tce February 2009, issue 812

Contents

Catalyst
2 catalyst
Claudia Flavell-While explains why for chemical engineers, the economic glass is
currently half-full, not half-empty

Business
3 analysis
The credit crunch affects chemicals, pharma and mining; RWE buys Essent in �9.3b
deal; Hexion ends merger agreement with Huntsman

News
3 analysis
The credit crunch affects chemicals, pharma and mining; RWE buys Essent in �9.3b
deal; Hexion ends merger agreement with Huntsman

8 uk
�250m for doctoral research centres; Final Buncefield report published; Wind and
wave turbines benefit from �20m grant

10 asia
China licences melamine production; Malaysia's anti-ageing 'miracle herb';
Emission reduction centre for Shanghai

11 australasia
Government reveals carbon-cutting plans; Independent inquiry for Varanus
explosion; CSIRO receives A$3m for coal research

12 americas
New president's science appointees; ExxonMobil's ceo calls for carbon tax; Johnson
Matthey fined $3m

13 contracts
Nalco to build $250m aluminium smelter in Indonesia; Chinese ethylene plants
postponed; $3b expansion for Hemlock

14 process news
Heavy-metal detecting gel; Cheese shelf-life extended; Preventing contamination
from refuse tips

16 innovations
3D data storage in new material; Self-healing polymer coating; Ice on power lines
problem solved

17 education
Australian maths and science university fees reduced; $1.8m grant for Eurasian
chemeng courses; $100m energy lab for Stanford

Features
18 interview
Max Lu discusses his plans for his year as chairman of IChemE in Australia with
Adam Duckett

20 opinion
Innovation vs regulation - Nigel Hurst and Judith Hackitt slug it out
22 reactor design 1
Barry DiGregorio explains how ingenuity, the right design and a bit of luck got
the Phoenix Wet Chemistry Laboratory to Mars

26 reactor design 2
Viviana Silva and Al�rio Rodrigues explain a way to reduce diesel�s particulate
emissions

28 risk and safety 1

Paul Davies tells tce about the definition of risk

30 risk and safety 2

The changing nature of the COMAH Regulations as seen by Andrew Fowler

33 risk and safety 3

Steve Elliot reports on the health of the UK's process safety leadership and the
road ahead

36 teaching chem eng

Martyn Poliakoff and Brady Haran on Nottingham Uni's periodic table for the
YouTube generation

38 process visualisation
Steven Stanley, Gary Bolton, Les Bolton and Paul Featonby on x-ray vision (well,
nearly) for process engineering

41 teesside supplement
Sean Milmo investigates the reinvention of Teesside�s chemical industry; Adam
Duckett takes a look at Wilton through the ages

Regulars
52 day in the life
Paul Sharratt tells Helen Tunnicliffe about research and life in Singapore

53 member networks
IChemE accreditation for Tianjin University; New nuclear subject group ready for
launch; Industrial academic collaboration encouraged

56 campus
Helen Tunnicliffe breaks down the RAE 2008 results for chemeng

57 people
New Year Honours for IChemE members; Jackson new ceo at ETB, Elmer Gaden receives
NAE award

58 journals
A round-up of the highlights from Catherine Cliffe

59 reactions
Readers' letters

72 residue
How do chemengers do it?; The dangers of tce; How old is the term �chemical
engineer�?
e

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tce March 2009, issue 813

Contents

News
2 catalyst
Engineers will save the world, says Claudia Flavell-While

3 analysis
RSC and IChemE's report on food; Dow cuts dividend; IMechE explains why engineers
are crucial in tackling climate change

8 uk
National Grid eyes �2b CCS pipeline development; Severn tidal energy shortlist;
Isle of Lewis gets world's biggest wave farm

10 asia
China scraps oil for costly power, and petrochemicals get investment boost;
Indonesian palm oil ban lifted

11 australasia
Rio Tinto shareholders revolt over Chinalco; Engineers can help wildfire
survivors; BG Group ups bid for Pure Energy

12 americas
Review of Bush's environment policies; Liquid bomb scanner; US Army lab's un-
listed pathogens

13 contracts
Queensland gets new nickel refinery; Speyside whisky distilleries run on own
waste; Areva secures new nuclear contracts

15 innovations
Microboats inspired by baby beetles; GM without the GM; Cheap LED bulbs a step
closer

