Lignocellulosics as a renewable feedstock for chemical industry : chemical hydrolysis and pretreatment processes

Lignocellulosic materials including agricultural, municipal and forestry residues, and dedicated bioenergy crops offer significant potential as a renewable feedstock for the production of fuels and chemicals. These products can be chemically or functionally equivalent to existing products that are produced from fossil-based feedstocks. To unlock the potential of lignocellulosic materials, it is necessary to pretreat or fractionate the biomass to make it amenable to downstream processing. This chapter explores current and developing technologies for the pretreatment and fractionation of lignocellulosic biomass for the production of chemicals and fuels.

Drivers of Supply Network Governance: An Explorative Study of the Dutch Chemical Industry.

The authors identify a number of drivers of supply network governance, a widely appraised governance form aimed at reaping the benefits of both vertical integration and market exchange. Case studies conducted in the Dutch chemical industry are used to explore these drivers. The findings identify interdependence of organizational activities and asset-specific investments as the key drivers of supply network governance in the chemical industry. Firms enjoy relational rents and tend to share knowledge in supply network relationships, however these factors seem to strengthen supply network relationships rather than create them.

Investment analysis of chemical projects and development of standerdised mathematical co-relation for cost estimation of pressure vessels in chemical industry

The present study is intended to provide a new scientific approach to the solution of the worlds cost engineering problems encountered in the chemical industries in our nation. The problem is that of cost estimation of equipments especially of pressure vessels when setting up chemical industries .The present study attempts to develop a model for such cost estimation. This in turn is hoped would go a long way to solve this and related problems in forecasting the cost of setting up chemical plants.

The economics of chemical industry in kerala

The main purpose of the present study is to examine the growth and development problems of a new industry ,the chemical industry in the state of kerala. Problems of productivity and efficiency are studied with respect to the different branches of the industry such as fertilizers and insecticides basic inorganic and organic chemicals drugs and pharmaceuticals and miscellaneous chemicals. A study of partial input output linkages between the different chemical units is also attempted. The chemical industry is generally characterized by high linkage effects .These linkages could be used to generate subsidiary industries and thereby help in the growth and diversification of the industry. The efficiency of the working of individual units is also studied to understand the problems involved and to suggest remedial measures.

Comparative study of cogeneration systems in a chemical industry

With the large penetration of the natural gas into the Brazilian energy structure, industries such as paper mills and chemical plants are analyzing the feasibility of implementing cogeneration schemes appropriate to this fuel. The analysis of the energy demand patterns of a chemical company from the photographic sector revealed the possibility of using combined cycles or diesel engine cogeneration schemes keeping the existing compression refrigeration units and steam or gas cycle cogeneration systems with absorption refrigeration units. In terms of economic attractiveness, an analysis based on the method of the internal rate of return was performed. The results indicated that the schemes composed by reciprocating engines and combined cycle with compression chillers, as well as the gas cycle scheme with absorption chiller, present return periods of up to 3 years, showing that the investment in cogeneration could be of interest for this plant. (C) 2000 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.