Processes

14 pages, 3048 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of the Marangoni Convection in the Unsteady Thin Film Spray of CNT Nanofluids

by Ali Rehman, Taza Gul, Zabidin Salleh, Safyan Mukhtar, Fawad Hussain, Kottakkaran Sooppy Nisar and Poom Kumam

Processes 2019, 7(6), 392; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060392 - 24 Jun 2019

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4358

Abstract

The gradient of surface temperature is known as Marangoni convection and plays an important role in silicon melt, spray, atomic reactors, and thin fluid films. Marangoni convection has been considered in the liquid film spray of carbon nanotube (CNT) nanofluid over the unsteady [...] Read more.

The gradient of surface temperature is known as Marangoni convection and plays an important role in silicon melt, spray, atomic reactors, and thin fluid films. Marangoni convection has been considered in the liquid film spray of carbon nanotube (CNT) nanofluid over the unsteady extending surface of a cylinder. The two kinds of CNTs, single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and multiple-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), formulated as water-based nanofluids have been used for thermal spray analysis. The thickness of the nanofluid film was kept variable for a stable spray rate and pressure distribution. The transformed equations of the flow problem have been solved using the optimal homotopy analysis method (OHAM). The obtained results have been validated through the sum of the total residual errors numerically and graphically for both types of nanofluids. The impact of the physical parameters versus velocity, pressure, and temperature pitches under the influence of the Marangoni convection have been obtained and discussed. The obtained results are validated using the comparison of OHAM and the (ND-solve) method. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flow, Heat and Mass Transport in Microdevices)

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14 pages, 1130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exergy Analysis and Evaluation of the Different Flowsheeting Configurations for CO₂ Capture Plant Using 2-Amino-2-Methyl-1-Propanol (AMP)

by Ebuwa Osagie, Aliyu M. Aliyu, Somtochukwu Godfrey Nnabuife, Osaze Omoregbe and Victor Etim

Processes 2019, 7(6), 391; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060391 - 24 Jun 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4920

Abstract

This paper presents steady-state simulation and exergy analysis of the 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP)-based post-combustion capture (PCC) plant. Exergy analysis provides the identification of the location, sources of thermodynamic inefficiencies, and magnitude in a thermal system. Furthermore, thermodynamic analysis of different configurations of the process [...] Read more.

This paper presents steady-state simulation and exergy analysis of the 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP)-based post-combustion capture (PCC) plant. Exergy analysis provides the identification of the location, sources of thermodynamic inefficiencies, and magnitude in a thermal system. Furthermore, thermodynamic analysis of different configurations of the process helps to identify opportunities for reducing the steam requirements for each of the configurations. Exergy analysis performed for the AMP-based plant and the different configurations revealed that the rich split with intercooling configuration gave the highest exergy efficiency of 73.6%, while that of the intercooling and the reference AMP-based plant were 57.3% and 55.8% respectively. Thus, exergy analysis of flowsheeting configurations can lead to significant improvements in plant performance and lead to cost reduction for amine-based CO₂ capture technologies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gas Capture Processes)

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17 pages, 9019 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Direct Observation of Growth Rate Dispersion in the Enzymatic Reactive Crystallization of Ampicillin

by Matthew A. McDonald, Andreas S. Bommarius, Martha A. Grover and Ronald W. Rousseau

Processes 2019, 7(6), 390; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060390 - 22 Jun 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4429

Abstract

Prediction and control of crystal size distributions, a prerequisite for production of consistent crystalline material in the pharmaceutical industry, requires knowledge of potential non-idealities of crystal growth. Ampicillin is one such medicine consumed in crystal form (ampicillin trihydrate). Typically it is assumed that [...] Read more.

Prediction and control of crystal size distributions, a prerequisite for production of consistent crystalline material in the pharmaceutical industry, requires knowledge of potential non-idealities of crystal growth. Ampicillin is one such medicine consumed in crystal form (ampicillin trihydrate). Typically it is assumed that all crystals of the same chemical and geometric type grow at the same rate, however a distribution of growth rates is often observed experimentally. In this study, ampicillin produced enzymatically is crystallized and a distribution of growth rates is observed as individual crystals are monitored by microscopy. Most studies of growth rate dispersion use complex flow apparatuses to maintain a constant supersaturation or imprecise measurements of size distributions to reconstruct growth rate dispersions. In this study, the controllable enzyme reaction enables the same information to be gathered from fewer, less complicated experiments. The growth rates of individual ampicillin trihydrate crystals were found to be normally distributed, with each crystal having an intrinsic growth rate that is constant in time. Differences in the individual crystals, such as different number and arrangement of dislocations and surface morphology, best explain the observed growth rates. There is a critical supersaturation below which growth is not observed, thought to be caused by reactants adsorbing to the crystal surface and pinning advancing growth steps. The distribution of critical supersaturation also suggests that individual crystals’ surface morphologies cause a distribution of growth rates. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modeling and Control of Crystallization)

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16 pages, 2899 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Performance of Nonlinear Control for an Electro-Hydraulic Actuator Considering a Wearable Robot

by Buchun Song, Dongyoung Lee, Sang Yong Park and Yoon Su Baek

Processes 2019, 7(6), 389; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060389 - 21 Jun 2019

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 8104

Abstract

In the development of a wearable robot, compact volume size, high energy efficiency, and a high load capacity linear actuator system are necessary. However, conventional hydraulic actuator systems are difficult to apply to wearable robots. Also, they have nonlinearities because of the presence [...] Read more.

In the development of a wearable robot, compact volume size, high energy efficiency, and a high load capacity linear actuator system are necessary. However, conventional hydraulic actuator systems are difficult to apply to wearable robots. Also, they have nonlinearities because of the presence of hydraulic fluid in a single rod cylinder. Electric linear actuators resolve the problems of hydraulic systems. However, due to their low load capacity, they are not easy to apply to wearable robots. In this paper, a pump-controlled electro-hydraulic actuator (EHA) system that considers the disadvantages of the hydraulic actuator and electric actuator is proposed for a wearable robot. Initially, a locking circuit design is considered for the EHA to give the system load holding capacity. Based on the developed model, the adaptive sliding mode control (ASMC) scheme is designed to resolve the nonlinearity problem of changes in the dynamic system. The ASMC scheme is then modeled and verified with Simulink. In order to verify the performance of the proposed adaptive control with the model, experiments are conducted. The proposed EHA verifies that the ASMC reaches the target value well despite the existence of many model uncertainties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Digital and Other Processes)

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17 pages, 3523 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Increasing Iron and Reducing Phosphorus Grades of Magnetic-Roasted High-Phosphorus Oolitic Iron Ore by Low-Intensity Magnetic Separation–Reverse Flotation

by Junhui Xiao and Lingli Zhou

Processes 2019, 7(6), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060388 - 21 Jun 2019

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 5225

Abstract

High-phosphorus oolitic iron ore, treated by suspended flash magnetic roasting, contained 42.73% iron (mainly present as magnetite) and 0.93% phosphorus (present as collophane). Low-intensity magnetic separation (LIMS) was combined with reverse flotation to increase the iron and reduce the phosphorus contents of the [...] Read more.

