High-temperature Distillation Research Articles

A clean and short process for the preparation of refined indium and investigation of migration distribution pattern of impurities thallium and tin via vacuum distillation

In this study, a novel two-stage vacuum distillation method was proposed to refine crude indium to prepare refined indium. Low-temperature distillation (1223K, holding time of 3h) and high-temperature distillation (1473K, holding time of 5h) were conducted under a system pressure of 7 × 10−3Pa to successfully purify crude indium (99 wt%) to refined indium (99.995 wt%). This strategy can replace the traditional electrolytic process for the clean production of refined indium and achieve the goals of environmental protection. The vapor-liquid equilibrium (VLE) values of indium-based binary alloys were calculated using the molecular interaction volume model (MIVM), and a VLE phase diagram was drawn. Optimal temperatures of 1173K for low-temperature and 1373K for high-temperature distillation were determined based on the VLE phase diagram, and good purification was achieved. Moreover, this study reveals the migration distribution pattern of typical impurity elements (e.g., Tl and Sn) in crude indium in the low and high-temperature distillation sections, further improving the refining effect. Notably, the combination of MIVM simulations and experiments can obtain optimal experimental parameters for segmental vacuum distillation and further help to avoid the waste of raw materials and energy caused by pre-experiments, realizing the clean and efficient production of refined indium.

Mineral Additives Based on Industrial Waste for Modifications of Bitumen Polymers

The increase in cost of carbonaceous materials, as well as significant costs of industrial waste, have prompted scientists to use alternative raw materials as components of the construction industry. This study investigated the suitability of waste products from the coke industry as modifying agents for polymer bitumen. The by-product of the coking industry reaches a high level of silicon and is called silicon-containing additive (SCA), the composition of which is similar to the mineral solutions for bitumen. In this article, the results of using SCA as standard additives for modified polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with bitumen waste is presented. Using the Simdist boiling point distribution method, simulated high temperature distillation by gas chromatography, differential thermal (DTA) analyzes, and other methods of physic- chemical properties of bitumen after adding of SCA were studied. It was revealed that the connection and consumption of additives occurs because of the content of aromatic components, as well as an increase in the consumption of bitumen characteristics. Thus, the presented method for obtaining road surfaces based on PET waste and coke production waste meet the requirements of sustainable development, which implements both a significant use of industrial waste as secondary products and their processing into a new product using an energy-saving technology that reduces the consumption of raw materials and resources.

Study Direction to Oxidize a Local Pine Rosin with Potassium Permanganate

Pine rosin acid or Gondorukem is a solid resin obtained from pine sap. It is yielded as residue from a high temperature distillation process. In industry, rosin acid is widely used and modified as raw material in paint, ink, adhesive, resin, thermoplastic, and thermosetting polymer. Modification process generally is undergone to generate rosin acid with specific properties and for certain purposes. This paper report, potassium permanganate oxidation reaction of pine rosin acid under acidic process at low temperature. Product identified as 13,14-seco-13-oxoabiet-7-ene-dioic acid (0.52%), 7,8-dihydroxy-abietic acid (6.62%), and 7-oxo-dehydroabietic acid (1.49%). The crude product was isolated as a pale to white solid. Under high temperature a yellowish product was resulted. In overall, the yield isolated in between 46.4% and 86.0%.

The development of life cycle greenhouse gas emission footprints of novel pathways for the solvent-assisted and solvent-electromagnetic heating oil sands extraction processes

