DIMENSIONLESS CORRELATION FOR THE HEAT TRANSFER COEFFICIENT IN A BATCH-INDIRECT ROTARY DRIER

A batch-indirect rotary drier heated with steam was experimentally operated to obtain data of moisture content and temperature versus time for soy meal and fish meal. Operation conditions were as follow: steam pressure (1 to 4 bar), rotation speed (3.7 to 11.6 r.p.m.) and rate of vapor extraction (0.059 to 0.256 m/s).

From experimental data the effective heat transfer coefficient between the hot surface and the bed of solids was determined. These data were correlated by means of dimensional analysis as a function of the drying process variables. The equation obtained for the effective Nusselt number predicts adequately the effective heat transfer coefficient, for both substrates, in the range of the operating variables studied.     

Robust temperature control for batch chemical reactors

Since batch chemical reactors exhibit an integrating response, temperature control for these systems can be a real problem for conventional PID controllers. Tuning can be extremely difficult due to the reduced stability margins proved for this type of processes. In this work, a simple robust control strategy for temperature regulation in batch and semi-batch chemical reactors is proposed. The feedback controller is composed by an approximate I/O linearizing feedback equipped with a calorimetric balance estimator. Based on standard results from singular perturbations, it is proven that the proposed feedback controller (i) can track a bounded temperature trajectory as close as desired (i.e., practical stability) by adjusting a single estimation parameter, and (ii) after a short transient, the performance of the exact I/O linearizing feedback can be recovered as the calorimetric balance estimation rate is increased.     

Process heat integration of a heavy crude hydrotreatment plant

The present paper focuses on the study of process alternatives for heat integration of a heavy crude oil hydrotreatment plant. Experimental information obtained from a pilot scale, kinetics and reactor modeling tools, and a commercial process simulator were employed to develop mass and energy balances. Four study cases, which employ a combination of quenching and heat exchangers, were identified and evaluated. The results indicated that the case with two quenches with hydrogen and three heat exchangers is the best process heat integration (PHI) option from an energetic point of view.     

Crosslinking reactions and swelling behavior of matrices based on N-acryloyl-TRIS(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane

Summary In this study, new hydrogels in rod shape were prepared from N-acryloyl-TRIS(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (NAT) using ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) or N,N’methylenebisacrylamide (BIS) as crosslinking agent, dimethylformamide (DMF) as solvent and benzoyl peroxide (BPO) as initiator. In most cases, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), acrylamide (Aam) or acrylic acid (Aac) were used as co-monomers. The polymeric matrices obtained by free radical polymerization exhibited different properties by changing crosslinker, crosslinker concentration, co-monomer and initial NAT/co-monomer mole ratio. Besides, hydrogels from HEMA, Aam and Aac with BIS in absence of NAT were prepared under the same experimental reaction conditions in order to compare the properties of these products with those synthesized from NAT and the respective co-monomers. Some of the final products were selected to perform urea release assays, conducted through swelling-controlled release. Urea was chosen as “model” plant fertilizer agent.     

Coatings for corrosion protection of porous substrates in gasifier components

Deposition of several coatings by Chemical Vapor Deposition in a Fluidized Bed was studied inside porous coupons made of 409 steel. Four different coating systems were studied: TiAlSiN/TiAl/SS409, TiAlSiN/TiAlSi/SS409, TiAlN/Nb/TiAl/SS409 and TiSiN/Nb/TiSi/SS409. Though coating thickness decreased with depth inside the porous filter, the formation of Ti-based ceramic films with thicknesses around 1 micrometer was observed 0.5 mm inside the bulk of the samples. Coated substrates were exposed to a simulated coal gas at 643 K for 300 hours, in order to study their corrosion resistance under conditions that mimic a porous metal particulate filter of a coal gasification system. Some of the coatings did not provide enough protection against corrosion at the bulk of the porous coupons, and iron sulfide crystals were formed that plugged the pores. On the other hand, the TiSiN/Nb/TiSi/SS409 system showed no sign of corrosion.     