High-phosphorus oolitic iron ore, treated by suspended flash magnetic roasting, contained 42.73% iron (mainly present as magnetite) and 0.93% phosphorus (present as collophane). Low-intensity magnetic separation (LIMS) was combined with reverse flotation to increase the iron and reduce the phosphorus contents of the roasted product. The results showed that an optimized iron ore concentrate with an iron grade of 67.54%, phosphorus content of 0.11%, and iron recovery of 78.99% were obtained under LIMS conditions that employed a grind of 95% −0.038 mm and a magnetic field of 0.10 T. Optimized rougher reverse-flotation conditions used a pulp pH of 9 and dosages of toluenesulfonamide, starch, and pine alcohol oil of 800 g/t, 1000 g/t, and 40 g/t, respectively; optimized scavenging conditions used a pulp pH of 9 and dosages of toluenesulfonamide, starch, and pine alcohol oil of 400 g/t, 500 g/t, and 20 g/t, respectively. Study of the mechanism of phosphorus reduction showed that the toluenesulfonamide could be adsorbed on the surface of quartz after the action of starch, but adsorption was significantly weakened. The starch inhibitor negatively affected adsorption on quartz, but positively influenced adsorption of phosphorus minerals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Separation and Extraction Processes)

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15 pages, 4577 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Computational Study of MHD Nanofluid Flow Possessing Micro-Rotational Inertia over a Curved Surface with Variable Thermophysical Properties

by Zahid Ahmed, Ali Al-Qahtani, Sohail Nadeem and Salman Saleem

Processes 2019, 7(6), 387; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060387 - 21 Jun 2019

Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3481

Abstract

This work presents a numerical investigation of viscous nanofluid flow over a curved stretching surface. Single-walled carbon nanotubes were taken as a solid constituent of the nanofluids. Dynamic viscosity was assumed to be an inverse function of fluid temperature. The problem is modeled [...] Read more.

This work presents a numerical investigation of viscous nanofluid flow over a curved stretching surface. Single-walled carbon nanotubes were taken as a solid constituent of the nanofluids. Dynamic viscosity was assumed to be an inverse function of fluid temperature. The problem is modeled with the help of a generalized theory of Eringen Micropolar fluid in a curvilinear coordinates system. The governing systems of non-linear partial differential equations consist of mass flux equation, linear momentum equations, angular momentum equation, and energy equation. The transformed ordinary differential equations for linear and angular momentum along with energy were solved numerically with the help of the Keller box method. Numerical and graphical results were obtained to analyze the flow characteristic. It is perceived that by keeping the dynamic viscosity temperature dependent, the velocity of the fluid away from the surface rose in magnitude with the values of the magnetic parameter, while the couple stress coefficient decreased with rising values of the magnetic parameter. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Flow, Heat and Mass Transport in Microdevices)

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20 pages, 7729 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Determination of Holmquist–Johnson–Cook Constitutive Parameters of Coal: Laboratory Study and Numerical Simulation

by Beijing Xie, Zheng Yan, Yujing Du, Zeming Zhao and Xiaoqian Zhang

Processes 2019, 7(6), 386; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060386 - 21 Jun 2019

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 5513

Abstract

The main sensitivity parameters of the Holmquist–Johnson–Cook constitutive model for coal were obtained from a variety of tests such as uniaxial compression, uniaxial cyclic loading, splitting and triaxial compression tests, as well as the indirect derivation equation of a briquette. The mechanical properties [...] Read more.

The main sensitivity parameters of the Holmquist–Johnson–Cook constitutive model for coal were obtained from a variety of tests such as uniaxial compression, uniaxial cyclic loading, splitting and triaxial compression tests, as well as the indirect derivation equation of a briquette. The mechanical properties of briquettes under dynamic impact were investigated using a split Hopkinson pressure bar experiment. Based on the experimental measurement of the Holmquist–Johnson–Cook constitutive model, the numerical simulation of briquette was performed using ANSYS/LS-DYNA software. A comparison between experimental and simulation results verified the correctness of simulation parameters. This research concluded that the failure of briquette at different impact velocities started from an axial crack in the middle of the coal body, and the sample was swollen to some extent. By the increase of impact velocity, the severity of damage in the coal body was increased, while the size of the coal block was decreased. Moreover, there was good compliance between experimental and simulated stress wave curves in terms of coal sample failure and fracture morphology at different speeds. Finally, the parameters of the validated Holmquist–Johnson–Cook constitutive model were applied to the numerical simulation model of the impact damage of heading face and the process of coal seam damage in the roadway was visually displayed. The obtained results showed that the Holmquist–Johnson–Cook constitutive model parameters suitable for the prominent coal body were of great significance for the improvement and exploration of the occurrence mechanism of coal and rock dynamic disasters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Condition Monitoring, Optimization and Control for Complex Industrial Processes)

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13 pages, 1218 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Supercritical Fluid Extraction of Fat and Caffeine with Theobromine Retention in the Cocoa Shell

by Fanny Adabel González-Alejo, Juan Barajas-Fernández, María de los Ángeles Olán-Acosta, Laura Mercedes Lagunes-Gálvez and Pedro García-Alamilla

Processes 2019, 7(6), 385; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060385 - 21 Jun 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6241

Abstract

The cocoa shell is a residue of low commercial value, which represents an alternative for obtaining substances of added value for the food and pharmaceutical industry. Substances of interest in the shell include fat and methylxanthines (theobromine and caffeine). In order to obtain [...] Read more.