Steam-based oil sands extraction methods are emissions-intensive. Solvent-assisted and solvent-electromagnetic heating are alternative methods with the potential to lower greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). However, identifying an energy-efficient process pathway for these technologies remains a major concern. This is a gap in the research. In this study, we developed simulation models to assess the performance of solvent-assisted, solvent-electromagnetic heating, and steam-assisted oil sands extraction central processing facilities. Three central processing facilities (pathways) were developed for solvent-assisted and solvent-electromagnetic heating processes to recover bitumen and solvent from emulsions. Pathways I and III use a low-temperature and a high-temperature distillation system, respectively, to purify the solvent. Pathway II uses a high-pressure separator to lower the amount of non-condensable gases in the solvent. Each pathway was applied to a deep and a shallow reservoir. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses were conducted to present the GHG emission results. The results show that pathways I and III produce satisfactory solvent purity and minimize solvent losses in the central processing facility, and pathway II does not. Pathway II can be applied when a high degree of purity is not required. The life cycle GHG emissions from pathways I and II may not be favorable to the solvent-assisted process if the electricity emission factor and solvent-to-oil ratio are high. The lowest GHG emissions are from pathway III. The life cycle GHG emissions of the solvent-electromagnetic heating extraction in pathway III range from 34.4 to 61.7 and 23.3 to 43.9 kgCO2e/b-e for the deep and shallow reservoirs, respectively, while solvent-assisted emissions range from 26.6 to 48.2 and 20.2 to 40.0 kgCO2e/b-e for the deep and shallow reservoirs, respectively. Steam-assisted gravity drainage emissions range from 72.7 to 111.6 kgCO2e/b. The results show that solvent-assisted and solvent-electromagnetic heating processes can provide better performance than steam-assisted gravity drainage when a high-temperature distillation is installed in the central processing facility to recycle the solvent.

The formation and structural characteristics of melanoidins from fermenting and distilled grains of Chinese liquor (baijiu)

Chinese liquor (baijiu) is a typical fermented food. In which production, melanoidins are formed in fermenting grains during low-temperature fermentation with long-term, and in distilled grains with high-temperature distillation for short-term. Here, the formation and structural characterization of melanoidins in these two distinct stages were first investigated through chemical composition analysis and spectroscopic identification. Our research showed that proteins and phenols continuously participate in melanoidin formation during fermentation and distillation processes. Distillation could produce melanoidins with larger amounts, darker colors, higher molecular weights, and more stable states than fermentation. The chemical composition including 10 carbohydrates, 17 amino acids, 5 free phenolic acids, and 7 bound phenolic acids was successfully identified in melanoidins. Ion chromatography was proposed to be an efficient method to investigate carbohydrates in melanoidins. Moreover, the potential impact of microorganisms on melanoidins was first revealed to be the possible utilization of glucose in melanoidins.

Direct conversion of waste polyesters to low molecular weight polyols for polyurethane production

An effective process for synthesizing liquid dihydroxyl group-ended oligomers directly from waste polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using a metal chelating agent, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), is described in this study. The deactivation of transesterification catalyst was confirmed by a model process that involves the reaction of bis(2-hydroxyethyl) terephthalate with diethylene glycol under different catalytic conditions. The depolymerization of PET was performed with an excess amount of diethylene glycol and Zn2+ catalysts to form intermediates. The chelating agent was then introduced as a catalytic defunctionalizer, after which the residual glycols were distilled and recovered under reduced pressure. The obtained polyols were characterized by 1H and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance, gel permeation chromatography, and viscometry. Utilizing EDTA showed high efficiency in blocking catalysts during high-temperature distillation, resulting in maximum trimer chain-length sized and low-viscosity liquid polyols. Subsequently, thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) were prepared using synthesized polyols as the soft segment, with 4,4’-methylene-bis(phenyl isocyanate) and 1,4-butanediol as the isocyanate and chain extender, respectively. The final TPUs were characterized using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and mechanical testing.

EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF REACTOR TEMPERATURE RECONSTRUCTION ON FUEL CONSUMPTION AND DISTILLATE QUANTITY

Temperature is a measure or degree of hotness or coldness of an object or system which is defined as a physical quantity that is divided between two or more objects that are in thermal equilibrium. The second law of thermodynamics states that there is no reversible process in which heat flows naturally from a high-temperature object to a low-temperature object, and not vice versa. Heat is energy that is transferred due to a temperature difference. This heat transfer always occurs and the process stops until thermal equilibrium occurs. In a high temperature distillation column, the distillate fluid will tend to be at the top and the bottom will tend to be cooler even though the heat treatment is carried out at the bottom. Thermal equilibrium is reached in a relatively long time because the distillation system is open. The addition of the pump aims to reconstruct the temperature so that it reaches thermal equilibrium more quickly. The process is carried out for 60 minutes using 25 liters of raw materials of the same quality and the temperature is set at 90 degrees Celsius. The average temperature difference in the reactor is 86.11%, the decrease in fuel consumption is 30.3%, and the increase in distillation quantity between the reactor without a pump compared to the reactor with a pump is 16.67%.

