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Levulinic acid (LA) and its valuable derivatives are in great demand in various applications. LA manufacturing from renewable resources through biorefinery processes has gained significant attention in sustainable LA production. However, the primary challenge in biorefinery is the separation of LA from other biomass products. The current review discussed the importance of the LA, its synthesis route, and the advantages and drawbacks of various LA separation and extraction methods. The application of adsorption, electrodialysis, crystallization, liquid–liquid extraction, and liquid membrane for LA extraction was elaborated. The potential of the liquid membrane technology, which can remove and recover desired products in a single step with high selectivity, was highlighted for the LA extraction. The advancement of various separation techniques used for LA extraction is required to fulfil the growing demand for LA products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates the feasibility of using a decanter centrifuge to separate solid particles coated with a high melting fat from a liquid oil. The process involves feeding cold silica particles into a melt, upon which the hardstock fat crystallizes, and the particles are subsequently separated using a decanter centrifuge. Being the first attempt for such a design, only the separation step is studied, and a model system is used. It comprised canola oil (CO), fully hydrogenated rapeseed oil a priori crystallized on silica gel particles. Different particle sizes and accelerations of gravity were studied. To measure the success of this separation process, the data from light microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry of the feed, oleins, and stearins were used. The findings show that the separation of the fatty particles used in this work, and liquid oil in decanter centrifuges is feasible while future research should focus on the crystallization part of the process. The model developed to describe the oil‐holding capacity of the cake focuses on the capillary liquid entrapped in the spaces between the particles and sufficiently represents the experimental findings which show that separation efficiencies increase with increasing centrifugal acceleration. Practical Applications: This work introduces an alternative fat fractionation process by separating a model system of CO, FHRO, and solid entrainers through a decanter centrifuge. The results can be potentially used for the development of a fully continuous dry fractionation process, which can achieve in one step higher SE than the conventional ones and can be tripalmitate‐selective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the efficacy of activated carbon derived from coconut shells for the removal of Triclosan (TCS) from aqueous solutions. Experimental results demonstrate the impressive efficiency of coconut shell-derived activated carbon in eliminating TCS from water. Statistical analysis underscores the significant role of agitation in enhancing adsorption efficiency, with increased agitation leading to higher contaminant removal rates. Equilibrium is rapidly achieved, with removal efficiencies exceeding 85 %. Kinetic analysis reveals rapid adsorption kinetics, predominantly following the pseudo-second-order model. Additionally, intraparticle diffusion analyses provide insights into TCS diffusion within activated carbon pores, highlighting its dependence on solute concentration. These findings underscore the potential of coconut shell-derived activated carbon as a viable solution for mitigating TCS contamination in water sources, contributing to the development of effective water treatment strategies.

Abstract This paper aims to reduce friction pair erosion of the clutch in the case of continuous shift; the dynamic separation process of the friction pair is investigated. The temperature of the friction pair, friction torque, and separation speed in the separation process are taken as the research objects, and the dynamics simulation model and finite element thermal coupling simulation model of the clutch separation process are established. The nonlinear dynamic separation characteristics of the friction pair are investigated by comparing and analyzing the effects of control parameters such as rotational speed difference, damping ratio, and lubricant viscosity on the friction torque, friction pair separation speed, separation gap, and contact stress during the separation process. The gap recovery coefficient is proposed as a response indicator for observing the separation process in response to the inability to observe the nonlinear dynamic motion of the friction pair during the separation process and to measure the end time of the separation. Finally, the clutch was subjected to a separation test. The results show that the proposed gap recovery coefficient accurately describes the separation process. The simulation model can simulate the clutch's separation and predict the trend of separation parameters.