The cocoa shell is a residue of low commercial value, which represents an alternative for obtaining substances of added value for the food and pharmaceutical industry. Substances of interest in the shell include fat and methylxanthines (theobromine and caffeine). In order to obtain the extraction behavior with supercritical CO₂, a 2³ factorial design was proposed with six central points, taking dynamic extraction into consideration. The following factors were involved: pressure (2,000–6,000 psi), temperature (313–333 K), and time (30–90 min). The obtained yield was between 3.66% and 15.30%. Fat was the substance that was extracted most effectively (94.73%). Caffeine demonstrated variability in the residue, with at least six treatments that exceeded a removal rate of more than 90%, while it was practically impossible to extract theobromine. The difference with regard to the extraction of theobromine may be attributed to its low solubility. Characterization using FT–IR showed the modifications before and after the process, providing clear evidence of the changes corresponding to the fat at 2,924, 2,854 and 1,745 cm⁻¹. The results presented establish the basis for the extraction of substances such as fats and methylxanthines from a cocoa shell with the use of CO₂. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Separation and Extraction Processes)

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14 pages, 1539 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Separating Electronic from Steric Effects in Ethene/α-Olefin Copolymerization: A Case Study on Octahedral [ONNO] Zr-Catalysts

by Francesco Zaccaria, Roberta Cipullo, Andrea Correa, Peter H. M. Budzelaar, Vincenzo Busico and Christian Ehm

Processes 2019, 7(6), 384; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060384 - 20 Jun 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4008

Abstract

Four Cl/Me substituted [ONNO] Zr-catalysts have been tested in ethene/α-olefin polymerization. Replacing electron-donating methyl with isosteric but electron-withdrawing chlorine substituents results in a significant increase of comonomer incorporation. Exploration of steric and electronic properties of the ancillary ligand by DFT confirm that relative [...] Read more.

Four Cl/Me substituted [ONNO] Zr-catalysts have been tested in ethene/α-olefin polymerization. Replacing electron-donating methyl with isosteric but electron-withdrawing chlorine substituents results in a significant increase of comonomer incorporation. Exploration of steric and electronic properties of the ancillary ligand by DFT confirm that relative reactivity ratios are mainly determined by the electrophilicity of the metal center. Furthermore, quantitative DFT modeling of propagation barriers that determine polymerization kinetics reveals that electronic effects observed in these catalysts affect relative barriers for insertion and a capture-like transition state (TS). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Methods for Polymers)

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29 pages, 4057 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Concept of Designing Thermal Condition Monitoring System with ZigBee/GSM Communication Link for Distributed Energy Resources Network in Rural and Remote Applications

by Emmanuel Kobina Payne, Shulin Lu, Qian Wang and Licheng Wu

Processes 2019, 7(6), 383; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060383 - 20 Jun 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6100

Abstract

Monitoring the thermal behavior of distributed energy resources (DERs) network explores the dualism between thermal effects and electrical power flow. This paper proposes a design concept that monitors thermal conditions of DER grids, using ZigBee/GSM wireless sensor networks (WSNs) for real-time monitoring in [...] Read more.

Monitoring the thermal behavior of distributed energy resources (DERs) network explores the dualism between thermal effects and electrical power flow. This paper proposes a design concept that monitors thermal conditions of DER grids, using ZigBee/GSM wireless sensor networks (WSNs) for real-time monitoring in rural and remote areas. The concept seeks to improve upon existing designs by integrating composite functions. The functions comprise temperature conditions monitoring, data acquisition, and wireless data transmission including data storage and abnormal conditions alert/notification for control solutions. Thus, the concept determines the thermal impact on the DERs integrated network. WSNs with temperature sensors LM35 are utilized to complement ZigBee and Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) technologies as a communication assisted link. Temperatures are measured from solar Photovoltaic PV modules, wind turbine, distribution cables, protection control units, and energy storage facilities. The ATMEGA328P microcontroller is assigned for signal and control processing. The circuit performance is coordinated and displayed on an LCD screen for normal conditions, whereas abnormal scenarios communicate through an alert/notification by GSM Short Message Service (SMS) protocol. The development analysis was performed through algorithm and circuit simulations. Proteus software was used for circuit design. Both the algorithm and circuit analysis passed the assigned simulation stages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Design and Control of Sustainable Systems)

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18 pages, 2199 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Separation Emulsion via Non-Ionic Surfactant: An Optimization

by Murtada Mohammed Abdulredha, Siti Aslina Hussain and Luqman Chuah Abdullah

Processes 2019, 7(6), 382; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060382 - 20 Jun 2019

Cited by 28 | Viewed by 5027

Abstract

Achieving emulsion stability in the petroleum industry is a major challenge due to several problems encountered in the oil refining process, such as corrosion in equipment, high-pressure drops in pipelines, and catalyst poisoning in upstream facilities. Thus, several methods are applied for emulsion [...] Read more.

Achieving emulsion stability in the petroleum industry is a major challenge due to several problems encountered in the oil refining process, such as corrosion in equipment, high-pressure drops in pipelines, and catalyst poisoning in upstream facilities. Thus, several methods are applied for emulsion treatment and chemical treatment using surface-active agents, a fundamental method in the petroleum industry. The present work investigated the performance of a non-ionic surfactant in separating water in a crude oil emulsion via the bottle test technique. Then, a Fractional Factorial Design (2^K−1) was used to characterise the effect of significant variables. In particular, a Pareto chart was employed and factors such as demulsifier dosage, toluene concentration, pressure, sitting time, and temperature were investigated. Accordingly, the parameters applied were further analysed using a Central Composite Design (CCD) based on the Response Surface Method (RSM). The experimental results based on analysis of Variance (ANOVA) show that demulsifier dosage, temperature, and sedimentation times were the main variables affecting the dehydration process, with the highest F-values being 564.74, 94.53 and 78.65 respectively. The increase in the surfactant dosage before critical concentration, temperature and sitting time leads to boosting dehydration efficiency. In addition, a mathematical model was established for the variables, with a coefficient of determination value of 0.9688. Finally, numerical optimisation was performed on the variables and the results show that the optimal values are 1000 ppm, 15.5 mL, −400 mmHg, 120 min, and 90 °C, for demulsifier dosage, toluene concentration, pressure, sitting time, and temperature, respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Separation and Extraction Processes)

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12 pages, 2789 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Particle Charge and Size Distribution on Triboelectric Separation—New Evidence Revealed by In Situ Particle Size Measurements

by Johann Landauer and Petra Foerst

Processes 2019, 7(6), 381; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060381 - 19 Jun 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4994

Abstract

Triboelectric charging is a potentially suitable tool for separating fine dry powders, but the charging process is not yet completely understood. Although physical descriptions of triboelectric charging have been proposed, these proposals generally assume the standard conditions of particles and surfaces without considering [...] Read more.