Processing of fast neutron reactor fuel by electrorefining: Thematic overview

This work provides basic knowledge on the spent fuel management on the basis of the published literature data on electrorefining. This review examines three main areas of work devoted to electrorefining. These are electrodeposition and electrodissolution using solid and liquid electrodes, as well as mass transfer in phases present during electrorefining. As part of this research, the composition of the irradiated metallic fuel was estimated. Due to the great potential difference between solid cathodes, it is possible to separate actinides from lanthanides. The co-deposition of metallic Pu and U in the eutectic LiCl-KCl melt containing UCl3 and PuCl3 indicates stable co-precipitation of U and Pu at U3+ concentration less than ~0.2 wt. Periodically performed electrical transport of ions to liquid (Cd) and solid cathodes in the galvanic mode made it possible to deposit preferentially U on the solid cathode, and Pu and Am on the liquid cathode. Oxidation of these metals caused fluctuations in the anode potential. The electrode processing after electrorefining is investigated. This process consists of oxidizing the actinides remaining in the liquid electrode by adding CdCl2 and removing the associated chloride by high-temperature distillation. During the electrorefining of irradiated metallic fuel, the fission products accumulate in the molten salt. Reduction of uranium on a solid cathode from a spent molten salt using a liquid Cd-Li anode is considered. A model that describes electrorefining with a liquid metal anode, solid cathode, and molten LiCl-KCl salts, is presented. The formation of plutonium at the surface of a solid cathode is analyzed. In a one-dimensional model of an electrorefiner, it is shown that the concentration of Pu at the cathode cannot be predicted from the Cm concentration in the melt.

Preparation of Extrapure Cesium Iodide

This paper presents results of a physicochemical study of the preparation of extrapure-grade (99.998%-pure) cesium iodide from a technically pure product obtained by reacting cesium carbonate and hydriodic acid. The synthesized CsI was purified in two steps, involving vacuum drying and high-temperature distillation. We calculated kinetic constants of vacuum drying and evaluated water content as a function of temperature. The final step in removing regulated impurities from CsI was high-temperature distillation. Metallic impurities in the samples thus prepared were determined using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. The results are presented for the first time.

High-Temperature Distillation Using N-Parallel Evacuated Tube Collector Integrated With Double Slope Solar Still in Force Mode

Abstract In the present communication, a performance investigation of a double-slope solar still augmented with parallel evacuated tubes under forced mode is carried out for a modified geometry. A comprehensive mathematical model is used for the numerical simulation using the experimental data and incorporating the effect of variable flowrate, water depth, and the number of tubes. An optimum flowrate range ∼0.006–0.007 kg/s/tube is found irrespective of the number of tubes and basin water depth to extract optimal energy. The flowrate is validated with other experiments, carried out by various authors. At optimal flowrate with ten tubes and 0.005 m basin water depth, the system yields 6.644 kg, while overall energetic and exergetic efficiencies are observed as ∼33.8% and 4.9%, respectively. With an increase in the tubes as 20 and 30, the respective yields are found to be increased by ∼2.64% and ∼6.62% for nearly the same collector output temperature attainable (≈98.5°C), while the energy and exergy efficiencies decreased significantly by ∼24.6% and ∼38.6%, compared with ten tubes arrangement. Daily yield and overall exergy efficiency are increased by 13.3% and 19.3%, respectively, using a diffused reflector.