To address the challenging issue of achieving high-precision carbon-ash separation in coal gasification fine slag, magnetic separation and flotation techniques were employed to study their respective separation effect. Optimization tests were conducted to determine the optimal magnetic field gradient and magnetic field intensity, and the ash content of magnetic separation concentrates was 72.18%, with a reduction of 7.28% compared to the sample. Additionally, the magnetic separation tailings exhibited an ash content of 93.99%. Through flotation tests, the optimum conditions for kerosene and composite collector was established. The ash content of flotation concentrates decreased by 16.39% compared to the sample, and the ash content of flotation tailings was 95.83%. A comparative analysis revealed that the combined separation process outperforms single separation methods in reducing the ash content of the concentrates, and realize the further quality improvement and separation effect. Detailed analysis of magnetic characteristics and XRD, XPS analysis studies on the sample and the products, indicated that the magnetic separation effectively pre-removes a certain amount of magnetic high ash minerals. Furthermore, the collector treatment significantly increased hydrophobicity difference between residual carbon and ash matter, which ultimately enhancing the flotation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tar-rich coal holds the potential to substitute the supply of oil-gas resources. The in-situ pyrolysis contributes to efficient resource utilization and can potentially achieve net-zero CO2 emissions. However, it is challenging to efficiently separate oil-gas resources, which are predominated by tar, from multiphase products of in-situ pyrolysis of tar-rich coal. Additionally, the difference in fluid properties yields significant influences on separation performance, while the understanding of the separation characteristics of high-viscosity fluid remains insufficient. In this study, the separation process of pyrolysis products from tar-rich coal was investigated using the computational fluid dynamics simulation approach. The flow field, pressure drop, separation efficiency and distribution characteristics were analyzed. The simulation results indicate that the volute cyclone separator exhibits commendable separation efficiency, exceeding 98%. Meanwhile, in handling tars containing a high concentration of light oil, the separator demonstrates remarkable adaptability. The separation efficiency of solid particles decreases from 89% to 83% when the system contains a high content of pitch. The particle diameter exerts great influence on the flow field. The separation efficiencies are 99% and 0.37%, respectively, when the particle sizes are selected as 0.1 mm and 0.001 mm. In the scope of this study, the optimal working conditions of the cyclone separator were determined, which provides data support for improving the separation efficiency and recovery rate of the oil-gas resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we present the results of the first comparison of the elimination of toxic Cr(VI) ions, which are hazardous contamination of the environment, from aqueous solutions using ion exchangers (IEs) and polymer materials (PMs) impregnated with D2EHPA or ionic liquids (Cyphos IL 101 and Cyphos IL 104). Sorption of Cr(VI) ions and desorption from the formulated sorption materials were carried out. In comparison, classical solvent extraction was accomplished. Fourier transform infrared-attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) have been used for characterization of the structure of developed IEs and PMs. The highest efficiency of adsorption of Cr(VI) ions was obtained using PMs with ionic liquids (>82%). Desorption from these materials were also very efficient (>75%). On the contrary, the application of IEs allowed for obtaining the best results of both, sorption and desorption processes when using D2EHPA (75% and 72%, respectively). The application of PMs and IEs is part of the green chemistry, and the conducted elimination of chromium(VI) ions using developed materials allows for the conclusion that they can potentially be used on a larger scale, e.g., for the treatment of industrial wastewater rich in Cr(VI) ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separation process is one of the key processes in the production of fruit spirits, including the traditional distillation method and the new pervaporation membrane method. The separation process significantly determines the constituents and proportions of compounds in the fruit spirit, which has a significant impact on the spirit quality and consumer acceptance. Therefore, it is important and complex to reveal the changing rules of chemical substances and the principles behind them during the separation process of fruit spirits. This review summarized the traditional separation methods commonly used in fruit spirits, covering the types, principles, and corresponding equipment of distillation methods, focused on the enrichment or removal of aroma compounds and harmful factors in fruit spirits by distillation methods, and tried to explain the mechanism behind it. It also proposed a new separation technology for the production of fruit spirits, pervaporation membrane technology, summarized its working principle, operation, working parameters, and application in the production of fruit spirits, and outlined the impact of the separation method on the production of fruit spirits based on existing research, focusing on the separation of flavor compounds, sensory qualities, and hazard factors in fruit spirits, along with a preliminary comparison with distillation. Finally, according to the current researches of the separation methods and the development requirement of the separation process of fruit spirits, the prospect of corresponding research is put forward, in order to propose new ideas and development directions for the research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-lean solvents are thought to deliver promising benefits including enhanced mass transfer properties, increased absorption capacities, and lower solvent regeneration heat duties in the natural gas sweetening process. Acid gas (H2S and CO2) removal is an essential piece of the natural gas value chain due to its corrosive effect on pipeline and process equipment, its impact on the environment, and its reduction in methane heating value. A number of solvents have been used for this process in the past. However, the low acid gas pickup, high cost per unit separation, and high regeneration heat duties form the basis for which we considered a water-lean solvent in this study. This study employs ASPEN HYSIS V12.1 to model the natural gas sweetening process of a hypothetical non-associated sour gas well with a novel water-lean solvent (50% wt. MDEA + 30% wt. DIPA + 15% wt. DMSO + 5% wt. H2O). Theoretical solvent screening was carried out to select the most promising water-lean solvent, following a flowsheet design, modeling, and result validation. The process economic analysis was carried out using Aspen Process Economic Analyzer to determine the unit separation cost and profitability indicators. The results show that the solubility of CO2 was found to be lower in water-lean solvents. The mass transfer did not seem to improve. This was generally difficult to take into consideration and properly assess in Aspen as there are no literature data with DMSO to fit the model parameters. DMSO reacts with H2S, leading to a loss of solvent. However, the mass transfer improved with the physical co-solvent, and the acid gas solubility decreased, resulting in more solvent consumption and impacting the capital expenditure. Economic analysis showed that the equipment cost of the proposed solvent is 1.4 M USD/yr higher than that of the aqueous MDEA commercially in use. As such, it is not considered economically viable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is centered on the separation of the fluorene-dibenzofuran system through