Chemical Processing - January 2008 - (Page 14) >> IN PROCESS >> Sorbent-enhanced steam reforming H2 + H2O H2 + H2O + adsorbent for CO2 Gas-solid separator Used adsorbent Interface The next step is to make at membranes, says Kumar, who adds that within a year or two such membranes, likely around 5 in. by 5 in., should be produced for trials with both forward and reverse osmosis. If all goes well, commercial membranes might be available in less than 10 years, he hopes. They will cost more than conventional membranes but will be much less energy intensive to operate, he says. Catalyst Regenerated adsorbent Column R: reactor/adsorber Biodiesel catalyst nears piloting A $752,000 grant to pilot the newly commercialized Amberlite BD20 polymeric catalyst for biodiesel production from low quality feedstock was recently awarded to Rohm and Hass Co., Philadelphia by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection The pilot scale facility will be mobile and will be made available to biodiesel production facilities in the state. “The process economics and biodiesel quality are far more favorable with this catalyst technology than other standard solid catalysts,” says Kim Ann Mink, vice president and general manager, ion exchange resins, for Rohm and Haas. The catalyst allows the use of lower cost feedstocks such as animal fats, crude vegetable oils and soap stock, notes Rajiv Banavali, the rm’s process chemicals research manager. “The majority of biodiesel production costs are in feedstocks… Producers need exibility in feedstocks, plus an economical process that is applicable for all oil streams with a high conversion rate so the biodiesel yield and purity at the end is high,” he explains. CP Column A: desorber Adsorbent H2O + Glycerol H2O + Glycerol + adsorbent Figure 1. Process consists of a reactor/absorber (R) and two desorbers (A) — for simplicity only one is shown. Source: University of Leeds. dlesbrough, U.K., is supplying crude glycerol from its plant, and Johnson Matthey is providing steam reforming expertise as well as catalyst. However, neither firm will have exclusive rights to technology developed. Kidney-like membrane boosts desalination A polymer membrane that mimics how biological membranes work promises to provide at least 10 times greater uxes than reverse osmosis membranes now used for water desalination, claim researchers at the University of Illinois, Champaign, Ill. The key is the incorporation of the water-channel protein Aquaporin Z into the polymer. “We took a close look at how kidneys so ef ciently transport water through a membrane with aquaporins and then we found a way to duplicate that in a synthetic system,” notes Manish Kumar, a graduate research assistant at the school. The polymer gives chemical and mechanical stability while the aquaporin provides high selectivity and high permeability for water, he explains. The researchers use a triblock copolymer, with a hydrophilic top and bottom and a thicker hydrophobic middle, that slowly self assembles in an aqueous solution to form hollow spheres called vesicles. While the vesicles are developing, the Aquaporin Z, solubilized in detergent, is added; the protein is attracted to the hydrophobic middle, inserting itself and thus forming a channel for water transport. 14 • January 2008 Do you own a slide rule? If so, how often do you use it? 50 40 Responses (%) 30 20 10 0 Often Sometimes Rarely Never About 85% of respondents still have a slide rule, but few regularly use one. To participate in this month’s poll, go to ChemicalProcessing.com. www.chemicalprocessing.com http://ChemicalProcessing.com http://www.chemicalprocessing.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.