Triboelectric charging is a potentially suitable tool for separating fine dry powders, but the charging process is not yet completely understood. Although physical descriptions of triboelectric charging have been proposed, these proposals generally assume the standard conditions of particles and surfaces without considering dispersity. To better understand the influence of particle charge on particle size distribution, we determined the in situ particle size in a protein–starch mixture injected into a separation chamber. The particle size distribution of the mixture was determined near the electrodes at different distances from the separation chamber inlet. The particle size decreased along both electrodes, indicating a higher protein than starch content near the electrodes. Moreover, the height distribution of the powder deposition and protein content along the electrodes were determined in further experiments, and the minimum charge of a particle that ensures its separation in a given region of the separation chamber was determined in a computational fluid dynamics simulation. According to the results, the charge on the particles is distributed and apparently independent of particle size. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue CFD Modeling of Complex Chemical Processes: Multiscale and Multiphysics Challenges)

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14 pages, 3075 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Dynamic Modelling of Phosphorolytic Cleavage Catalyzed by Pyrimidine-Nucleoside Phosphorylase

by Robert T. Giessmann, Niels Krausch, Felix Kaspar, Mariano Nicolas Cruz Bournazou, Anke Wagner, Peter Neubauer and Matthias Gimpel

Processes 2019, 7(6), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060380 - 19 Jun 2019

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4936

Abstract

Pyrimidine-nucleoside phosphorylases (Py-NPases) have a significant potential to contribute to the economic and ecological production of modified nucleosides. These can be produced via pentose-1-phosphates, an interesting but mostly labile and expensive precursor. Thus far, no dynamic model exists for the production process of [...] Read more.

Pyrimidine-nucleoside phosphorylases (Py-NPases) have a significant potential to contribute to the economic and ecological production of modified nucleosides. These can be produced via pentose-1-phosphates, an interesting but mostly labile and expensive precursor. Thus far, no dynamic model exists for the production process of pentose-1-phosphates, which involves the equilibrium state of the Py-NPase catalyzed reversible reaction. Previously developed enzymological models are based on the understanding of the structural principles of the enzyme and focus on the description of initial rates only. The model generation is further complicated, as Py-NPases accept two substrates which they convert to two products. To create a well-balanced model from accurate experimental data, we utilized an improved high-throughput spectroscopic assay to monitor reactions over the whole time course until equilibrium was reached. We examined the conversion of deoxythymidine and phosphate to deoxyribose-1-phosphate and thymine by a thermophilic Py-NPase from Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius. The developed process model described the reactant concentrations in excellent agreement with the experimental data. Our model is built from ordinary differential equations and structured in such a way that integration with other models is possible in the future. These could be the kinetics of other enzymes for enzymatic cascade reactions or reactor descriptions to generate integrated process models. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Model-Based Tools for Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Processes)

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14 pages, 1945 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Analysis of the Trends in Biochemical Research Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA)

by Hee Jay Kang, Changhee Kim and Kyungtae Kang

Processes 2019, 7(6), 379; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060379 - 18 Jun 2019

Cited by 35 | Viewed by 5266

Abstract

Biochemistry has been broadly defined as “chemistry of molecules included or related to living systems”, but is becoming increasingly hard to be distinguished from other related fields. Targets of its studies evolve rapidly; some newly emerge, disappear, combine, or resurface themselves with a [...] Read more.

Biochemistry has been broadly defined as “chemistry of molecules included or related to living systems”, but is becoming increasingly hard to be distinguished from other related fields. Targets of its studies evolve rapidly; some newly emerge, disappear, combine, or resurface themselves with a fresh viewpoint. Methodologies for biochemistry have been extremely diversified, thanks particularly to those adopted from molecular biology, synthetic chemistry, and biophysics. Therefore, this paper adopts topic modeling, a text mining technique, to identify the research topics in the field of biochemistry over the past twenty years and quantitatively analyze the changes in its trends. The results of the topic modeling analysis obtained through this study will provide a helpful tool for researchers, journal editors, publishers, and funding agencies to understand the connections among the diverse sub-fields in biochemical research and even see how the research topics branch out and integrate with other fields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance Measurement and Optimization for Sustainable Production Processes Improvement)

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16 pages, 4449 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Performance Evaluation of Sustainable Soil Stabilization Process Using Waste Materials

by Muhammad Aamir, Zarnish Mahmood, Aqsa Nisar, Amjad Farid, Tanveer Ahmed Khan, Mudassir Abbas, Muhammad Ismaeel, Syyed Adnan Raheel Shah and Muhammad Waseem

Processes 2019, 7(6), 378; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060378 - 18 Jun 2019

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 10489

Abstract

The process of soil stabilization is a fundamental requirement before road infrastructure development is possible. Different binding materials have been used worldwide as soil stabilizers. In this study, water treatment waste (i.e., alum sludge (AS)) was used as a soil stabilizer. Alum sludge [...] Read more.

The process of soil stabilization is a fundamental requirement before road infrastructure development is possible. Different binding materials have been used worldwide as soil stabilizers. In this study, water treatment waste (i.e., alum sludge (AS)) was used as a soil stabilizer. Alum sludge can work not only as a low-cost soil stabilizer but also can solve the problem of waste management at a large scale. Utilization of alum waste can be a sustainable solution and environmentally friendly exercise. Thus, in consideration of the pozzolanic properties of alum, it was applied as a binder, similar to cement or lime, to stabilize the soil with the addition of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% of dry soil by weight. To analyze the resulting improvement in soil strength, the California Bearing Ratio (CBR) test was conducted in addition to three other tests (i.e., particle size analysis, Atterberg’s limits test, and modified proctor test). The soil bearing ratio was significantly improved from 6.53% to 16.86% at the optimum level of an 8% addition of alum sludge. Furthermore, the artificial neural networks (ANNs) technique was applied to study the correlations between the CBR and the physical properties of soil, which showed that, at 8% optimum alum sludge, maximum dry density, optimum moisture content, and plasticity index were also at maximum levels. This study will help in providing an eco-friendly soil stabilization process as well as a waste management solution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Performance Measurement and Optimization for Sustainable Production Processes Improvement)

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12 pages, 2593 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Optimization of a Process for the Production of Methyl Methacrylate via Direct Methylation

by Taotao Liang, Xiaogang Guo, Abdulmoseen Segun Giwa, Jianwei Shi, Yujin Li, Yan Wei, Xiaojuan Wang, Xuansong Cao, Xiaofeng Tang and Jialun Du

Processes 2019, 7(6), 377; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060377 - 18 Jun 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 8826

Abstract

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) plays a vital role in national productions with broad application. Herein, the production of MMA is realized by the improved eco-friendly direct methylation method using Aspen Plus software. Three novel kinds of energy-saving measures were proposed in this study, including [...] Read more.