binary phase equilibrium experiments and azeotropic distillation simulations. An enhanced Othmer equilibrium still was employed to conduct phase equilibrium experiments, and the obtained data were correlated to determine the missing binary interaction parameters. The resulting experimental data demonstrated thermodynamic consistency and reliability. Subsequent correlation using the NRTL, UNIQUAC, and Wilson models highlighted the UNIQUAC model's exceptional agreement with experimental values. This underscores the model's capability to precisely characterize the fluorene-dibenzofuran system's phase behavior. The phase equilibrium study provided pivotal parameters and predictions, forming the groundwork for subsequent separation process simulations and equipment development. Azeotropic simulations, employing ethylene glycol as a co-boiling solvent and simulated via Aspen software, yielded high-purity fluorene products with a minimum purity of ≥ 98%. These findings emphasize the potency of azeotropic distillation in achieving high-purity separation within the fluorene-dibenzofuran system, with promising implications for industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution law of fluid and solid motion in the initial stage of spiral separation process is critical for mineral particle separation. The current research intends to investigate the fluid and particle motion behaviors in the initial stage of a spiral separation process using a CFD-DEM approach. The results show that the motion behaviors of fluids and particles in the initial stage of spiral separation process could be separated into three states: the development state, the transition state, and the relatively stable state. In the development state, water flows outward with a rapid change of velocity and film thickness. Meanwhile, fluid forced particles to move outward rapidly with no obvious trajectory difference. In the transition state, a collision between the slurry and the outer trough sidewall happens with changing the moving direction of fluids and particles. Following the collision, the flow field distribution tends to be relatively constant, and the light particles progressively migrate to the spiral trough's outer edge, while heavy particles gradually move to the spiral trough's inner edge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water is essential for human survival and existence. Although everyone acknowledges the importance of water reserves, increasing industrialization and other human activities are drastically reducing the quality of the water. Polymeric composite membranes provide a dependable answer for removing water pollutants and thus improving its quality. In this study, polypropylene composite membranes with Aramid support (PM1 membranes) were fabricated using thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) for water purification and characterized using SEM. Numerous membrane characteristics, including polymer concentration, oil for dissolving polymer, nucleating agent, water immersion time and organic solvent were all adjusted for the production of extremely efficient PM1 membranes. The PM1-WC membrane, which was the best membrane, was fabricated by combining 0.1 g PP with soyabean oil, adipic acid as a nucleating agent, and n-hexane as an organic solvent (PP membranes submerged in water for 40 minutes). In a water filtering system developed in the lab, the PM1 membranes' desalination capacities were tested. The desalination capacity of the PP membranes showed a salt rejection of between 70% and 75%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Transactions of Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics is the property of Editorial Department of Journal of Nanjing University of Aeronautics & Astronautics and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Practically all particle separation processes depend on more than one particulate property. In the case of the industrially important froth flotation separation, these properties concern wettability, composition, size and shape. Therefore, it is useful to analyze different particle descriptors when studying the influence of particle wettability and morphology on the separation behavior of particle systems. A common tool for classifying particle separation processes are Tromp functions. Recently, multivariate Tromp functions, computed by means of non-parametric kernel density estimation, have emerged which characterize the separation behavior with respect to multidimensional vectors of particle descriptors. In the present paper, an alternative parametric approach based on copulas is proposed in order to compute multivariate Tromp functions and, in this way, to characterize the separation behavior of particle systems. In particular, bivariate Tromp functions for the area-equivalent diameter and aspect ratio of glass particles with different morphologies and surface modification have been computed, based on image characterization by means of mineral liberation analysis (MLA). Comparing the obtained Tromp functions with one another reveals the combined influence of multiple factors, in this case particle wettability, morphology and size, on the separation behavior and introduces an innovative approach for evaluating multidimensional separation. In addition, we extend the parametric copula-based method for the computation of multivariate Tromp functions, in order to characterize separation processes, also in the case when image measurements are not available for all separated fractions.

In this paper, a new multi-part composite frangible cover (MCFC) was designed and fabricated. The frangible cover, manufactured with a traditional manual lay-up method, is designed to conduct a simulated missile launch test using a specially developed test device. A weak zone structure of the composite multi-part frangible cover was designed, and the separation process of the cover was studied by numerical simulation. Based on the strength envelope of the weak zone and the equal-strength design principle, a design method for the weak zone structure of the composite multi-part frangible cover was proposed. A finite element model of the composite multi-part frangible cover was established, and the separation process was numerically simulated and analyzed. Afterward, the verification experiments were carried out. Close agreements between the numerical and experimental results are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon carbide (SiC) nanomaterials are being used in a large range of fields because of their excellent mechanical strength, high thermal resistance and conductivity, high chemical stability and being semiconductors. In the present review, we evaluate SiC nanomaterials as membranes and adsorbents to separate different species. In addition, applications of SiC nanomaterials as membranes or in a membrane structure are described. In this regard, experimental studies which used porous SiC in membrane structure confirmed that SiC can enhance the performance of any membrane because of its large surface area, anti-fouling nature, high porosity, and high-water permeability. Next, molecular dynamics simulation studies examined the ability of SiC nanosheets and SiCNTs in water desalination, gas and dissolved molecule separations. Ultimately, based on the reviewed articles and their findings, areas requiring further attention by researchers are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper mainly introduces the development status of homogeneous catalysts and heterogeneous catalysts according to the types of catalysts. The research progress of synthesis and separation technology is briefly described. The research progress of propylene glycol ether preparation by propylene oxide method and the application status of propylene glycol ether are discussed. The future development goals of propylene glycol ether catalysts are pointed out. The future research directions of catalysts are put forward. It provides a research idea for the development of green synthesis process of propylene glycol ethers