Catalyst to oil mass ratio optimization on fluid catalytic cracking process in green gasoline production

Palm oil has potential as raw material for green gasoline as renewable energy source. One of the most important variables to support the achievement optimum operating condition in the Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCC) process was the mass ratio of catalyst to oil (c/o). The FCC process simulation was carried out by using an Advance Cracking Evaluation (ACE) unit at mass ratio c/o (4.00, 5.00, 5.56, 6.00, 6.52) w/w ASTM D3907. The quality test of the FCC product were distribution of boiling point by using Refinery Gas Analyzer (RGA) Chromatography ASTM D2504 and using high temperature distillation simulating gas chromatography ASTM D7169, octane number by using Detailed Hydrocarbon Analysis (DHA) Chromatography ASTM D6730 and coke formation by using CO Analyzer ASTM D6316. The study shown that the most optimum c/o ratio in FCC process was at ratio 6.00 w/w with the amount of dry gas product 2.48 percent w/w, LPG 27.36 percent w/w, gasoline 41.81 percent w/w, LCO 11.54 percent w/w, HCO 0.00 percent w/w, bottom 3.71 w/w, and coke 12.99 percent w/w with octane number was 84.693. It can be concluded that FCC process of the palm oil mixture feed at this ratio has better quality than PT Pertamina’s FCC feed.

New vacuum distillation technology for separating and recovering valuable metals from a high value-added waste

Flotation tailings of copper-anode slime is a high value-added waste. A new, clean and highly efficient vacuum distillation process is presented for the separation of valuable metals that remain in the waste. In this work, the saturated vapor pressure of each metal element in the flotation tailings is theoretically analyzed, with vapor-liquid equilibria (VLE) diagrams used to quantitatively predict the composition of the products. The optimum distillation temperature and time of volatilization behavior of each component are investigated using a two-step, low-temperature and high-temperature vacuum distillation experiment; the system pressure of both steps is 1–5 Pa. The experimental results indicate that the recovery efficiencies of Se and Te are 98.09% and 97.82%, respectively, after the low-temperature distillation (923 K and 120 min); the removal rates of Pb, Sb and Bi are 92.99%, 96.86% and 94.57%, respectively. The recovery efficiencies of Cu, Ag and Au are 95.65%, 99.28% and 99.12%, respectively, after the high-temperature distillation (1173 K and 50 min). Valuable metals in the flotation tailings can be separated and recovered effectively via a two-step vacuum distillation in which no wastewater or gas is released into the environment, meeting the development needs for cleaner production within the metallurgical industry.

Response of soil phosphatase activities to contamination with two types of tar oil.

Tar oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbon compounds obtained from high-temperature distillation of coal tar. It has been used for over 100years from now to protect wood and has been applied to wood products, primary utility poles, and railroad ties by pressure methods. Composition of the tar oil depends on the source and typically consists of 85% polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 10% phenolic compounds, and 5% heterocyclic compounds. In this research, we performed the laboratory experiment to compare two types of tar oil: C and GX-Plus, and their effects on P-cycling enzymes (phosphatases) in sandy loam and loamy sand. Tar oil was applied to soil samples at the following doses: 2, 10, and 50gkg-1. Soil without tar oil was used as a control sample. The experiment showed that the contamination of soil with tar oil affects the enzyme activities measured and with this most probably the P-cycle in soil. Phosphomonoesterases were the most sensitive to the contamination of soil with both type of tar oil: typeC and type GX-Plus. Greater changes in the enzymatic activity were observed in the loamy sand. Moreover, the type C tar oil demonstrated higher toxicity for phosphatases than type GX-Plus.

Reoxidation of uranium in electrolytically reduced simulated oxide fuel during residual salt distillation

We report that residual salt removal by high-temperature distillation causes partial reoxidation of uranium metal to uranium oxide in electrolytically reduced simulated oxide fuel. Specifically, the content of uranium metal in the above product decreases with increasing distillation temperatures, which can be attributed to reoxidation by Li2O contained in residual salt (LiCl). Additionally, we estimate the fractions of Li2O reacted with uranium metal under these conditions, showing that they decrease with decreasing temperature, and calculate some thermodynamic parameters of the above reoxidation.