Methyl methacrylate (MMA) plays a vital role in national productions with broad application. Herein, the production of MMA is realized by the improved eco-friendly direct methylation method using Aspen Plus software. Three novel kinds of energy-saving measures were proposed in this study, including the recycle streams of an aqueous solution, methacrolein (MAL), and methanol, the deployment of double-effect distillation instead of a normal one, and the design of a promising heat-exchange network. Moreover, MMA with a purity of 99.9% is obtained via the design of a MAL absorber column with an optimal stage number of 11 and a facile chloroform recovery process by using the RadFrac model. Thus, the proposed green process with energy-conservation superiority is the vital clue for developing MMA, and provides a reference for the production of MMA-ramifications with excellent prospects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Chemical Processes and Systems)

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13 pages, 4282 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Technology for Separating Copper, Lead and Zinc in Flotation Concentrate by Oxidizing Roasting and Leaching

by Qian Zhang, Qicheng Feng, Shuming Wen, Chuanfa Cui and Junbo Liu

Processes 2019, 7(6), 376; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060376 - 18 Jun 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6316

Abstract

In this work, oxidizing roasting was combined with leaching to separate copper, lead, and zinc from a concentrate obtained by bulk flotation of a low-grade ore sourced from the Jiama mining area of Tibet. The flotation concentrate contained 7.79% Cu, 22.00% Pb, 4.81% [...] Read more.

In this work, oxidizing roasting was combined with leaching to separate copper, lead, and zinc from a concentrate obtained by bulk flotation of a low-grade ore sourced from the Jiama mining area of Tibet. The flotation concentrate contained 7.79% Cu, 22.00% Pb, 4.81% Zn, 8.24% S, and 12.15% CaO; copper sulfide accounted for 76.97% of the copper, lead sulfide for 25.55% of the lead, and zinc sulfide for 67.66% of the zinc. After oxidizing roasting of the flotation concentrate, the S content in the roasting slag decreased to 0.22%, indicating that most sulfide in the concentrate was transformed to oxide, which was beneficial to leaching. The calcine was subjected to sulfuric acid leaching for separation of copper, lead, and zinc; i.e., copper and zinc were leached, and lead was retained in the residue. The optimum parameters of the leaching process were: a leaching temperature of 55 °C; sulfuric acid added at 828 kg/t calcine; a liquid:solid ratio of 3:1; and a leaching time of 1.5 h. Under these conditions, the extents of leaching of copper and zinc were 87.43% and 64.38%, respectively. Copper and zinc in the leaching solution could be further separated by electrowinning. The effects of leaching parameters on the extents of leaching of copper and zinc were further revealed by X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy analysis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Separation and Extraction Processes)

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20 pages, 690 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Lipid Isolation Process and Study on Some Molecular Species of Polar Lipid Isolated from Seed of Madhuca ellitica

by Doan Lan Phuong, Tran Quoc Toan, Ly P. T. Dang, Andrey B. Imbs, Pham Quoc Long, Tran Dinh Thang, Bertrand Matthaeus, Long Giang Bach and Le Minh Bui

Processes 2019, 7(6), 375; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060375 - 17 Jun 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 5119

Abstract

This study attempted the lipid extraction process from the seeds of Madhuca ellitica, a lipid-rich plant, and conducted a lipidomic analysis on molecular species of the obtained product. Total lipids of the crude seeds were found to contain 11.2% of polar lipids. [...] Read more.

This study attempted the lipid extraction process from the seeds of Madhuca ellitica, a lipid-rich plant, and conducted a lipidomic analysis on molecular species of the obtained product. Total lipids of the crude seeds were found to contain 11.2% of polar lipids. The major fatty acids (FAs) of the polar lipids were palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0), oleic (18:1n-9), and linoleic (18:2n-6) acids, which amounted to 28.5, 12.5, 44.8, and 13.2% of total FAs, respectively. The content and chemical structures of individual molecular species of phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidic acid (PA), and sulfoquinovosyldiacylglycerol (SQDG) were determined by HPLC with a tandem high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The major molecular species were 18:1/18:2 PE, 16:0/18:1 PC, 18:1/18:2 PC, 16:0/18:2 PG, 16:0/18:1 PG, 16:1/18:1 PI, 16:0/18:1 PI, 18:0/18:2 PI, 16:0/18:1 PA, 18:1/18:2 PA, 16:0/18:1 SQDG, and 18:0/18:1 SQDG. The application of a tandem HRMS allows us to determine the content of each isomer in pairs of the monoisotopic molecular species, for example, 18:0/18:2 and 18:1/18:1. The evaluation of the seed polar lipid profile will be helpful for developing the potential of this tree for nutritive and industrial uses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Separation and Extraction Processes)

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12 pages, 571 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperReview

The Use of Polymers in the Flotation Treatment of Wastewater

by Brian Bolto and Zongli Xie

Processes 2019, 7(6), 374; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060374 - 17 Jun 2019

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 7981

Abstract

The use of flotation for the treatment of wastewaters in general, but especially for the removal of oil, grease, general organic matter, and suspended solids, is well established as a low energy process. Polyelectrolytes (PEs) can enhance performance without adding to the solids [...] Read more.

The use of flotation for the treatment of wastewaters in general, but especially for the removal of oil, grease, general organic matter, and suspended solids, is well established as a low energy process. Polyelectrolytes (PEs) can enhance performance without adding to the solids load that occurs with inorganic additives such as alum. The bridging of pollutants and the attachment of the resulting aggregates to the air-water interface can be effectively carried out with most wastewaters. Hydrophobic modification of the PEs can be useful for difficult species. It should be applied to the flotation of polyfluoroalkyl substances, for example, as they are not amenable to economical conventional treatment. Similarly, the removal of microplastic particles from sewage effluents by flotation could be enhanced. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Feature Review Papers)

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15 pages, 2526 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of the Thief Zone Using a Support Vector Machine Method

by Cheng Fu, Tianyue Guo, Chongjiang Liu, Ying Wang and Bin Huang

Processes 2019, 7(6), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060373 - 16 Jun 2019

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3620

Abstract

Waterflooding is less effective at expanding reservoir production due to interwell thief zones. The thief zones may form during high water cut periods in the case of interconnected injectors and producers or lead to a total loss of injector fluid. We propose to [...] Read more.