16 process news
Improved cellulosic ethanol production; Carbon nanotubes better than platinum;
Swiss diesel filters win prizes

18 education
UK HSE chief sets hands on fire; UCL's new biochemical engineering head;
Australia-China research links get A$2.7m boost

Features
20 legalwatch
Robert Lee and Hazel Nash look at the problem of defining waste

22 opinion
Inadequate process design and safety loops as seen by Clive de Salis

24 waste management 1
Laurie Wiegler reports on the progress of the US in greening its electronics
industry

26 waste management 2
Adam Duckett and Helen Tunnicliffe look at anaerobic digestion for supermarkets
28 waste management 3
David McCallum explains how mineral processors could turn dust into gold

30 waste management 4
Darah Ibrahim and Lee Chee Keong on recycled paper de-inking enzymes

31 gasification 1
The commercial future of gasification at the 9th Gasification Conference in
Dusseldorf

32 gasification 2
Anton Tvelenev sells Adam Duckett a lucrative career in gasification

33 gasification 3
Tobias Korz on the importance of good preparation of coal for gasification

36 sustainability 1
The recession is an opportunity for investment in sustainability, say John Russell
and Malcolm Wilkinson

38 sustainability 2
Sustainable procurement is vital for the oil and gas industry, according to Susan
Rice

40 sustainability 3
Stefano Alba investigates aquifer thermal energy storage

42 sustainability 4
A red jacket but a green heart - Robin Rogers tells Michael Freemantle about his
ionic solvents

44 climate change 1
Chris Turney agrees with James Lovelock that we should start burying charcoal

46 climate change 2
Putting carbon dioxide to good use: Martina Peters, Thomas M�ller, and Walter
Leitner investigate

48 climate change 3
Gordon Weiss on the raging debate about carbon emissions in Australia

50 ACTS
IChemE's Accredited Company Training Scheme and some of the trainees

Regulars
55 day in the life
Low-fat spread, ice cream and taking pictures; petrolhead Ian Norton tells Helen
Tunnicliffe about his varied life

56 member networks
David Brown busts membership myths; Nuclear SG launched

59 campus
Matt Hardin talks about UWA's new chemeng department

60 review
Hazop guide to best practice 2nd edition
61 reactions
Readers' letters

72 residue
How chemengers 'do it'; chemical engineers are clever professionals

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tce April 2009, issue 814

Contents

News
2 catalyst
Claudia Flavell-While explains our water choices

3 analysis
Total responsibility for Buncefield; Quick-charge batteries; Shell picks biofuels;
UN water crisis report

8 uk
Only 10% of contaminated land inspected; Protensive liquidates itself; Seal Sands
demolition

9 australasia
CCS integration cuts cost; First gold mine meets cyanide standards; Algal biofuels
from salt water

10 americas
EPA monitors 90% of emissions; Yucca Mountain scrapped; New diacetyl standard

11 asia
China and US argue over emissions duties; New melamine detector; Glenn
Frederickson heads Tokyo research centre

12 contracts
$3.2b China-Iran gas deal; Iraq agrees first foreign oil jv; Qinzhou refinery
capacity doubled

13 innovations
Nanoporous copolymer with huge surface area; Nano-stitching for aeroplanes;
Satellite oil detection

14 process news
New aluminium anode coating; Methyl ethyl ketone from sugar; Buckyballs prevent
pipe fouling

16 education
Erin Read wonders where science careers information is; Manchester Uni�s chemeng
open day

Features
17 interview
Wan Ramli Wan Daud tells Adam Duckett about his plans as IChemE in Malaysia�s
chairman

18 opinion
Harvey Dearden explains why health and safety is not a straightforward issue

20 water 1
Sean Milmo lays out the options to prevent a global water catastrophe

24 water 2
Nigel Brown on an alternative to activated carbon

27 water 3
Angus Fosten explains the cost reductions of �feed forward� chemical dosing

28 water 4
Sara Perez-Elvira, Maria Fdz-Polanco and Fernando Fdz-Polanco on thermal sludge
treatment

31 water 5
MeiFong Chong and her team on their membranes for palm oil mill effluent

34 water 6
Andrew Livingston and Muriel Nasso look at organic solvent nanofiltration

38 mixing
Kishore Kar and Richard Cope on Dow�s new heel tickler for solid suspension mixing

