Optimisation of petroleum refinery water network systems retrofit incorporating reuse,regeneration and recycle strategies

Scarcities in freshwater supply and increasingly stringent rules on wastewater discharges have emerged as major environmental concerns for petroleum refineries. Hence, this work attempts to develop an optimisation framework for refinery water network systems design and retrofit that integrates the complementary advantageous features of water pinch analysis (WPA). The framework explicitly incorporates water minimisation strategies by first postulating a superstructure representation that embeds all feasible flowsheet alternatives for implementing water reuse, regeneration and recycle (W3R) opportunities. Subsequently, a nonlinear programming (NLP) model is formulated based on the superstructure and computational experiments on a real‐world case study are conducted using the GAMS/CONOPT3 modelling language platform. Post‐optimality analysis on the numerical results are performed to achieve the desired water reuse quality, hence presenting a viable framework to aid decision‐making in water network systems synthesis. © 2011 Canadian Society for Chemical Engineering     

Development,characterisation and biocompatibility testing of a cobalt-containing titanium phosphate-based glass for engineering of vascularized hard tissues

There is a continuing need to develop scaffold materials that can promote vascularisation throughout the tissue engineered construct. This study investigated the effect of cobalt oxide (CoO) doped into titanium phosphate glasses on material properties, biocompatibility and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) secretion by osteoblastic MG63 cells. Glasses composed of (P₂O₅)₄₅(Na₂O)₂₀(TiO₂)₀₅(CaO)_30 ? x(CoO)_x(x = 0, 5, 10, and 15 mol%) were fabricated and the effect of Co on physicochemical properties including density, glass transition temperature (T_g), degradation rate, ion release, and pH changes was assessed. The results showed that incorporation of CoO into the glass system produced an increase in density with little change in T_g. It was then confirmed that the pH did not change significantly when CoO was incorporated in the glass, and stayed constant at around 6.5–7.0 throughout the dissolution study period of 336 h. Ion release results followed a specific pattern with increasing amounts of CoO. In general, although incorporation of CoO into a titanium phosphate glass increased its density, other bulk and surface properties of the glass did not show any significant changes. Cell culture studies performed using MG63 cells over a 7-day period indicated that the glasses provide a stable surface for cell attachment and are biocompatible. Furthermore, VEGF secretion was significantly enhanced on all glasses compared with standard tissue culture plastic and Co doping enhanced this effect further. In conclusion, the developed Co-doped glasses are stable and biocompatible and thus offer enhanced potential for engineering vascularized tissue.     

Poly(glycidyl methacrylate) beads embedded cryogels for pseudo-specific affinity depletion of albumin and immunoglobulin G

Depletion of high abundant proteins like albumin and immunoglobulin G (IgG) can be beneficial in the analysis of serum proteins. For this purpose, Cibacron Blue F3GA and iminodiacetic acid (IDA)-Cu²⁺ containing poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) beads (1.6 µm in diameter) were embedded into the poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) cryogel. The PGMA beads were prepared by dispersion polymerization. The PGMA beads were modified with Cibacron Blue F3GA and iminodiacetic acid (IDA)-Cu²⁺ for simultaneous albumin and IgG depletion, respectively. The PHEMA cryogel was synthesized by free radical polymerization in the presence of the modified PGMA beads. The PHEMA and PHEMA/PGMA composite cryogels were characterized by swelling measurements and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Protein depletion studies were carried out in a continuous experimental set-up in a stacked column. Albumin adsorption capacity of the PGMA-Cibacron Blue F3GA beads embedded PHEMA cryogel (PHEMA/PGMA-Cibacron Blue F3GA) was 342 mg/g and IgG adsorption capacity of the PGMA-IDA-Cu²⁺ beads embedded PHEMA cryogel (PHEMA/PGMA-IDA-Cu²⁺) was 257 mg/g. The composite cryogels depleted albumin and IgG from human serum with 89.4% and 93.6% efficiency, respectively. High desorption values (over 90% for both modified cryogels) were achieved with 0.05 M phosphate buffer containing1.0 M NaCl.     

Patulin Imprinted Nanoparticles Decorated Surface Plasmon Resonance Chips for Patulin Detection

In this study,the patulin imprinted and the non-imprinted nanoparticles are synthesized by the two-phase mini emulsion polymerization method and characterized b...     

Prediction of the resource-efficient potential of Turkish manufacturing industry: a country-based study

Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy - As an emerging country, there is a rapid industrial development and associated excessive resource consumption in Turkey. In this case, the...     