Waterflooding is less effective at expanding reservoir production due to interwell thief zones. The thief zones may form during high water cut periods in the case of interconnected injectors and producers or lead to a total loss of injector fluid. We propose to identify the thief zone by using a support vector machine method. Considering the geological factors and development factors of the formation of the thief zone, the signal-to-noise ratio and correlation analysis method were used to select the relevant evaluation indices of the thief zone. The selected evaluation indices of the thief zone were taken as the input of the support vector machine model, and the corresponding recognition results of the thief zone were taken as the output of the support vector machine model. Through the training and learning of sample sets, the response relationship between thief zone and evaluation indices was determined. This method was used to identify 82 well groups in M oilfield, and the identification results were verified by a tracer monitoring method. The total identification accuracy was 89.02%, the positive sample identification accuracy was 92%, and the negative sample identification accuracy was 84.375%. The identification method easily obtains data, is easy to operate, has high identification accuracy, and can provide certain reference value for the formulation of profile control and water shutoff schemes in high water cut periods of oil reservoirs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Digital and Other Processes)

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10 pages, 2212 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Erythrocytes Injury on Blood Flow in Bionic Arteriole with Stenosis Segment

by Donghai Li, Guiling Li, Yuanyuan Chen, Jia Man, Qingyu Wu, Mingkui Zhang, Haosheng Chen and Yu Zhang

Processes 2019, 7(6), 372; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060372 - 14 Jun 2019

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3435

Abstract

Ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation is an effective treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure. However, patients who undergo long-term application of VADs experience a series of VAD-related adverse effects including pump thrombosis, which is induced by rotate impeller-caused blood cell injury and [...] Read more.

Ventricular assist device (VAD) implantation is an effective treatment for patients with end-stage heart failure. However, patients who undergo long-term application of VADs experience a series of VAD-related adverse effects including pump thrombosis, which is induced by rotate impeller-caused blood cell injury and hemolysis. Blood cell trauma-related flow patterns are the key mechanism for understanding thrombus formation. In this study, we established a new method to evaluate the blood cell damage and investigate the real-time characteristics of blood flow patterns in vitro using rheometer and bionic microfluidic devices. The variation of plasma free hemoglobin (PFH) and lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) in the rheometer test showed that high shear stress was the main factor causing erythrocyte membrane injury, while the long-term exposure of high shear stress further aggravated this trauma. Following this rheometer test, the damaged erythrocytes were collected and injected into a bionic microfluidic device. The captured images of bionic microfluidic device tests showed that with the increase of shear stress suffered by the erythrocyte, the migration rate of damaged erythrocyte in bionic microchannel significantly decreased and, meanwhile, aggregation of erythrocyte was clearly observed. Our results indicate that mechanical shear stress caused by erythrocyte injury leads to thrombus formulation and adhesion in arterioles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Smart Flow Control Processes in Micro Scale)

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14 pages, 4802 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling of a Double Effect Heat Transformer Operating with Water/Lithium Bromide

by Itzel N. Balderas-Sánchez, J. Camilo Jiménez-García and Wilfrido Rivera

Processes 2019, 7(6), 371; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060371 - 14 Jun 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4398

Abstract

Absorption heat transformers are effective systems for a wide variety of applications; however, their main purpose is to upgrade thermal energy from several sources at low-temperature up to a higher temperature level. In the literature, several advanced configurations for absorption heat transformers have [...] Read more.

Absorption heat transformers are effective systems for a wide variety of applications; however, their main purpose is to upgrade thermal energy from several sources at low-temperature up to a higher temperature level. In the literature, several advanced configurations for absorption heat transformers have been reported which are mainly focused on the improvement of the gross temperature lift by the use of a double absorption process; however, these systems usually offer a reduced coefficient of performance. The present study proposes a new advanced configuration of an absorption heat transformer that improves the coefficient of performance utilizing a double generation process. The operation of the new configuration was numerically modeled, and the main findings were discussed and presented emphasizing the effect of several parameters on the system performance. The highest coefficient of performance and gross temperature lift were 0.63 and 48 °C, respectively. From its comparison with a single-stage heat transformer, it is concluded that the proposed system may achieve coefficient of performance values up to 25.8% higher than those obtained with the single-stage system, although achieving lower gross temperature lifts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy, Economic and Environment for Industrial Production Processes)

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14 pages, 2275 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of a Two-Stage ESS-Scheduling Model for Cost Minimization Using Machine Learning-Based Load Prediction Techniques

by Minsu Park, Jaehwi Kim, Dongjun Won and Jaehee Kim

Processes 2019, 7(6), 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060370 - 12 Jun 2019

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4835

Abstract

Effective use of energy storage systems (ESS) is important to reduce unnecessary power consumption. In this paper, a day-ahead two-stage ESS-scheduling model based on the use of a machine learning technique for load prediction has been proposed for minimizing the operating cost of [...] Read more.

Effective use of energy storage systems (ESS) is important to reduce unnecessary power consumption. In this paper, a day-ahead two-stage ESS-scheduling model based on the use of a machine learning technique for load prediction has been proposed for minimizing the operating cost of the energy system. The proposed algorithm consists of two stages of ESS. In the first stage, ESS is used to minimize demand charges by reducing the peak load. Then, the remaining capacity is used to reduce energy charges through arbitrage trading, thereby minimizing the total operating cost. To achieve this purpose, accurate load prediction is required. Machine learning techniques are promising methods owing to the ability to improve forecasting performance. Among them, ensemble learning is a well-known machine learning method which helps to reduce variance and prevent overfitting of a model. To predict loads, we employed bootstrap aggregating (bagging) or random forest technique-based decision trees after Holt–Winters smoothing for trends. Our combined method can increase the prediction accuracy. In the simulation conducted, three combined prediction models were evaluated. The prediction task was performed using the R programming language. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm was verified by using Python’s PuLP library. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy Storage System: Integration, Power Quality, and Operation)

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19 pages, 3377 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Thermal Radiation on Magnetohydrodynamic Unsteady Thin Film Flow of Sisko Fluid over a Stretching Surface

by Abdul Samad Khan, Yufeng Nie and Zahir Shah

Processes 2019, 7(6), 369; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060369 - 12 Jun 2019

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 3654

Abstract

The current article discussed the heat transfer and thermal radioactive of the thin liquid flow of Sisko fluid on unsteady stretching sheet with constant magnetic field (MHD). Here the thin liquid fluid flow is assumed in two dimensions. The governing time-dependent equations of [...] Read more.

