Assessing the performance of an industrial SBCR for Fischer–Tropsch synthesis: Experimental and modeling

The main objective of this study is to predict the performance of an industrial‐scale (ID = 5.8 m) slurry bubble column reactor (SBCR) operating with iron‐based catalyst for Fischer–Tropsch (FT) synthesis, with emphasis on catalyst deactivation. To achieve this objective, a comprehensive reactor model, incorporating the hydrodynamic and mass‐transfer parameters (gas holdup, ε_G, Sauter‐mean diameter of gas bubbles, d₃₂, and volumetric liquid‐side mass‐transfer coefficients, k_La), and FT as well as water gas shift reaction kinetics, was developed. The hydrodynamic and mass‐transfer parameters for He/N₂ gaseous mixtures, as surrogates for H₂/CO, were obtained in an actual molten FT reactor wax produced from the same reactor. The data were measured in a pilot‐scale (0.29 m) SBCR under different pressures (4–31 bar), temperatures (380–500 K), superficial gas velocities (0.1–0.3 m/s), and iron‐based catalyst concentrations (0–45 wt %). The data were modeled and predictive correlations were incorporated into the reactor model. The reactor model was then used to study the effects of catalyst concentration and reactor length‐to‐diameter ratio (L/D) on the water partial pressure, which is mainly responsible for iron catalyst deactivation, the H₂ and CO conversions and the C₅₊ product yields. The modeling results of the industrial SBCR investigated in this study showed that (1) the water partial pressure should be maintained under 3 bars to minimize deactivation of the iron‐based catalyst used; (2) the catalyst concentration has much more impact on the gas holdup and reactor performance than the reactor height; and (3) the reactor should be operated in the kinetically controlled regime with an L/D of 4.48 and a catalyst concentration of 22 wt % to maximize C₅₊ products yield, while minimizing the iron catalyst deactivation. Under such conditions, the H₂ and CO conversions were 49.4% and 69.3%, respectively, and the C₅₊ products yield was 435.6 ton/day. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 61: 3838–3857, 2015     

Modeling and optimization of a large-scale slurry bubble column reactor for producing 10,000 bbl/day of Fischer-Tropsch liquid hydrocarbons

A user-friendly simulator based on a comprehensive computer model for slurry bubble column reactors (SBCRs) for Fischer-Tropsch (F-T) synthesis, taking into account the hydrodynamics, kinetics, heat transfer, and mass transfer was developed. The hydrodynamic and mass transfer data obtained in our laboratories under typical F-T conditions along with those available in the literature were correlated using Back Propagation Neural Network and empirical correlations with high confidence levels. The data used covered wide ranges of reactor geometry, gas distributor, and operating conditions. All reactor partial differential equations, equation parameters and boundary conditions were simultaneously solved numerically.The simulator was systematically used to predict the effects of reactor geometry (inside diameter and height) as well as superficial gas velocity and catalyst concentration on the performance of a large-scale SBCR provided with cooling pipes and operating under F-T conditions with cobalt-supported catalyst and H₂/CO = 2. The performance of the SBCR was expressed in terms of CO conversion, liquid hydrocarbon yield, catalyst productivity, and space time yield. The simulator was also used to optimize the reactor geometry and operating conditions in order to produce 10,000 barrels/day (bbl/day) of liquid hydrocarbons.     

Bioactive injectable triple acting thermosensitive hydrogel enriched with nano-hydroxyapatite for bone regeneration: in-vitro characterization,Saos-2 cell line cell viability and osteogenic markers evaluation

Hydrogels forming in-situ have gained great attention in the area of bone tissue engineering recently, they were also showed to be a good and less invasive alternative to surgically applied ones. The primal focus of this study was to prepare chitosan-glycerol phosphate thermosensitive hydrogel formed in-situ and loaded with risedronate (bone resorption inhibitor) in an easy way with no requirement of complicated processes or large number of equipment. Then we investigated its effectiveness for bone regeneration. In-situ forming hydrogels were prepared using chitosan cross-linked with glycerol phosphate and loaded with risedronate and nano-hydroxyapatite as bone cement. The prepared hydrogels were characterized by analyzing their gelation time at 37?°C, % porosity, swelling index, in-vitro degradation, rheological properties, and in-vitro drug release. Results showed that the in-situ hydrogels prepared using 2.5% (w/v) chitosan cross-linked with 50% (w/v) glycerol phosphate in the ratio (9:1, v/v) reinforced with 20?mg/mL and nano-hydroxyapatite possessed the most sustained drug release profile. This optimized formulation was further evaluated using DSC and FTIR studies, in addition to their morphological properties using scanning electron microscopy. The effect on Saos-2 cell line viability was evaluated also using MTT assay on the optimized hydrogel formulation in addition to their action on cell proliferation using fluorescence microscope. Moreover, calcium deposition on the hydrogel and alkaline phosphatase activity were evaluated. Risedronate-nano-hydroxyapatite loaded hydrogels significantly enhanced the Saos-2 cell proliferation in addition to enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium deposition. Such results suggest that risedronate-nano-hydroxyapatite loaded hydrogels present great biocompatibility for bone regeneration. Proliferation of cells, as well as deposition of mineral on the hydrogel, was an evidence of the biocompatible nature of the hydrogel. This hydrogel formed in-situ present a good less invasive alternative for bone tissue engineering.     