Glutamic acid containing supermacroporous poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) cryogel disks for UO22+ removal

Supermacroporous cryogel with an average pore size of 10–200 μm in diameter was prepared by cryopolymerization of N-methacryloyl-(l)-glutamic acid (MAGA) and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The poly(HEMA–MAGA) cryogel was characterized by surface area measurements, FTIR, swelling studies, elemental analysis and SEM. The poly(HEMA–MAGA) cryogel had a specific surface area of 23.2 m²/g. The equilibrium swelling ratio of the cryogel is 9.68 g H₂O/g for poly(HEMA–MAGA) and 8.56 g H₂O/g cryogel for PHEMA. The poly(HEMA–MAGA) cryogel disks with a pore volume of 71.6% containing 878 μmol MAGA/g were used in the removal of UO₂²⁺ from aqueous solutions. Adsorption equilibrium of UO₂²⁺ was obtained in about 30 min. The adsorption of UO₂²⁺ ions onto the PHEMA cryogel disks was negligible (0.78 mg/g). The MAGA incorporation significantly increased the UO₂²⁺ adsorption capacity (92.5 mg/g). The adsorption process is found to be a function of pH of the UO₂²⁺ solution, with the optimum value being pH 6.0. Adsorption capacity of MAGA contained PHEMA based cryogel disks increased significantly with pH and then reached the maximum at pH 6.0. Consecutive adsorption and elution cycles showed the feasibility of repeated use for poly(HEMA–MAGA) cryogel disks.     

The effect of Mn on the structural and magnetic behaviour of Fe–6Si–8B alloy produced by high energy ball Milling

The alloys of Fe–6Si–8B and Fe–6Si–8B–1Mn were prepared using high energy planetary ball mill. X-ray diffraction patterns of the milled samples confirmed the formation of the alloys by dissolution of Si in Fe after 30 and 24 h of milling for the Fe–6Si–8B and Fe–6Si–8B–1Mn samples respectively. The lattice parameter was found to increase continuously with milling time and the rise was steeper for the quaternary alloy. After 36 h of milling, the crystallite size for the two samples were reduced to 98 and 86 nm respectively. Mössbauer spectra suggested the formation of minor amount of α-Fe₂O₃. The value of saturation magnetization was 162 Am²/kg for Fe–6Si–8B alloy obtained after 18 h of milling. However, the value decreased with increased milling time as well as with Mn-addition. The remanance value showed similar tendency as that for saturation magnetization. In contrast, the coercivity value was found to be increasing with milling time and with Mn-addition.     

Reactive green HE‐4BD functionalized supermacroporous poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) cryogel for heavy metal removal

The aim of this study was to investigate the heavy metal adsorption performance of supermacroporous poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [PHEMA] cryogel. The PHEMA cryogel was produced by cryo‐polymerization. The PHEMA cryogel was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The PHEMA cryogel containing 385 μmol Reactive Green HE‐4BD/g were used in the adsorption studies. Adsorption capacity of the PHEMA cryogel for the metal ions, i.e., Cu²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Pb²⁺ were investigated in aqueous media containing different amounts of the ions (5–600 mg/L) and at different pH values (3.2–6.9). The maximum adsorption capacities of the PHEMA cryogel were 11.6 mg/g (56 μmol/g) for Pb²⁺, 24.5 mg/g (385 μmol/g) for Cu²⁺ and 29.1 mg/g (256 μmol/g) for Cd²⁺. The competitive adsorption capacities were 10.9 mg/g (52 μmol/g) for Pb²⁺, 22.1 mg/g for Cd²⁺ (196 μmol/g) and 23.2 mg/g (365 μmol/g) for Cu²⁺. The PHEMA/Reactive Green HE‐4BD cryogel exhibited the following metal ion affinity sequence on molar basis: Cu²⁺ > Cd²⁺ > Pb²⁺. The PHEMA/Reactive Green HE‐4BD cryogel can be easily regenerated by 50 mM EDTA with higher effectiveness. These features make the PHEMA/Reactive Green HE‐4BD cryogel a potential adsorbent for heavy metal removal. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Reactions and applications of titanium imido complexes

This Account highlights aspects of the reactions and applications of titanium imido complexes. Over the past decade in particular, the Ti=NR linkage has been shown to couple stoichiometrically with a variety of unsaturated substrates including CO(2), carbodiimides, isocyanates, isocyanides, acetonitrile, phosphaalkynes, alkynes, alkenes, and allenes. Especially recently, there has been much interest in using titanium imides as catalysts for hydroamination and olefin polymerization. The advances in these areas are also reviewed.     

Effect of Cooling Rate on Structure,Composition, and Superconducting Properties of FeTe<Subscript>0.6</Subscript>Se<Subscript>0.4</Subscript> Prepared by Self-Flux Technique

We have reported the synthesis and characterization of FeTe_0.6Se_0.4 prepared by self-flux technique with two different cooling rates, namely 0.8 and 4.5^°C/h. The effect of cooling rate on the samples has been characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) together with energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrometer, X-ray diffraction (XRD), magnetization and magnetic hysteresis techniques. Four strong peaks were observed in the powder XRD patterns of both samples corresponding to the reflected intensities from the (001), (002), (003), and (004) planes of the tetragonal structure having space group P4/nmm. However, sample 2 has extra peaks corresponding to various non-superconducting binary phases of FeSe and FeTe. It can be concluded that the multiphase behavior of system increases with increasing cooling rate. The critical current value at 5 K, J _c (0), deduced from the M ? H loops is approximately 5.6 × 10⁴ A/cm² for sample 1 and 7.5 × 10⁴ A/cm² for sample 2. Increasing in the critical current value can be attributed to non-superconducting binary phases acting as effective pinning centers in the system.