US: Haldor Topsoe, a catalysis producer, and FLSmidth, a supplier of equipment and services to the global cement and minerals industries, have signed a cooperation agreement that marks the beginning of a joined global effort to commercialise a new catalytic filter bag technology.

"Developing this product has been a combination of the very best that Topsoe and FLSmidth have to offer from an R&D perspective," said Bjerne S Clausen, CEO of Haldor Topsoe.

The product has been designed over the last four years and will carry the brand name EnviroTex catalytic filter bags. It is capable of removing dust, volatile organic compounds and nitrogen oxides in one integrated and cost-effective process. The patent-pending catalytic filter bags use three layers of filter fabric. Each layer contains a tailored catalyst optimised for the removal of specific kinds of compounds from the off-gas that passes through it.

As part of the agreement between FLSmidth and Topsoe, the new product will be manufactured at FLSmidth's bag production facilities in Georgia, USA. The filter bags will then be catalysed and assembled at Topsoe's catalyst production site in Houston, Texas. Topsoe's production site will be expanded with a new production line dedicated to the production of EnviroTex catalytic filter bags. The goal is to complete construction of this facility by the end of 2015.