Novel power quality indices based on wavelet packet transform for non-stationary sinusoidal and non-sinusoidal disturbances

High power quality (PQ) level represents one of the main objectives towards smart grid. The currently used PQIs that are a measure of the PQ level are defined under the umbrella of the Fourier foundation that produces unrealistic results in case of non-stationary PQ disturbances. In order to accurately measure those indices, wavelet packet transform (WPT) is used in this paper to reformulate the recommended PQIs and hence benefiting from the WPT capabilities in accurately analyzing non-stationary waveforms and providing a uniform time–frequency sub-bands leading to reduced size of the data to be processed which is a necessity to facilitate the implementation of smart grid. Numerical examples’ results considering non-stationary waveforms prove the suitability of the WPT for PQIs measurement; also the results indicate that Daubechies 10 could be the best candidate wavelet basis function that could provide acceptable accuracy while requiring less number of wavelet coefficients and hence reducing the data size. Moreover, a new time–frequency overall and node crest factors are introduced in this paper. The new node crest factor is able to determine the node or the sub-band that is responsible for the largest impact which could not be achieved using traditional approaches.     

操作变量对大型浆态床反应器流体力学特性的影响

研究了系统压力、表观气速和固体颗粒体积分数对浆态床反应器气含率、气泡直径及气液接触面积的影响 ,通过试验得出了气含率和操作变量之间的统计关联式 ,给出了在湍流条件下浆态床反应器中气含率和气体动量之间的关系     

In vitro evaluation of electrospun gelatin–glutaraldehyde nanofibers

The gelatin–glutaraldehyde (gelatin–GA) nanofibers were electrospun in order to overcome the defects of ex-situ crosslinking process such as complex process, destruction of fiber morphology and decrease of porosity. The morphological structure, porosity, thermal property, moisture absorption and moisture retention performance, hydrolytic resistance, mechanical property and biocompatibility of nanofiber scaffolds were tested and characterized. The gelatin–GA nanofiber has nice uniform diameter and more than 80% porosity. The hydrolytic resistance and mechanical property of the gelatin–GA nanofiber scaffolds are greatly improved compared with that of gelatin nanofibers. The contact angle, moisture absorption, hydrolysis resistance, thermal resistance and mechanical property of gelatin–GA nanofiber scaffolds could be adjustable by varying the gelatin solution concentration and GA content. The gelatin–GA nanofibers had excellent properties, which are expected to be an ideal scaffold for biomedical and tissue engineering applications.     

Rapid processing & characterization of micro-scale functionally graded porous materials

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is a process that has stimulated worldwide interest for the rapid consolidation of powder-based materials through the combined effects of electric current and pressure. Recently the localization of SPS has been realized through current activated tip-based sintering (CATS) where electric current is selectively applied to small targeted regions of a green compact/powder bed via a precision controlled electrically conductive small tip. The unique tip-specimen geometry allows for locally controlled temperature and current distributions that can result in microstructural modifications on the micro-scale. The present paper presents for the first time the rapid processing and characterization of micro-scale functionally graded materials in relation to porosity content and size. The effects of initial green density and particle size on the developed micro-scale functionally graded material are discussed.     

The influence of anilino-substituted salicylanilide on the physicomechanical properties of ultraviolet-aged natural rubber

The effect of nine derivatives of salicylanilides on the elastic properties of ultraviolet-aged natural rubber have been investigated. The results are compared with similar blends without additives and also with reference samples containing phenyl salicylate. The compounds showed variable effects, but both o-Cl and p-OCH₃ derivatives showed remarkable effects. They both help in the thermal crosslinking. Also, natural rubber samples containing these derivatives showed remarkable stability in tensile stress, elongation, and swelling.