in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing number of electrical devices, especially electric vehicles, the need for efficient recycling processes of electric components is on the rise. Mechanical recycling of lithium-ion batteries includes the comminution of the electrodes and sorting the particle mixtures to achieve the highest possible purities of the individual material components (e.g., copper and aluminum). An important part of recycling is the quantitative determination of the yield and recovery rate, which is required to adapt the processes to different feed materials. Since this is usually done by sorting individual particles manually before determining the mass of each material, we developed a novel method for automating this evaluation process. The method is based on detecting the different material particles in images based on simple thresholding techniques and analyzing the correlation of the area of each material in the field of view to the mass in the previously prepared samples. This can then be applied to further samples to determine their mass composition. Using this automated method, the process is accelerated, the accuracy is improved compared to a human operator, and the cost of the evaluation process is reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An approach to the development of a dynamic model of one of the key stages of the flight of rocket and space systems is presented: the separation of large-sized structures. The importance of taking into account the elastic properties of separated objects is justified. Based on the assumptions typical of the process under study (small angular velocities of relative motion during separation compared to the lower frequencies of the separated objects), the partial differential equations of elastic vibrations are replaced with a system of ordinary differential equations describing the excitation of a limited number of lower order modes, which made it possible to formulate an efficient approach that allows a clear mechanical interpretation: the general motion during separation is decomposed into a transport motion (rotational and translational as a whole) and small elastic relative vibrations, described in a universal modal formulation. The process of separation of an aerospace aircraft and a launch vehicle is analyzed. The effect of loss of the relative separation velocity due to elastic vibrations is revealed, and a recommendation for the rational arrangement of separation tools is formulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practically all particle separation processes depend on more than one particulate property. In the case of the industrially important froth flotation separation, these properties concern wettability, composition, size and shape. Therefore, it is useful to analyze different particle descriptors when studying the influence of particle wettability and morphology on the separation behavior of particle systems. A common tool for classifying particle separation processes are Tromp functions. Recently, multivariate Tromp functions, computed by means of non-parametric kernel density estimation, have emerged which characterize the separation behavior with respect to multidimensional vectors of particle descriptors. In the present paper, an alternative parametric approach based on copulas is proposed in order to compute multivariate Tromp functions and, in this way, to characterize the separation behavior of particle systems. In particular, bivariate Tromp functions for the area-equivalent diameter and aspect ratio of glass particles with different morphologies and surface modification have been computed, based on image characterization by means of mineral liberation analysis (MLA). Comparing the obtained Tromp functions with one another reveals the combined influence of multiple factors, in this case particle wettability, morphology and size, on the separation behavior and introduces an innovative approach for evaluating multidimensional separation. In addition, we extend the parametric copula-based method for the computation of multivariate Tromp functions, in order to characterize separation processes, also in the case when image measurements are not available for all separated fractions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the industrialization of waveguide based AR devices is progressing, considerations around design based shaping of waveguides as well as robustness move into focus. A promising approach for scalable free‐form cutting with high strength and precision is the utilization of ultrashort pulsed lasers. Various possible laser process parameters and different material compositions of high index glasses are challenging the optimization with respect to strength of the glass. SCHOTT AG and 3D‐Micromac AG optimized a separation process towards high and predictable bending strength and integrated it into a modular machine concept freely scalable from lab to mass production use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separation of two fluids or particles from an emulsion is a fundamental process in many applications such as creaming of milk in dairy sector and extraction of various oils (avocado oil, palm oil, etc.) among many others. The aim of this paper is to elaborate on the development of various methods and technologies employed for the separation process including gravity, chemical, and centrifugation as well as the newer acoustic separation technology. Influential parameters affecting the performance, advantages, and disadvantages for each method will be discussed and compared. Various transducer configurations and corresponding experimental set-ups and operating parameters are also examined for acoustic separation. Accordingly, the future trend is proposed for introducing new transducer configurations to diminish or preferably eliminate the current disadvantages and barriers and to improve the separation process performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, 64Cu has received extensive attention along with its growing application in nuclear medicine positron emission tomography (PET) diagnosis. A 64Cu automatic separation apparatus adapted to the Cyclone-30 cyclotron was developed to realize the process automation from target dissolution to nuclide separation and purification for stable 64Cu production at large scale. The apparatus consists of a tank for target dissolution and a system for separation and purification. The operation interface, programming language and specific programming instructions were determined by programming design. Based on the established separation and purification process of 64Cu, the apparatus was designed followed by assembling and testing. After the process parameters of the apparatus were confirmed through a series of conditional experiments, the hot verification experiments at small-scale and three batches of mass production process verification were carried out consecutively, showing that this self-developed apparatus has steady function and can realize distant control. The whole separation process could be finished in 3 h. The radiochemical recovery of 64Cu (after calibration) is greater than 90%, which meets the expected goal of the design. The 64Cu product was tested with over 95% of radiochemical purity, higher than 99.9% of radio nuclidic purity. The contents of impurities such as iron, copper and zinc were less than 1.5 μg/GBq, while cobalt, gold and nickel were less than 0.5 μg/GBq, which meets the requirements of group standard and can be used for preparation of 64Cu radiopharmaceuticals. In conclusion, this self-developed apparatus has low cost and independent intellectual property rights, and its performance and the product quality of 64Cu are comparable to other competitive foreign products. Compared with the manual separation process, the automatic one has significant advantages in terms of the stability of product quality, the process controllability, the time-consuming and the radiation protection of operators. At present, the apparatus has already been used in 64Cu production routinely.

