With a total investment of 4.2 billion US dollars, the Nanhai petrochemicals complex at Daya Bay in Huizhou, China, has attracted a lot of attention because of its sheer scale. But to automation experts the complex is equally interesting because of the sophistication of its process control and monitoring systems.

Flowserve supplies newly developed, custom-engineered, reactor recycle pumps for DuPont's new IsoTherming–process. The Flowserve pumps are designed to operate at the high pressures and temperatures required in the process, while maximizing availability and providing high mean time between repair (MTBR), the company says.

Optimized route control helps to implement even very complex and extensive
material transport tasks quickly, flexibly and economically, as shown here using
the example of a lime manufacturing plant. At the same time it improves plant
efficiency and product quality, and reduces the operators’ workload, enabling
them to concentrate on more productive tasks.

Japanese Companies Toray Industries and Mitsui Sugar are going to establish in Thailand a joint venture for seeking business opportunities for manufacturing system of cellulosic sugar, a raw material used for producing various biochemical products, from the surplus bagasse generated at sugar mills.

Innovative hybrid sensor drive combines two technologies to deliver superior application performance.

Pharmaceutical manufacturing requires strict monitoring and control; product leakage or contamination can cost the manufacturer dearly, and stringent measures are in place to keep these occurrences to a minimum. An important element of process control — not just in the manufacture of pharmaceuticals but in chemical processing generally — is overpressure relief.

General Monitor's Multi-Spectrum Infrared (MSIR) FL4000H flame detector has been certified by the Building Research Establishment Global Group to the EN 54-10 standard of the European Construction Products Directive, a standard recognized worldwide to represent the highest quality levels for flame detection devices.

Exxon Mobil announced its development of cMist technology, which dehydrates natural gas using a patented absorption system inside pipes and replaces the need for conventional dehydration tower technology.

Global operations management consultancy Dupont Sustainable Solutions has announced the creation of a new suite of methodologies aimed at helping companies to bolster their operational risk management systems. These solutions help companies to address technical skill shortages – an unintended consequence of demographic change – by building capabilities related to proper handling of hazardous materials.

Evonik plans to expand its production capacities for transparent polyamides of the Trogamid CX brand at the Marl Chemical Park. The company announced that the reason for this was the growing global demand for high-performance polymers.