration and Drying Procedure

Drying and filtration are widely regarded as crucial operations in a number of industrial processes that require separating liquid from solid matter.  It should be noted that solids can easily be discharged directly into a dryer. However, in the case of an agitated nutsche filter/dryer, the function of drying is carried out by the same equipment.

Nutsche filtration can be termed as a batch filtration technique that makes use of vacuum or pressure in a closed vessel. What are some of the benefits associated with using this technology? They include product isolation, reduced product handling, minimal operator exposure, in addition to environmental protection against solvent vaporization. This apart, the containment level supplied may even comply with GMP as well as other safety and health requirements that companies face the heat for.  It is for these reasons that the nutsche filter/dryers are more popularly used in pharmaceutical, dye and paint production, waste water treatment and fine chemical applications.

The basic steps that constitute the drying and filtration process in nutsche dryers/filters include:
Filling or Charging is the first step. It involves transferring the product to be filtered from the primary location to the filter/dryer.

Nutsche filtration | nutsche dryers/filters

The filtering step involves using pressure and/or vacuum to force liquid through the filter media and solid bed.
The displacement washing process involves the spraying of fresh wash liquid on top of the solid cake. One should take care not to disturb the surface. The liquid is usually pushed through with pressure or vacuum.
Reslurry washing is usually performed if dissolving of impurities or additional extraction is necessary.
The smoothing process usually follows the filtration or wash process, most notably after the final wash. The agitator comes in handy to close cracks and compress the cake to ensure minimal residual moisture.
The drying or cooling process is done to ensure the solid is evacuated into a second dryer in order to complete the drying, as well as the cooling process.  In agitated nutsche filter/dryers, both functions are combined. In fact, drying may even take place in the same vessel.  In order to make this a success, the vessel surfaces are heated.  The types of drying that can be conducted include vacuum drying and convection drying.
The discharging process is the final process. This is carried out through the valve/port which is placed on the vessel sidewall.