In groundwater, excess fluoride concentration (>1.5 mg/L) is a primary concern for various countries. Nanoadsorbents have been proven to possess higher adsorption capacity than conventional adsorbents. This review aims to provide insights into recent advancements in the adsorption of fluoride using various nanoadsorbents. Nanoparticles have very high specific surface area but are usually found unsuitable for real field applications as they tend to agglomerate. They are also difficult to recover after use and pose a significant threat to the environment through leaching. These limitations have given rise to the trend of the development of nanocomposites for defluoridation. Nanocomposites often involve a polymeric matrix that serves as a medium for their homogenous dispersion. This reduces agglomeration and leaching into the surroundings without altering the original activities of the nanoadsorbent. This review classifies the fluoride nanoadsorbents into three categories: bare nanoparticles, nanocomposites with nanoparticles inside the porous matrix, and nanocomposites with nanoparticles coated with or anchored on the matrix surface. Critical analyses of the importance and shortcomings of these classes have been presented. In general, bare nanocomposites show the best fluoride adsorption performance compared to other classes of nanoadsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since it is low in cost and low in toxicity and has good biodegradability, gas-liquid-foam three-phase flow has been widely used in industrial fire protection. Due to the different characteristics of gas, liquid, and foam, liquid precipitation is liable to occur under static conditions, resulting in unstable performance of the mixture. To improve fire extinguishing efficiency, it is of great significance to study the separation process of gas-liquid-foam. In the present study, the effects of the surface tension (range from 0.04 to 0.07) and initial liquid volume fraction (range from 0.2 to 0.5) on the gas-liquid-foam separation process are investigated with the numerical tool Fluent. The liquid volume fraction is mainly influenced by two inverse effects: (a) the transformation of liquid into foam, and (b) the liquid drainage and bursting of foam. In the separation process, the volume fraction of small foam decreases monotonically while the volume fraction of medium and large foam increases slightly. Since the volume fraction of small foam is much greater than medium and large foam and its bursting process is dominant, the liquid volume fraction presents a monotonic increasing trend. The volume of the separated liquid increases almost linearly with time at various surface tensions and initial volume fractions, and the increase rate is about 0.004. In the range of the surface tension examined, the separation process is insensitive to the surface tension, resulting in almost the same drainage time. On the other hand, the separation process depends on the initial liquid volume fraction non-monotonically; namely, when the initial volume fraction is small, with the increase of the initial volume fraction, the liquid is more easily separated from the mixture, and when the initial volume fraction is over a critical value (about 0.4), the separation process is decelerated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Industrial Minerals & Processing / Huagong Kuangwu yu Jiagong is the property of Industrial Minerals & Processing Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Non-processed kaolin (flint kaolin) from a mine located in the Capim area (Amazon region, northern Brazil), usually considered as waste, was selected as a source of silicon and aluminum in the synthesis of SAPO-34. This is a molecular sieve and cationic exchanger chosen for tests focusing on the removal of methylene blue in aqueous solutions, which is a cationic dye widely used by textile industries in Brazil. The results revealed that the SAPO-34 has been successfully synthesized with typical cubic morphology, good crystallinity (>90%), and thermal stability (~998 °C). Although the oxidized Fe/Ti impurities contained in the flint kaolin affect the degree of crystallinity of the zeolitic product, its adsorptive properties are not significantly affected, which demonstrates the excellent adsorption results (pH = 11; % removal > 90%). It proved to be an adsorbent with considerable adsorption capacity (9.83 mg·g−1). The pH test confirmed the acidic surface characteristics (pH solution 2–4; ↓ removal), and the kinetic model that best fitted the experimental data was pseudo-second-order, with R2 = 0.998 (kinetics controlled by chemisorption). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing the urgent need for more energy-efficient separation technologies is paramount in reducing energy consumption and lessening environmental impact as we march toward a carbon-neutral society. The rapid progression of AI and its promising applications in separation science presents new, fascinating possibilities. For instance, AI algorithms can forecast the properties of prospective new materials, speeding up the process of sorbent material innovation. With the ability to analyze vast datasets related to processes, machine learning driven by data can enhance operations to reduce energy wastage and improve error detection. The recent rise of Generative Pretrained Transformer models (GPT) has motivated researchers to construct specialized large-scale language models (LLM) based on a comprehensive scientific corpus of papers, reference materials, and knowledge bases. These models are useful tools for facilitating the rapid selection of suitable separation techniques. In this article, we present an exploration of AI's role in promoting sustainable separation processes, covering a concise history of its implementation, potential advantages, inherent limitations, and a vision for its future growth.