Review of Creosote Pollution Toxicity and Possibilities of Bioremediation

Creosote oil is a complex mixture of hydrocarbon compounds obtained from high temperature distillation of coal tar. It is used for over 100 years as a fungicide, insecticide, miticide, and sporicide to protect wood and is applied by pressure methods to wood products, primary utility poles and railroad ties. This treated wood is intended for exterior or outdoor uses only. Its commercial uses include railroad ties 70%, utility poles 15-20%, and other miscellaneous commercial uses 10-15%. Composition of the creosote depends on the source and it has typically 85% polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 10% phenolic compounds, and 5% heterocyclic. Between 20 and 40% of the total weight of typical creosote can be attributed to the 16 PAHs defined as priority pollutants by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The production of creosote in the European Union (EU) has been estimated to be approximately 60.000-100.000 t per year. The presence of the toxic PAHs and phenolic compounds make creosote treated wood harmful for the environment at the end of its service life and direct or indirect human exposure to creosote treated wood may cause carcinogenic affect to kidney, liver, bladder, eyes and skin. In this presentation we review creosote environmental pollution toxicity and possibilities of remediation.

High-temperature distillation and consolidation of U–Zr cathode product from molten salt electrorefining of simulated metallic fuel

High-temperature distillation experiments were performed using U–Zr cathode products of various compositions to obtain knowledge on suitable operation conditions and equipment design such as the container material. The LiCl–KCl–UCl3 electrolyte adhering to the U–Zr cathode products was almost completely vaporized at 1273–1573K, under pressure of 10–300Pa. Massive ingots were obtained from the remaining cathode products by heating them at 1573–1673K. Three different phases were identified in a distillation product of a higher Zr content. A U-rich bulk (3.9wt% Zr) and a deposit of a relatively low Zr content (17.2wt% Zr) were considered to be formed during the cooling process of the distillation product. Another Zr-rich deposit (64.7wt% Zr), which might cause the inhomogeneity of product ingots, was expected to result from Zr-rich spots that originally existed in the cathode product. The Cl content in the cathode product was decreased by distillation to less than 1/200 of that after electrorefining, while it was markedly larger at a higher Zr concentration. To limit the amount of Zr-rich deposit and the Cl content, the amount of Zr in the distillation product should be controlled to a sufficiently low level by optimization of the operating procedures and conditions in the electrorefining and distillation steps. The zirconia coating material developed in this study showed superior performance in inhibiting reaction between the melted U–Zr alloy melt and the graphite crucible and also in the easy release of the U–Zr ingot from the crucible.

Development of Treatment Process for Anode Residue from Molten Salt Electrorefining of Spent Metallic Fast Reactor Fuel

A new treatment process was proposed for the anode residue from a molten salt electrorefining step in the pyrometallurgical reprocessing of spent metallic fast reactor fuel. This treatment process consists of two steps: (a) oxidation of the remaining actinides in the anode residue by the addition of CdCl2 and (b) removal of the accompanying chloride by high-temperature distillation. The oxidation of the remaining uranium by CdCl2 was studied using anode residue from previous electrorefining experiments using U-Zr alloys. The reaction between uranium and CdCl2 was completed in [approximately]2 days with a satisfactory chlorine balance among the species in the molten chlorides solvent. A high uranium oxidation rate was attained by appropriately controlling the rate of CdCl2 addition. The high-temperature distillation tests were carried out at 1473 K with pressure of [approximately]300 Pa to remove the solvent accompanying the anode residue. The chloride content in the anode residue was lowered to 1% to 2.5% by the distillation operation. Although the anode residue was heated to 1673 to 1773 K at a pressure of [approximately]50 kPa after the distillation, it was not melted completely. The remaining ratio of uranium after the electrorefining and the above treatment process was evaluated to be 0.04% to 0.20%. Material flow calculations were performed for a pyrometallurgical reprocessing facility equipped with the anode residue treatment process. It showed that (a) the chlorine and uranium supply/demand balance is maintained unless the remaining ratio of uranium after electrorefining exceeds a certain value and (b) the addition of the anode residue treatment process does not have an adverse effect on either the performance of the overall process or the facility design.

