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.

NRG Energy and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration Corporation (JX Nippon) have completed construction, on-budget and on-schedule, of Petra Nova, the world’s largest post-combustion carbon capture system.

Will tomorrow's machine fitter be an IT expert?–In the near future, members of the maintenance team will be expected to be as proficient in handling data and smart phones as they are with wrenches and welding torches. But what needs to be done to turn the vision of Maintenance 4.0 into a viable concept? PROCESS took a closer look at the next industrial revolution.

Ever since the 1920s, Phoenix Contact has been driven by one thing: the pursuit of “better.” Already in its early years, the company demonstrated with its first series terminal block, the so-called RWE terminal block, that it works closely with its customers on all new developments. Then and today, it has always been about connectivity: from the field, through mapping and on to connectivity to the process control level. And time and time again, Phoenix Contact products have spearheaded new technology trends.

On 1 October, Siemens started for the first time with their own division for the process industry–Germany's biggest industrial group has restructured. "Yet again?", critics asked. But this time the group came up with concrete action in keeping with their Vision 2020 and formed their own "Process Industries and Drives" division. Division head Peter Herweck speaks in the PROCESS interview about his strategies, aims and opportunities in the new structure.

Explosion protection techniques have been undergoing several refinements as a result of the implementation of legislative requirements and innovative product development. The extended use of explosion protection standards and demands from industry resulted in additional products with improved performance.

Mitsui Chemicals have announced the completion of construction of its electrolyte solution production facilities, which have been built at Nagoya Works to accommodate growing domestic demand for lithium-ion battery-use electrolyte solution.

The Indian raw and wastewater market is estimated to be around `2,000 crore (about US $ 300 mio) and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 12 per cent during 2016–2021. In this background, we interacted with a few industry players and experts from the sector to more about the latest trends, business opportunities and technologies in the wastewater treatment sector…

The conveyor system that connects the newly developed Chimiwungo pit at Lumwana Copper Mine to the existing process plant has ben put to operation. The system comprises a 300-metre-long sacrificial conveyor, a 3.4-kilometre-long overland conveyor and a 500-metre-long conveyor feeding the process plant at a design capacity of 5140 tonnes per hour.

Mátra Kraftwerk, Hungary, mines some 8 to 8.5 million tonnes of lignite each year, most of which is used to generate electricity in the company’s own power plant. To expand the capacities of its Bükkábrány open-cast mining sites, the company ordered a compact bucket wheel excavator with a capacity of 6700 cubic metres per hour.