In this work, graphene/zinc oxide nanoparticles (G/ZnO NPs) were synthesized by a metathesis‐assisted molten salt route. The methodology followed has outstanding features such as innovative, environmentally friendly, high‐yield, efficient, and straightforward. In addition, poly(ether‐block‐amide) (PEBA)‐based mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) filled with different amounts of G/ZnO NPs (up to 2%) were successfully prepared. Thermogravimetric analysis and X‐ray diffraction were performed to determine the thermal and structural properties of the pristine and MMMs. Scanning electron microscopy and electron dispersive spectroscopy were used for morphological studies and for identifying the as‐prepared G/ZnO NPs. Incorporating G/ZnO NPs (PEBA‐G/ZnO 2% 476 Barrer) provided benefits to the permeability properties and showed an increase of 37% concerning the polymeric membrane (318.06 Barrer). The gas separation performance improved by increasing the amount of G/ZnO NPs. A synergistic effect between PEBA properties and G/ZnO NPs led to enhanced CO2 selectivity for ternary mixed gas separation (CO2/CH4/N2). Selectivity of the MMMs SCO2/CH4=19 showed an increase of 34% higher than to pristine (PEBA) membrane SCO2/CH4=14, favoring the permeation of CO2. G/ZnO NPs can be potentially helpful in membranes applied in the CO2 mixed gas separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Atomic Energy Science & Technology is the property of Editorial Board of Atomic Energy Science & Technology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The relevance of this study is conditioned upon the need to increase the amount of high-quality seed material of small-seeded crops, which cannot be achieved without an important process of separation. The separation is based on technical and technological principles of separation of seed material, depending on the differences in physical and mechanical properties of individual components of seed material. Cylindrical triers are used to separate seeds according to their length. The purpose of the study was to find the theoretical regularities of changes in the technological parameters of separation of the seed material of small-seeded crops from the structural and mode parameters of a cylindrical seed trier by numerical modelling. The solution of the set problems was implemented in the STAR-CCM+ programme based on the finite element method. Considering the physical and mechanical properties of the seed material, as a result of the study, a visualisation of the separation process was obtained depending on the research factors: the rotation frequency of the trier cylinder, the diameter of the cylinder, and the number of seeds and impurities in the seed mixture. According to the simulation results, the dependence of the relative content of impurities ε on factors under study was obtained in the form of second-order regression equations. Using the Mathematica programme, a compromise problem was solved, which lies in minimising the multiplicative function of the research criteria, and the rational constructive and technological parameters of the trier separator were found. The material of this paper is intended for scientists, graduate students, designers of agricultural machinery, students, and specialists in agricultural production.

[Display omitted] • The method of recycling high-value carbon fibers within molten salt is proposed. • The resin removal ratio and fiber strength retention both exceed 99% at 375 °C. • Molten salts disrupt the cross-link structure of resin by cleaving the C-N bond. • Molten salts swiftly remove the phenols to protect fibers from oxidative erosion. Epoxy resin limits the recycling of high-value carbon fibers from waste epoxy composites: its inferior thermal conductivity requires the excessive pulverization of the polymers, reducing fibers length; its robust cross-linked structure hinders its removal, leading to fiber contamination. Here, we proposed a novel method by using molten salts as an effective medium to enhance heat transfer and thermal reaction. The length and structural integrity of fibers were preserved by minimizing the extent of pulverization and reducing the erosive impact of resin degradation products, respectively. At 375 °C, the resin removal ratio and fiber strength retention both exceeded 99%, with a temperature reduction of at least 100 °C. Molten salts exerted differential inert and active effects on fibers and resin. Fibers could retain 97% of strength retention within salts at 400 °C for 2 h. Conversely, molten salts significantly facilitated the disruption of the resin matrix's cross-linked structure by catalyzing the cleavage of C-N bonds. The degradation products exhibited a lightweight tendency and could be easily separated from the fiber surface in the fluid environment provided by molten salts, thus protecting the fiber surface against oxidative erosion caused by phenols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water-lean solvents are thought to deliver promising benefits including enhanced mass transfer properties, increased absorption capacities, and lower solvent regeneration heat duties in the natural gas sweetening process. Acid gas (H2S and CO2) removal is an essential piece of the natural gas value chain due to its corrosive effect on pipeline and process equipment, its impact on the environment, and its reduction in methane heating value. A number of solvents have been used for this process in the past. However, the low acid gas pickup, high cost per unit separation, and high regeneration heat duties form the basis for which we considered a water-lean solvent in this study. This study employs ASPEN HYSIS V12.1 to model the natural gas sweetening process of a hypothetical non-associated sour gas well with a novel water-lean solvent (50% wt. MDEA + 30% wt. DIPA + 15% wt. DMSO + 5% wt. H2O). Theoretical solvent screening was carried out to select the most promising water-lean solvent, following a flowsheet design, modeling, and result validation. The process economic analysis was carried out using Aspen Process Economic Analyzer to determine the unit separation cost and profitability indicators. The results show that the solubility of CO2 was found to be lower in water-lean solvents. The mass transfer did not seem to improve. This was generally difficult to take into consideration and properly assess in Aspen as there are no literature data with DMSO to fit the model parameters. DMSO reacts with H2S, leading to a loss of solvent. However, the mass transfer improved with the physical co-solvent, and the acid gas solubility decreased, resulting in more solvent consumption and impacting the capital expenditure. Economic analysis showed that the equipment cost of the proposed solvent is 1.4 M USD/yr higher than that of the aqueous MDEA commercially in use. As such, it is not considered economically viable.

