Page 166 - CW E-Magazine (19-9-2023)

News from Abroad

UTILISATION OF UNUSED BIOMASS

Yokogawa and Phytochem Products look to find value

in byproducts of vegetable oil production

Two Japanese firms – Yokogawa Under the terms of their agreement,
Solution Service Corporation and Yokogawa Solution Service and Phyto-
Phytochem Products – have inked a chem Products will use a Phytochem
deal under which they will collabo- Products bench plant to conduct test-
rate in the development of a tech- ing of the technical applicability of
nology for the extraction of func- sensing and process control in the ion
tional ingredients and biofuel from exchange resin method. Leveraging
byproducts that have been discarded Phytochem’s expertise in the use of
during the vegetable oil production measurement data in the separation
process. and recovery process, Yokogawa
Solution Service will examine meth-
Byproducts from the production ods for the real-time analysis, estima-
of rice, palm, rapeseed, soybean, and tion, and measurement of functional
other vegetable oils contain useful ingredients and make use of Yokogawa’s
compounds such as vitamin E, which ture and high-vacuum conditions; im- modelling technology for the automa-
has excellent antioxidant effect, but proves the yield of vitamin E, which tion and optimisation of the recovery
many of these materials end up being is sensitive to heat; and is safer, as it process.
thrown away because the recovery uses none of the toxic substances that
process is difficult and unprofitable, are normally used in conventional tech- The two companies plan to com-
requiring high-temperature and high- niques. plete the testing and verification of
vacuum conditions. technology at this bench plant by
Based on its measurement, con- June 2024. After implementing this
Phytochem Products, a start-up trol, and information technologies, technology at a pilot plant, the plan is
from Tohoku University, has developed Yokogawa Solution Service provides to begin providing customers licenses
a unique technology for extracting production control systems, measur- for this ion exchange resin process
useful ingredients from vegetable oils ing instruments, and other solutions together with the associated measure-
using ion-exchange resins. The method that realise highly efficient and safe ment and modelling technologies in
eliminates the need for high-tempera- operations at all kinds of plants. fiscal year 2026.

LyondellBasell mulls closing down one of its
polypropylene units in Italy

LyondellBasell has started talks lene products of this Brindisi unit has
with trade unions regarding poten- become increasingly challenging, and
tial layoffs that could result from the the outlook provides little improve-
intended closure of one of its two ment. The intention of our group is to
polypropylene production units at its strengthen the position of the compa-
Brindisi location in Italy. ny’s other assets in higher value mar-
kets,” he added.
“After thorough analysis, we dent Olefins and Polyolefins EAMEI
believe that closure of this unit is the of LyondellBasell. “This unit is the LyondellBasell’s Brindisi site pro-
most sustainable solution from a stra- oldest of its kind in the world and duces materials for the production of
tegic and financial standpoint,” said it has become uncompetitive. The mar- textiles, food packaging, and other
Mr. Jim Guilfoyle, Senior Vice Presi- ket environment for our polypropy- applications.

166 Chemical Weekly September 19, 2023

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