Ozone-activated Carbon Mineralization of 17-α-Ethynylestradiol Aqueous Solutions

Ozone and activated carbon (AC) have been used on the removal of 17α-ethynylestradiol (ETOL), a pharmaceutical compound, and its oxidation by-products. Although single ozonation is not able to totally remove the by-products formed from the degradation of the parent compound (about 65% of TOC removal at pH 7 after 2-hour reaction), the ozone/AC system led not only to higher TOC removal at the same conditions (about 90% in the case of P110 Hydraffin AC) but also to lower ozone consumption. In addition, samples treated with the catalytic process presented ecotoxicity values lower than those resulting from the application of single ozonation.     

Corrosion relationships as a function of time and surface roughness on a structural AE44 magnesium alloy

Pit initiation, growth, and coalescence corrosion mechanisms of an AE44 magnesium alloy subjected to a salt-water environment were quantified. Stereological quantities were evaluated using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and laser beam profilometry. Three corrosion mechanisms clearly arose: pitting, intergranular, and general. Pitting began as the result of localized galvanic dissolution between the intermetallics and magnesium matrix. Intergranular corrosion arose as pits coalesced. General corrosion arose by dissolution and regeneration of a Mg(OH)₂ film at a continuous rate. Stereological quantification demonstrated that the corrosion pit number density and pit radius size distribution initially increased before decreasing due to pit coalescence.     

Influence of Chemical Reactions in Magnesia-Graphite Refractories: II, Effects of Aluminum and Graphite Contents in Generic Products

A group of magnesia-graphite and magnesia-graphite-aluminum materials, the compositions of which represent a wide range of graphite contents (~10-16.4 wt%), aluminum contents (0-5.2 wt%), and MgO and graphite qualities, were fabricated, using standard commercial practices. Chemical analysis and determination of room-temperature modulus of rupture (MOR) and Young's modulus, as well as a complete microstructural characterization of the as-received materials, were performed. Mechanical characterization at high temperature (1000°, 1200°, and 1450°C) was done in terms of Young's modulus and MOR in an argon atmosphere (<1000 ppm oxygen at 1000°C). Modulus-of-elasticity values ranged from 4 to 16 GPa, and their evolution with temperature was determined by the evolution of the microstructure in the bulk of the specimens. A strong effect of aluminum-metal concentration on Young's modulus overrode other microstructural differences among the materials. MOR values ranged from 6 to 20 MPa, and their evolution with temperature was determined by the evolution of the microstructure in the bulk of the specimens at the lower testing temperatures ( T lessthan equal to 1200°C) and by phase assemblages in the surface regions of the specimens-essentially by the presence of the dense MgO zone-at 1450°C. The thickness of the dense MgO zone in the aluminum-containing materials was determined by the amount of aluminum and the MgO aggregate size.     

Influence of the co-firing on the leaching of trace pollutants from coal fly ash

The (co)-firing of low-cost alternative fuels is expected to increase in the forthcoming years in the EU because of the economic and environmental benefits provided by this technology. This study deals with the impact of the different coal/waste fuel ratio of the feed blend on the mineralogy, the chemical composition and especially on the leaching properties of fly ash. Different blends of coal, petroleum coke, sewage sludge, wood pellets, coal tailings and other minor biomass fuels were tested in PCC (pulverised coal combustion) and FBC (fluidized bed combustion) power plants. The co-firing of the studied blends did not drastically modify the mineralogy, bulk composition or the overall leaching of the fly ash obtained. This suggests that the co-firing process using the alternative fuels studied does not entail significant limitations in the re-use or management strategies of fly ash.     

Acetone transformation into methyl isobutyl ketone over Pt/HMFI catalysts. IV. Effect of density and strength of the acidic sites

Acetone transformation into methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) was studied using a fixed-bed dynamic reactor at 160°C, 1 atm pressure and acetone/H₂ molar ratio=3. The reaction was carried out over Pt/HMFI bifunctional catalysts, with 0.30 wt% of platinum which was supported over three aluminosilicates (Si/Al ratio=40, 95 and 160) and a borosilicate (Si/B ratio=44) with similar dispersion. The results show that catalytic properties depend greatly on density and strength of the acidic sites of the catalysts. Moreover, the limiting step of the MIBK synthesis reaction (aldolization of two acetone molecules) is carried out over the acidic sites of the aluminosilicates, but not over those of the borosilicate, which considerably affects reaction selectivity. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.