Industrial production of enzymatic biodiesel is based on the use of low-quality feedstocks with usually high water and free fatty acid contents. For this reason, a polishing step is essential to remove impurities and meet the required quality for downstream processing, storage, or commercialization of the product. In this work, we propose the application of membrane separation to polish crude industrial enzymatic fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). Polymeric membranes of different features were selected and tested for crude industrial FAME filtration. Results showed that the 10 kDa ultrafiltration (UF) membrane provided the best performance resulting in the exemption of soap content in the permeate. Moreover, the UF membrane was successfully able to drastically reduce the color, total contamination, and phosphorus content of FAME samples. The permeate flux was found stable during the ultrafiltration process in crossflow mode and no severe fouling was observed, thus making the membrane separation process a promising approach for FAME polishing. [Display omitted] • FAME industrial enzymatic polishing using UF polymer membrane technology. • Crude FAME polishing led to the removal of up to 97 % phosphorus and 100 % soaps. • Gardner color after permeation reached an average of 10 with a clear appearance. • Final total contamination of 0.58 mg/kg meets the specification of high-quality biodiesel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Separation of chalcopyrite from molybdenite is currently mainly carried out by flotation, but this process is costly because of the extensive use of inhibitors. This study briefly describes a 7.0T/100CGC low-temperature superconducting magnetic separator and discusses its separation principle as well as the effect of magnetic induction on chalcopyrite separation from molybdenite. A molybdenum (Mo) concentrate assaying 6.00% copper (Cu) and 19.01% Mo was magnetically sorted using a diamond-shaped steel rod medium mesh at a feed concentration of 20% and a pulp flow rate of 5 L/min from a Cu-Mo flotation concentrate with 88% of particles smaller than 23 μm using the separator. A Mo concentrate assaying 0.46% Cu and 16.28% Mo was finally obtained with a roughing (1.3 T)-cleaning (5 T) superconducting magnetic separation process. Similarly, the superconducting magnetic separator was performed to separate a Cu-Mo bulk flotation concentrate, and produced Cu concentrate assaying 19.64% Cu and 0.03% Mo from the bulk concentrate assaying 18.52% Cu and 0.39% Mo with a particle size of less than 0.074 mm. At a magnetic induction of 7 T, a pulp concentration of 20% and a feed velocity of 5 L/min, the grade and recovery of Cu in the magnetic product were 19.64% and 81.59%, respectively, whereas the grade and recovery of Mo in the non-magnetic product were 1.52% and 90.07%, respectively. Superconducting magnetic separation has potential applications for removing Cu from Mo concentrates, and separating Cu and Mo from Cu-Mo bulk flotation concentrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study is conducted for developing separation of some elements of nuclear interest from zirconium-concentrate explored from Egyptian zircon mineral, using certain cationic exchangers. The main results revealed that Amberlite IR-120 is more efficient than Chelex-100 for separating La and Zr in 0.01 mol. L−1 (various acid, carbonate) from single or binary solution with separation factor (SF) of ∼2.1 × 103 (HCl) > 239 (HNO3) >56 (K2CO3) > 17.5 (HClO4). Separation of La and Zr was largely influenced by acid concentration, equilibration period, and temperature. Thermodynamically, values of Δ G o , Δ H o and Δ S o indicated that retention of the metal ions is disordered and endothermic nature. In a column application, Zr is separately eluted without La; with recoveries reached to 98% for Zr and 50% to 67% for La. The larger negativity of free energy of hydration of Zr (−6950 KJ/mol) that of La (−3418 KJ/mol) confirm that Zr exists as a non-sorptive species; meanwhile La forms adsorptive species onto the column bed resin. As a result, this study can be extended in the future to help exploration of the strategic elements (e.g., Zr, Hf, lanthanides) from their minerals in Egypt. Moreover, developed procedure by Amberlite IR-120 resin can be considered as highly efficient and promising for separation and purification of tri-valence lanthanides (e.g., La3+) and/or actinides (e.g., Am3+) from tetra-valence metal ions such as Zr4+ and Hf4+ or their homologous as Ce4+, Th4+ and Np4+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new multi-part composite frangible cover (MCFC) was designed and fabricated. The frangible cover, manufactured with a traditional manual lay-up method, is designed to conduct a simulated missile launch test using a specially developed test device. A weak zone structure of the composite multi-part frangible cover was designed, and the separation process of the cover was studied by numerical simulation. Based on the strength envelope of the weak zone and the equal-strength design principle, a design method for the weak zone structure of the composite multi-part frangible cover was proposed. A finite element model of the composite multi-part frangible cover was established, and the separation process was numerically simulated and analyzed. Afterward, the verification experiments were carried out. Close agreements between the numerical and experimental results are observed.

