Sustainability
Control approach helps campuses minimize energy costs
University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers designed a new stochastic model predictive control system for central utility plants, which could help universities and manufacturing facilities that generate a lot of energy.
Carbon-loving materials designed to reduce industrial emissions
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, are advancing gas membrane materials to expand practical technology options for reducing industrial carbon emissions produced by fossil fuel industries.
Adhesive tape improves lithium batteries’ performance, lifespan
Rice University researchers turned adhesive tape into a silicon oxide film improve lithium metal technology and make them last longer.
Making plastic more transparent while adding electrical conductivity
University of Michigan researchers have made plastic conductive while also making it more transparent, which can improve large touchscreens, LED light panels and window-mounted infrared solar cells.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles June 29 to July 5, 2020
Articles about energy assessment tips, Product of the Year winners, industrial lubrication applications, the manufacturing index and process control and safety systems were Plant Engineering’s five most clicked articles from June 29 to July 5, 2020. Miss something? You can catch up here.
Spectrometry research advances could lead to safer rechargeable batteries
Researchers have found a way to advance safer rechargeable batteries with spectrometry. Their findings could improve batteries used for consumer electronics such as laptops and cellphones.
Electron energy distribution measured for improved storage, conversion
Researchers at the University of Michigan, Purdue University, and the University of Liverpool in the UK have figured out a way to measure how many hot charge carrier are present in a metal nanostructure for improved energy storage and conversion.
Nanoscale hollow structure formation could boost battery storage
Researchers at Georgia Tech, ETH Zurich and Oak Ridge National Laboratory have discovered particles can change a nanoscale hollow structure formation, which could be beneficial for lithium-ion battery storage.
COVID-19 emergency support for safety circuits, VFDs, vision, PLC power quality, SCADA
System integrators can provide emergency support for automation troubleshooting to shorten or prevent downtime, improve quality and save money as manufacturing restarts or continues during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Top 5 Plant Engineering articles May 18-24, 2020
Articles about plant cooling system optimization, Product of the Year winners, COVID-19 grant for wastewater, digital twins and COVID-19's impact on engineering jobs were Plant Engineering’s five most clicked articles from May 18-24, 2020. Miss something? You can catch up here.