Feasibility of the radioastatination of a monoclonal antibody with astatine-211 purified by wet extraction.

Astatine-211, a most promising α-particle emitter for targeted radiotherapy, is generally obtained by high-temperature distillation. However, a liquid-liquid extraction procedure (wet extraction) has also been described. The purpose of this study was to develop and optimize the labelling of the stannylated-activated ester N-hydroxysuccinimidyl-meta-trimethylstannylbenzoate ester (MeSTB) with astatine-211 extracted in di-isopropylether (DIPE) in the presence of the oxidant N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS). The effect of final volume, incubation duration and NCS amounts on radiolabelling yield was studied. The best yields (85-90%) of N-hydroxysuccinimidyl-meta-[(211)At]astatobenzoate ester (SAB) were obtained with 20 nmol of MeSTB, 100 nmol of NCS in 120 µL of DIPE after 15 min. The astatine-211-labelled-activated ester was then used to radiolabel a monoclonal antibody (mAb). The labelling yield was 20-25% and the radiochemical purity was 97-99%. These results show that mAbs may be efficiently labelled with astatine-211 obtained by wet extraction, a fully automatable technique that may prove to be a useful alternative to dry distillation for high activity labelling of radiopharmaceuticals. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Purification of 1,2-diacylglycerols from vegetable oils: Comparison of molecular distillation and liquid CO 2 extraction

High oleic sunflower oil (HOSO) and soybean oil (SBO) were partially deacylated by enzyme-catalyzed propanolysis using lipozyme TL IM to form 1,2-diacyl- sn-glycerols (1,2-DAG) in 40% yields. 1,2-DAG are of interest as potential regiospecific intermediates in the synthesis of structured lipids for cosmeceutical and nutriceutical applications. Two purification techniques were examined to determine which was the most efficient at removing the fatty acid propyl ester (FAPE) byproducts while limiting the spontaneous acyl migration of the 1,2-DAG to 1,3-diacyl- sn-glycerols (1,3-MAG) and adversely affecting the physical properties of the 1,2-DAG and FAPE. Molecular distillation of the partially deacylated vegetable oils was examined at temperatures ranging from 120 to 240 °C. Molecular distillation at 220 °C removed 77% of the FAPE byproduct but caused significant acyl migration. Additionally, the acid values and Lovibond color of the partially deacylated vegetable oils were deleteriously affected. The purity of the FAPE, contaminated by co-distillation of di- and mono-acylglycerol species as monitored by viscosity values and 1H NMR, was also compromised by the high temperature distillation. Distillations at lower temperatures improved the physical properties of the partially deacylated vegetable oils and the purity of the FAPE but at the sacrifice of the efficiency of FAPE removal. The mild condition of the liquid CO 2 extraction afforded the most efficient removal of the FAPE, 96%, while causing no appreciable acyl migration, and resulted in acid values and Lovibond colors comparable to those obtained at the lowest molecular distillation temperatures studied.

Homogeneous and heterogeneous 4-( N, N-dialkylamino)pyridines as effective single component catalysts in the synthesis of propylene carbonate

4-( N, N-Dimethylamino)pyridine (DMAP) is shown to catalyze the reaction of propylene oxide with carbon dioxide in high yields without added co-catalyst. Moreover, propylene carbonate is the only product obtained when the reaction is conducted under rigorously dry conditions. This result contrasts previous findings indicating minimal or no conversion of the epoxide using DMAP alone. Additionally, a new immobilized DMAP analog has been synthesized that shows productivity comparable to the homogeneous catalyst. The supported catalyst is characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), N 2 physisorption, solid state 13C and 29Si CP-MAS NMR, and FT-Raman spectroscopy. This supported catalyst can be readily recovered without utilization of high temperature distillation.