With the increasing number of electrical devices, especially electric vehicles, the need for efficient recycling processes of electric components is on the rise. Mechanical recycling of lithium-ion batteries includes the comminution of the electrodes and sorting the particle mixtures to achieve the highest possible purities of the individual material components (e.g., copper and aluminum). An important part of recycling is the quantitative determination of the yield and recovery rate, which is required to adapt the processes to different feed materials. Since this is usually done by sorting individual particles manually before determining the mass of each material, we developed a novel method for automating this evaluation process. The method is based on detecting the different material particles in images based on simple thresholding techniques and analyzing the correlation of the area of each material in the field of view to the mass in the previously prepared samples. This can then be applied to further samples to determine their mass composition. Using this automated method, the process is accelerated, the accuracy is improved compared to a human operator, and the cost of the evaluation process is reduced.

Polymer cellulose triacetate membranes doped with hydrophobic 1-alkylimidazoles as a carrier were applied for the investigation of the transport of palladium(II), and platinum(IV) ions from an aqueous chloride feed phase (cM = 0.001 M). The recovery of platinum and palladium was also carried out from the waste solution. The highest recovery coefficient of Pd(II) from the model solution was 92%, and from the waste solution - 87% using 1-hexylimidazole as carrier. The values characterizing the transport through the membrane (initial fluxes, separation coefficients, and diffusion coefficients) were calculated. The highest selectivity coefficient separation of Pd(II)/ Pt(IV) (equal 4.26) was obtained using 1-hexylimidazole, while the lowest (3.27) using 1-decylimidazole. The influence of chloride ion concentration on the transport of Pd and Pt ions was also analyzed. The polymer membrane of CTA-o-NPPE with alkylimidazole were characterized by noncontact atomic force microscopy, and thermal analysis. The influence of membrane morphology on transport process was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1933, the vortex tube (VT) has been used as a device for cooling, heating, and creating separation process (particles, hydrocarbons, energy, etc.). The VT efficiency is very relevant to the characteristics of the inside fluid flow patterns. The most important part in the VT that directs the fluid flow is the "navigator," which has an angle and a rounded edge. In this study, the effects of change in the radius of the rounded edge (R* = 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, and 2.5 mm) on flow patterns and thermal performance of the VT are studied experimentally. The results show that with a rounded radius variation from 0 to 2 mm, the VT cooling efficiency increases sharply (34.84%) and with a further increase, there will be a decreasing trend for the cooling efficiency (10.48%). Also, this radius affects the location of the effective cold mass fraction (CMFs related to the highest thermal performance). In addition, variations in the gas velocity (axial/swirl at two positions Z/L = 0.3, 0.7) were studied with complete details and compared with other researchers' valid reports. As the results, the maximum axial velocity near the chamber and the maximum swirl velocity drop along the tube are effective on better cooling/heating performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignocellulosic material represents an attractive raw material to the synthesis of different compounds with industrial interest. Among these compounds, levulinic acid has gained considerable attention. Nonetheless, the difficulty of separating it from the aqueous media and the low yield often obtained in its synthesis hinder its commercial production. The liquid-liquid extraction process can be an effective approach to overcome these limitations. The transfer of the levulinic acid from the aqueous medium to an organic phase avoids the contact of the acid with the catalyst, minimizing side reactions and simplifying the subsequent separation process. For this purpose, the solvent choice is of utmost importance. This work aimed to identify potential solvents for the extraction of levulinic acid from the aqueous medium. An initial screening was conducted using the COSMO-SAC model to estimate partition coefficients of levulinic acid in thirty different organic solvents. The highest partition of levulinic acid in the organic phase was calculated for 2-tert-butylphenol, MIBK and 2-heptanone. However, experimental data obtained for these systems showed that the model overestimated the partition coefficient values. The mutual solubilities between the two phases shift the activity of levulinic acid in the aqueous phase, which made the predictions inaccurate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep eutectic solvents (DESs) are acquiring increasing interest as ionic liquid analogues because of their wide application, low-cost characteristics and environmentally friendly. In this study, choline chloride-based (ChCl) as a type of DESs were synthesized using polyethylene glycol (PEG), and applied to reduce sulfur content of actual heavy crude oil with sulfur content 37900 ppm (3.79 wt%). The synthesized DESs were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), as well as viscosity and density measurements. The DESs were evaluated for extractive ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization (EUAODS), with 30 wt% H 2 O 2 as the oxidant and formic acid as the catalyst. This study looked at the effects of oxidative desulfurization (ODS) and single ODS under ultrasonic treatment. Different systems for DESs were tested to find the desulfurization selectivity of the better reaction system; and it was found that extractive desulfurization (EDS) removed 24.57% of the sulfur, followed by extractive and ultrasonic-assisted desulfurization (EUADS) at 26.78%, then ODS at 37.28%, with ultrasonic-assisted oxidative desulfurization (EUAODS) providing the best result of 62%. According to the comparison trials, combining DESs with ultrasonic treatment improved processing. This study contributes to the body of information on the use of ultrasonic treatment in heavy crude oil desulfurization. [Display omitted] • Employing commercial ionic liquid in extractive desulfurization of actual heavy crude oil. • Oxidative desulfurization process was carried out for actual heavy crude oil with sulfur content 3.79wt.%. • A maximum of 62 % sulfur reduction was achieved using Deep Eutectic Solvents with Ultrasonic-assisted. • The characterization of actual heavy crude oil was not affected in this process. • The Choline Chloride (ChCl) has a high extraction efficiency and good reusability up to three cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]