43 careers supplement
Ram Goyal, Hassan Shehabi and S Kugan look at the need for engineers in the oil
and gas sector; It�s not all doom and gloom for chemeng recruitment, says Adam
Duckett; Sarah Taylor explains how to limit the damage caused by redundancy; Helen
Tunnicliffe profiles chemeng companies in the Sunday Times Best 100 Companies list

Regulars
53 campus
Frank Morton low-down from Newcastle and Singapore; Claudia Flavell-While speaks
with Tianjin University's Gong Ke about chemeng education in China

56 awards
Matt Stalker invites entries for IChemE�s 2009 innovation and excellence awards

58 member networks
The success of whynotchemeng; Formulation Engineering subject group planned;
Desmond King next IChemE president

61 people
Stan Siemon obituary; AAAS honours Kamalesh Sirkar; IChemE in Malaysia members get
water awards

62 journals
A round-up of the highlights from Catherine Cliffe

63 reactions
Your letters

66 review
Risk management for water and wastewater utilities

72 residue
Playing games � a-political or political? Pick your column and give your feedback
==================================================================================
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tce May 2009, issue 815
t

Contents

News
2 catalyst
Claudia Flavell-While examines budget small print

3 analysis
Nuclear sites named; Kazakhstan requests uranium bank; Innovative oven takes
prize; Ocean seeding flounders

7 uk
National Grid eyes Scottish pipes; Ineos bags money for waste plant; NNL operator
named

8 australasia
Speeding up CSG; New CCS institute; Cuts are tip of aluminium iceberg

9 americas
BP�s Alaskan lawsuit; EPA agrees CO2 is harmful; Total ups UTS bid

10 asia
More loans for oil; Rumbled reactor to restart; Sinopec increases oil sand
interest

11 contracts
Al-Zour is off; KBR secures ACG FEED; Areva Dongfang pump order

12 process news
Unzip nanotubes for graphene ribbons; Mechanical force catalyses reaction;
Methanol from CO2

14 innovations
Expanding FDM; Dyeing without dyeing; Viruses make batteries; Phase separation for
vivid feathers

15 education
Scottish chemeng scholarships; Biochar centre launched; Funding algal biofuels

Features
16 interview
Adam Duckett investigates offshore training and helicopter safety

20 legalwatch
Peter Ashford says the consequences of repeating Buncefield just got personal

22 opinion
Nigel Hirst, Adisa Azapagic and Heinz Stichnothe say politicians should think like
Fermi

24 polymers 1
Chris Holland explains why polymer scientists should take inspiration from spiders
and silkworms

28 polymers 2
Gerrard Fisher tells us what�s being done to recover plastics from waste
electronics

30 oil & gas 1

Jeff Crook on taking LNG terminals to the sea

32 oil & gas 2

Grant Johnson waves goodbye to LNG shortages

36 oil & gas 3

Coal seam gas bubbles with promise says Simon Grose

38 petrochemicals
Arthur Rots and the Omega solution

40 mixing
John Smith cuts batch processing costs and reduces throughput times

42 catalysis
Thomas M�ller explains how supported ionic liquids tailor catalysts

Regulars
45 day in the life
In the Navy! Jacqui King tells Helen Tunnicliffe about her explosive life at sea

Features
46 awards 2009
Where does the path from victory lead? Matt Stalker talks to past IChemE award
winners

48 achema 2009
Claudia Flavell-While looks at the upcoming process engineering trade show

Regulars
49 reactions
Your letters

Features
50 WCCE8
Roland Andersson tells us what to expect at Montreal

Regulars
52 campus
Jingkang Wang explains the importance and ongoing evolution of Chinese chemical
engineering courses

53 member networks
Spotlighting the Loss Prevention Bulletin; You and your Regional Forum; Racing
pundit confirmed for IChemE awards

58 people
Caruso named new AAS fellow; Warris heads ISO/TC207; John Mullin obituary

Residue
64 residue
A snapshot of the new STEMNET Ambassadors Leading Lights exhibition

==================================================================================
==========
tce June 2009, issue 816

Contents

News
2 catalyst
Claudia Flavell-While wonders if biotech really has all the answers

3 analysis
Swine flu vaccine headache; Profit for Dow; CTL using UCG in Australia; Bacteria
solidify sand

8 uk
Winners in UK NDA auction; New storage at Dounreay; EA calls for minimum biomass
GHG savings

