industry update
TotalEnergies and VNG join forces on green hydrogen
TotalEnergies and VNG have signed an agreement to initiate the future supply of green hydrogen to the Leuna refinery operated by TotalEnergies . Under the agreement , green hydrogen will be produced from renewable electricity with a 30 MW electrolyser in Bad Lauchstädt , built and operated by VNG with its partner Uniper .
This agreement contributes to the decarbonization of the Leuna refinery and will reduce the site ’ s annual CO2 emissions by up to 80,000 tons by 2030 . Furthermore , the pipeline connection to the Bad Lauchstädt Energy Park1 will give the Leuna refinery access to the future European hydrogen infrastructure and the international markets for green hydrogen .
ICM to perform plant upgrade
In a recently signed contract with KAAPA Partners Aurora , LLC , ICM has agreed to be the engineering , procurement , and construction contractor for a portion of an ethanol plant upgrade in Aurora , Nebraska . The plant , owned by KAAPA Partners Aurora , L . L . C ., will be retrofitted with ICM ’ s P10 Process Optimization™ , which is designed to reduce fouling and increase efficiencies in corn ethanol plants that use highpressure distillation systems . This agreement will also include a Beer Degassing and Digital Control System upgrades . In addition to delivering the evaporative capacity required to produce 200-proof ethanol , the upgrade reduces energy consumption by integrating heat from ethanol vapors into the production process . The recovered heat decreases the energy load on cooling towers , allowing them to chill the fermentation process faster and more efficiently . According to Mitchell , ethanol producers can also expect to reduce syrup production by as much as 35 %. When less syrup passes through the dyers , he explained , the dryers use less natural gas which contributes to lower carbon intensity scores . This will be the second time that the two companies have collaborated on a project . ICM previously retrofitted KAAPA ’ s ethanol plant in Ravenna , Nebraska . ICM ’ s P10 Process Optimization™ upgrade has been installed in several other plants . Three of those installations won the 2021 Ethanol Producer Magazine ’ s Project of the Year . ICM has already completed two preliminary front-end loading engineering studies at KAAPA ’ s Aurora facility and plans to mobilize for construction in June . The project is expected to be completed in time for harvest .
Simulation project gauges aging of PA parts
To unlock the full potential of automobile part optimization , it is crucial to simulate the effects of aging on reinforced polyamide ( PA ), according to materials supplier Domo Chemicals . Among the various factors contributing to time-related degradation of part performance , one of the most critical is contact with mixtures of water and ethylene glycol . This aspect is just as important for materials suppliers as it is for the companies designing the parts and the carmakers using them . When calculating the final mechanical properties of a part made of glass-fiber-reinforced polyamide resin , integrative simulation offers the advantage of also taking the conversion process into account . This opens new possibilities for parts optimization . The project ’ s goal is to achieve a significant weight reduction of around 20 % for the targeted parts . Domo ’ s Thermofip initiative has been focusing on simulating the influence of coolants on the progressive embrittlement of materials to find new ways of making even lighter parts . The results , set to be unveiled by the end of this year , will reportedly be a game changer for carmakers by establishing : The assessment of polymer degradation levels in end-of-life parts ; a prototype simulation chain capable of computing local degradation in parts exposed to coolant ; models enabling the prediction of material degradation levels caused by aging and heat , which can then be used to predict the mechanical performance of coolant-exposed polymers ; a database on aged parts allowing validation of the numerical developments and models obtained at specimen level ; a platform for the industrialization of a simulation chain capable of computing the progressive impact of aging on the mechanical performance of parts . www . valve-world . net Valve World August 2023
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