The current article discussed the heat transfer and thermal radioactive of the thin liquid flow of Sisko fluid on unsteady stretching sheet with constant magnetic field (MHD). Here the thin liquid fluid flow is assumed in two dimensions. The governing time-dependent equations of Sisko fluid are modeled and reduced to Ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by use of Similarity transformation with unsteadiness non-dimensionless parameter

S t

. To solve the model problem, we used analytical and numerical techniques. The convergence of the problem has been shown numerically and graphically using Homotopy Analysis Method (HAM). The obtained numerical result shows that the HAM estimates of the structures is closed with this result. The Comparison of these two methods (HAM and numerical) has been shown graphically and numerically. The impact of the thermal radiation

R d

and unsteadiness parameter

S t

over thin liquid flow is discovered analytically. Moreover, to know the physical representation of the embedded parameters, like

β

, magnetic parameter M, stretching parameter

ξ

, and Sisko fluid parameters

ε

have been plotted graphically and discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Thin Film Processes)

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15 pages, 5996 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of the Methane Production Potential of Catfish Processing Wastewater Using Various Anaerobic Digestion Strategies

by Mark E. Zappi, Dhan Lord Fortela, Wayne Sharp, Rakesh Bajpai, Daniel Gang, William Holmes, Rafael Hernandez and Emmanuel D. Revellame

Processes 2019, 7(6), 368; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060368 - 12 Jun 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4683

Abstract

The U.S. catfish industry is a major industry that has been declining over the years due to imports competition and growing operational costs. Catfish processing wastewater management and high energy requirement put a large financial burden on catfish processing facilities. Recovered protein-based solids [...] Read more.

The U.S. catfish industry is a major industry that has been declining over the years due to imports competition and growing operational costs. Catfish processing wastewater management and high energy requirement put a large financial burden on catfish processing facilities. Recovered protein-based solids have provided some value-added co-products, however, more co-products are needed to offset processing costs. Anaerobic digestion is a proven waste treatment method that produces methane, which is an energetic co-product that can be used within the processing facilities. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of anaerobic digestion as an alternative to the currently used aerobic biotreatment of catfish processing wastewater. Initial assessments indicated the recalcitrance of the full-strength wastewater to anaerobic digestion, yielding only ~4 m³ per ton (U.S.) of input chemical oxygen demand (COD_input). Thus, several strategies were evaluated to improve the methane yield from the wastewater. These strategies include nutrient (nitrogen and sulfur) amendment, along with ozone, HCl, and NaOH pretreatment. The results showed that nutrient amendment was the most suitable strategy for improving the digestibility of the catfish processing wastewater. A methane yield of 121–236 m³/ton (U.S.) COD_input was obtained, with a purity of 67–80 vol.%. These results are similar to yields and purities of biogas from other feedstock, such as food waste, wastewater solids, and fish canning wastewater. This indicates that anaerobic digestion could be a viable alternative for simultaneous treatment and energetic co-product generation from catfish processing wastewater. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Sustainable Chemical Processes)

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14 pages, 425 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Degradation Kinetics of Anthocyanins in Sour Cherry Cloudy Juices at Different Storage Temperature

by Aneta Wojdyło, Paulina Nowicka and Mirosława Teleszko

Processes 2019, 7(6), 367; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060367 - 12 Jun 2019

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3399

Abstract

The aim of this study was to characterize in detail 25 sour cherry cultivars and provide data on their industrial processing into high-quality sour cherry cloudy juices (ScCJ). Anthocyanin composition was identified and quantified by LC-PDA-ESI-MS QTof, UPLC-PDA. Kinetic degradation (k × 10 [...] Read more.

The aim of this study was to characterize in detail 25 sour cherry cultivars and provide data on their industrial processing into high-quality sour cherry cloudy juices (ScCJ). Anthocyanin composition was identified and quantified by LC-PDA-ESI-MS QTof, UPLC-PDA. Kinetic degradation (k × 10³, t_1/2, D value) and color (CIE La*b*) were measured before and after 190 days of storage at 4 °C and 30 °C. A total of five anthocyanins, four cyanidins (-3-O-sophoroside, -3-O-glucosyl-rutinoside, -3-O-glucoside, and -3-O-rutinoside) and one peonidin-3-O-rutinoside were detected across all investigated juices. Total anthocyanin content ranged from ~590 to ~1160 mg/L of juice, with the highest levels in Skierka, Nagy Erdigymulscu, Wilena, Wiblek, and Safir cvs., and the lowest in Dradem and Nanaones. During 190 days of storage a significant change was observed in the content of anthocyanins. Their degradation depended rather on the storage conditions (time and temperature) than on the type of anthocyanin compounds present in the ScCJ. Half-life values of ScCJ ranged from 64.7 to 188.5 days at 4 °C and from 45.9 to 112.40 days at 30 °C. Sample redness changed more rapidly than yellowness or lightness and Chroma or hue angel. These results may be useful for the juice industry and serve as a starting point for the development of tasty sour cherry juices with high levels of bioactive compounds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Biological Processes and Systems)

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20 pages, 5412 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Control of Solvent-Based Post-Combustion Carbon Capture Process with Optimal Operation Conditions

by Yih-Hang Chen, Ming-Tien Shen, Hsuan Chang and Chii-Dong Ho

Processes 2019, 7(6), 366; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060366 - 12 Jun 2019

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6162

Abstract

Solvent-based post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) is a mature and essential technology to solve the global warming problem. The high energy consuming issue and the flexible operation required by the power plants inquire about the development of effective control systems for PCC plants. This [...] Read more.

Solvent-based post-combustion carbon capture (PCC) is a mature and essential technology to solve the global warming problem. The high energy consuming issue and the flexible operation required by the power plants inquire about the development of effective control systems for PCC plants. This study proposes the optimal-based control approach that utilizes optimal set-point values for the quality controllers. The five optimal-based control schemes studied all employed L/G (liquid to gas ratio in absorber) as one quality control variable. Performance comparisons with a typical conventional control scheme are conducted employing a rate-based dynamic model for the MEA (monoethanolamine) solvent PCC process developed on a commercial process simulator. Compared to the typical control scheme, the optimal-based control schemes provide faster responses to the disturbance changes from the flue gas conditions and the set-point change of the CO₂ capture efficiency, as well as better results in terms of IAEs (integral of absolute errors) of capture efficiency and reboiler heat duty during the stabilization period. LG-T_str and LG-T_abs-Cascade are the best schemes. In addition to L/G, these two schemes employ the control of T_str (the temperature of a stage of stripper) and a cascade control of T_abs (the temperature of a stage of absorber) (outer loop) and T_str (inner loop), respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Dynamic Modeling and Control in Chemical and Energy Processes)

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22 pages, 4030 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Development and Permeability Testing of Self-Emulsifying Atorvastatin Calcium Pellets and Tablets of Compressed Pellets

by Mine Diril, Yesim Karasulu, Miltiadis Toskas and Ioannis Nikolakakis

Processes 2019, 7(6), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060365 - 12 Jun 2019

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4848

Abstract

Self-emulsifying pellets (SEPs) of Atorvastatin Calcium (AtrCa) were developed and processed into tablets (SETs). Self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) composed of oleic acid, Tween 20, Span 80 and N-Methyl-2-pyrolidone gave great solubility improvement and was used as oil in water emulsion for the [...] Read more.