10 australasia
Australian science research funding; ETS delay; CNOOC signs deal with BG

11 americas
US biofuel plan; Canadian coal needs CCS; Mercury limit for US cement

12 asia
Carbon tax in China?; Cipla�s generic Tamiflu; Asahi Kasei abandons fine chems

13 contracts
BHP�s Olympic dreams; Gorgon gets conditional approval; Sabic and Sipchem join
forces

14 process news
Nasal flu vaccine; Iron not platinum; Organic white LEDs get cheaper

16 innovations
Self-cleaning materials; Self-healing concrete; Self-healing plastic

17 education
Perkins goes to Abu Dhabi; Tianjin gets IChemE certificate; Murdoch�s desalination
grant

Features
18 interview
Richard Darton reflects on his year as IChemE president with Adam Duckett

19 legalwatch
Paul Davis explains why risk aversion is on the rise

22 opinion
Richard Bowen on ethics for chemical engineers in conflict

24 agm 2009
Helen Tunnicliffe reports on this year�s proceedings

26 biotech 1: introduction
A snapshot of the vast biochemical engineering industry from Adam Duckett

28 biotech 1: case studies

Biochemical engineering case studies from Adam Duckett
32 biotech 1: the way ahead
Three industry leaders look at the future of biotech

36 biotech 1: conclusion
Ian Shott tells Adam Duckett how the UK can prosper from industrial biotech

38 biotech 2
The many uses of biomass, according to Wolfgang Skibar

40 biotech 3
Steve Brown tells how chemical engineering is helping to develop an artificial
lung

Regulars
43 day in the life
Grant Lukey tells Helen Tunnicliffe about his path from helicopters to methanol

Features
44 pharmaceuticals
Laurie Wiegler looks at the forces driving drug development

46 solids handling 1
Spider diagrams are useful for powder flow predictions, says Eddie McGee

48 solids handling 2
Henry Pierson�s practical tips for choosing liquid/solid separation equipment

Regulars
51 book review
A look at Sustainable energy: choosing among options

52 member networks
Environment SG�s visit to Drax; Nuclear new build seminar; Members and fellows
volunteering opportunities

54 campus
Helen Tunnicliffe finds out about the Melbourne Model

55 people
David Brown chairs ETB panel; Colin Biggs obituary; John Robinson a Livery senior
warden

56 reactions
Your letters

57 journals
A round-up of the highlights from Catherine Cliffe

64 residue
The top five Achema giveaways

==================================================================================
tce July 2009, issue 817

Contents

News
2 catalyst
Claudia Flavell-While finds engineers and politicians live in separate worlds

3 analysis
UK science scrutiny rescued; Dow sheds more assets; Rio dumps Chinalco

8 uk
CHP can heat 5% now; IChemE first to sign new HSE strategy; Government funds AD

10 asia
Petronas saves and spends; China eyes Iraqi oil; Japanese emission targets offend

11 australasia
Biochar research; Assets sale to save Oz Minerals; Cheap water testing on the go

12 americas
Reappraising FutureGen; Virus shuts drug facility; Ontario halts nuclear new build

13 contracts
NSW takes wind farm record; Sweden sites nuclear repository; Evonik polysilicon
plant

14 process
Flexible, fast and future factory; Smaller nuclear reactor; Water from desert air

16 innovations
Water runs up; It came from the deep; Fogfree glasses; Milking plankton for oil

17 education
Imperial leads novel separation research; Cognis funds sustainability chair

Features
18 interview
Abdallah Jum�ah explains why fossil fuels will continue to dominate the world�s
future energy mix. Adam Duckett reports

19 legalwatch
Robert Lee details the frameworks and finances supporting and suppressing CCS

21 opinion
John Constable believes climate change policies are a comedy of errors

24 nuclear 1
Adam Duckett on nuclear new build

28 nuclear 2
Laurie Wiegler explains why the US nuclear programme is going so slowly

31 nuclear 3
Decommissioning Sellafield with Chris Walton

34 renewable energy
David Cordes and colleagues explore hydrogen storage with MOFs

36 renewable energy 2
John Kerwin explains the effects of biofuel mixtures on processing plant

39 energy efficiency 1
Gordon Weiss reports from Australia�s energy efficiency opportunities programme

42 energy efficiency 2
Joachim von Sch�ele says oxyfuel technology is branching out

44 energy efficiency 3
Compressed air savings with John Forman

46 specification
Claudia Flavell-While rounds up chemeng software

49 process automation
Tariq Hussain and colleagues on mainstream dynamic simulation

53 solids handling
Henry Pierson and Barry Perlmutter bring more practical tips for choosing
liquid/solid separation equipment

Regulars
56 day in the life
Paul Haworth on football, photography, and managing all the Sellafield chemengers.
Helen Tunnicliffe reports

57 people
Reg Mann obituary; Queen and King honour chemeng fellows; Fine choice for IET

58 campus
Helen Tunnicliffe probes UK nuclear skills

60 member networks 1
Design project success, New water chair; Training courses in demand

61 member networks 2
Design project success, New water chair; Training courses in demand

62 book review
A look at Managing project delivery

63 icheme journals
Highlights from Catherine Cliffe

66 reactions
Your letters

72 residue
A poem for you on residue

Supplements
73 Consultants and contractors file 09

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tce September 2009, issue 819

Contents

News
2 catalyst
Claudia Flavell-While wonders whether there�s a new dawn for Wilton

3 analysis 1
CCS problems

4 analysis
Gas cartel fined; BASF axes Ciba jobs; Shell completes refinery auction; BP swaps
its biofuels

8 uk
Energy policy gets mixed response; Wilton upheaval; New pumped storage

10 asia
Refinery relocated; Rio Tinto workers charged; Japanese jv for oxy-blown IGCC

11 americas
Exxon biofuel backtrack; Genzyme held back troubles; Mexican oil smuggled across
US border

12 australasia
Engineers warn of ETS power struggle; Perdaman claims gasification first

13 contracts
Nanjing expansion approved; Uzbek GTL; Linde wins $1b cracker; Samsung gets
refinery contract

14 process news
Mini-mobile-modular desalination; Hydrogel for live bacteria; Einstein wrong

16 innovations
Zeolite for improved membrane; Bacteria-power; First liquid protein; Chip moves to
music

17 education
UK chemeng applications up again; Two new Aussie CRCs; Dropout myth busted

Features
18 interview
John Davidson talks to Adam Duckett about Francis Bacon�s fuel cell and the Apollo
moon landing

20 legalwatch
Protecting patents with Nicholas Jones and Joanna Westwood

22 opinion
Mike Roberts puts the hydrogen economy to the test

24 downturn 1
Matt Stalker reports the findings of IChemE�s member survey on recession

26 downturn 2
John Richards on the long-term skills issues of short-term cash savings

28 downturn 3
Christopher Bryce discusses the downturn�s effect on risk management

30 downturn 4
How to optimise your plant: Harsh Chitale�s four top tips

32 downturn 5
Edna Salas Wolfermann tells Helen Tunnicliffe about the benefits of volunteering
while unemployed

35 food 1
Carbon labelling with Roland Clift, Lauren Basson, and David Cobbledick

38 food 2
Marcus Hertel explains the rectification wort boiling system for brewing

40 housing
Leila Sattary guides us around technologies that could realise a zero-carbon home

44 metals and mining 1

Paul Brooks and Bruce Adderley on reducing emissions in the steel industry

46 metals and mining 2

Aminesh Jha details a new process for making titanium oxide

48 specification
Claudia Flavell-While rounds up chemeng sensors

50 health and safety

Investigating incidents with Mark Fisher, Stuart Greenfield, and Tony Potts

53 chemeca 2009
Simon Grose previews Australasia�s chief chemeng event

Regulars
54 day in the life
Helen Tunnicliffe interviews Daniel Jubb about his addictive love of rockets

56 people
John Bond obituary; Russell Tailby passes; IChemE fellows elected to RAEng

58 campus
Jan Cilliers and Chris Goodes report on the Rio Tinto-Imperial College London
industrial research partnership

59 poll
Matt Stalker rounds up your answers to the question: �Can biofuels meet our future
energy needs?�

60 member networks
Ian Shott invites you to join council; First Victoria forum; IChemE awards well
subscribed

62 book review
Tony Hastings reviews Thermal processing if packaged food: 2nd edition

63 journals
Catherine Cliffe rounds up the highlights from IChemE�s journals

66 reactions
Your letters
72 residue
CTRL+P to kill a tree; Turbines will hurt you; Who�d have guessed it: less sun =
less solar