Self-emulsifying pellets (SEPs) of Atorvastatin Calcium (AtrCa) were developed and processed into tablets (SETs). Self-emulsifying drug delivery system (SEDDS) composed of oleic acid, Tween 20, Span 80 and N-Methyl-2-pyrolidone gave great solubility improvement and was used as oil in water emulsion for the preparation of SEPs. Due to the high 60% w/w SEDDS content required to achieve a therapeutic dose in the final tablet form, sonication was necessary to improve fluidity and stability. Colloidal silicon dioxide (CSD) and microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) were the solids in the pellet formulation employed at a ratio 7:3, which enabled production of pellets with high SEDDS content and acceptable friability as well. Emulsions were characterized physico-chemically, SEPs for physical properties and reconstitution, and tablets of compressed pellets for mechanical strength, disintegration into pellets and drug release. SEPs compressed with 30% MCC at 60 MPa gave tablets of adequate strength that disintegrated rapidly into pellets within 1 min. Emulsion reconstitution took longer than drug release due to adsorption of SEDDS on CSD, implying dissolution at the pellet surface in parallel to that from the dispersed droplets. Compared to the commercial tablet, drug release from the self-emulsifying forms was faster at pH 1.2 where the drug solubility is poor, but slower at pH 6.8 where the solubility is higher. Permeability and cytotoxicity were also studied using Caco-2 cells. The results showed that drug transport from the apical to basolateral compartment of the test well was 1.27 times greater for SEPs than commercial tablets, but 0.86 times lower in the opposite direction. Statistical analysis confirmed the significance of these results. Toxicity was slightly reduced. Therefore, the increased permeability in conjunction with the protection of the drug being dissolved in the SEDDS droplets, may reduce the overall effect of presystemic metabolism and enhance bioavailability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Advanced Digital and Other Processes)

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16 pages, 2282 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Optimization of Post Combustion CO₂ Capture from a Combined-Cycle Gas Turbine Power Plant via Taguchi Design of Experiment

by Ben Alexanda Petrovic and Salman Masoudi Soltani

Processes 2019, 7(6), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060364 - 12 Jun 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6239

Abstract

The potential of carbon capture and storage to provide a low carbon fossil-fueled power generation sector that complements the continuously growing renewable sector is becoming ever more apparent. An optimization of a post combustion capture unit employing the solvent monoethanolamine (MEA) was carried [...] Read more.

The potential of carbon capture and storage to provide a low carbon fossil-fueled power generation sector that complements the continuously growing renewable sector is becoming ever more apparent. An optimization of a post combustion capture unit employing the solvent monoethanolamine (MEA) was carried out using a Taguchi design of experiment to mitigate the parasitic energy demands of the system. An equilibrium-based approach was employed in Aspen Plus to simulate 90% capture of the CO₂ emitted from a 600 MW natural gas combined-cycle gas turbine power plant. The effects of varying the inlet flue gas temperature, absorber column operating pressure, amount of exhaust gas recycle, and amine concentration were evaluated using signal to noise ratios and analysis of variance. The optimum levels that minimized the specific energy requirements were a: flue gas temperature = 50 °C; absorber pressure = 1 bar; exhaust gas recirculation = 20% and; amine concentration = 35 wt%, with a relative importance of: amine concentration > absorber column pressure > exhaust gas recirculation > flue gas temperature. This configuration gave a total capture unit energy requirement of 5.05 GJ/tonneCO₂, with an energy requirement in the reboiler of 3.94 GJ/tonneCO₂. All the studied factors except the flue gas temperature, demonstrated a statistically significant association to the response. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gas Capture Processes)

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15 pages, 841 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Yield, Phytochemical Constituents, and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils from the Leaves/Twigs, Branches, Branch Wood, and Branch Bark of Sour Orange (Citrus aurantium L.)

by Mohammad K. Okla, Saud A. Alamri, Mohamed Z.M. Salem, Hayssam M. Ali, Said I. Behiry, Ramadan A. Nasser, Ibrahim A. Alaraidh, Salem M. Al-Ghtani and Walid Soufan

Processes 2019, 7(6), 363; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr7060363 - 11 Jun 2019

Cited by 66 | Viewed by 7541

Abstract

In the present work, essential oils (EOs) extracted from different parts of sour orange Citrus aurantium (green leaves/twigs, small branches, wooden branches, and branch bark) were studied through gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Furthermore, the EOs in the amounts of 5, [...] Read more.

In the present work, essential oils (EOs) extracted from different parts of sour orange Citrus aurantium (green leaves/twigs, small branches, wooden branches, and branch bark) were studied through gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Furthermore, the EOs in the amounts of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 µL were studied for their antibacterial activity against three pathogenic bacteria, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Dickeya solani, and Erwinia amylovora. The main EO compounds in the leaves/twigs were 4-terpineol (22.59%), D-limonene (16.67%), 4-carvomenthenol (12.84%), and linalool (7.82%). In small green branches, they were D-limonene (71.57%), dodecane (4.80%), oleic acid (2.72%), and trans-palmitoleic acid (2.62%), while in branch bark were D-limonene (54.61%), γ-terpinene (6.68%), dodecane (5.73%), and dimethyl anthranilate (3.13%), and in branch wood were D-limonene (38.13%), dimethyl anthranilate (8.13%), (-)-β-fenchol (6.83%), and dodecane (5.31%). At 25 µL, the EO from branches showed the highest activity against A. tumefaciens (IZ value of 17.66 mm), and leaves/twigs EO against D. solani and E. amylovora had an IZ value of 17.33 mm. It could be concluded for the first time that the wood and branch bark of C. aurantium are a source of phytochemicals, with D-limonene being the predominant compound in the EO, with potential antibacterial activities. The compounds identified in all the studied parts might be appropriate for many applications, such as antimicrobial agents, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Separation and Extraction Processes)

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