Industrial Production Processes Research Articles

Agri-food supply chain optimization through a decentralized production process in the olive oil industry

A tactical/operational model is proposed to assist decision-making in harvest planning and olive oil production planning of the different producers in the rural sector, considering allocation and transportation decisions of the kilograms of olives to the production plant with temporary relocation decisions of the mobile olive oil mills through decentralized production activities in the agri-food supply chain. A Mixed Integer Linear Programming model is presented that maximizes the profit of small farmers in the production process of single-varietal extra virgin olive oil. The decisions are based on the geographical dispersion of the different olive growers and the oil concentration of the olive varieties in a certain period, which depends on the climatic conditions of each sector where the olives are cultivated. The mathematical programming model is applied in Coquimbo, Chile, using actual data collected from previous harvest seasons. The computational results of the optimization model indicate that transportation decisions impact olive harvesting and oil production decisions. It is concluded that cooperatives of small producers in the rural sector increase overall profits and reduce transportation costs and the number of kilometers traveled by at least 41% through a decentralized production process with mobile production plants.

Dynamic fault detection and diagnosis of industrial alkaline water electrolyzer process with variational Bayesian dictionary learning

Alkaline Water Electrolysis (AWE) is one of the simplest green hydrogen production method using renewable energy. AWE system typically yields process variables that are serially correlated and contaminated by measurement uncertainty. A novel robust dynamic variational Bayesian dictionary learning (RDVDL) monitoring approach is proposed to improve the reliability and safety of AWE operation. RDVDL employs a sparse Bayesian dictionary learning to preserve the dynamic mechanism information of AWE process which allows the easy interpretation of fault detection results. To improve the robustness to measurement uncertainty, a low-rank vector autoregressive (VAR) method is derived to reliably extract the serial correlation from process variables. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated with an industrial hydrogen production process, and RDVDL can efficiently detect and diagnose critical AWE faults.

Directional hydrothermal hydrogenation of palmitic acid to alcohol over carbon-encapsulated highly dispersed Co catalyst

The directed conversion of fatty acids into fatty alcohols in water medium has recent received increasing attention. Here, a carbon-encapsulated catalyst (Co@C) is designed and used for the hydrothermal hydrogenation of palmitic acid (a model compound of microalgae-based bio-oils) to produce 1-hexadecanol, exhibiting ultra-high catalytic activity. The yield of 1-hexadecanol is as high as 95.1 % at 200 °C within 60 min. The characterization results indicate that a large number of highly dispersed CoO nanoparticles (CoO NPs) provide sufficient hydrogenation active centers for the Co@C catalyst. More importantly, under the protection of the carbon layer, the Co@C catalyst exhibits high hydrothermal stability, far superior to the conventional supported Co/AC catalyst. The catalyst uses inexpensive glucose and cobalt nitrate as raw materials, with a simple synthesis process, low cost, and easy large-scale industrial production. This work provides a new strategy for obtaining catalysts with hydrothermal stability and activity for production of alcohols.

A Review of Emerging Technologies for the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Berries (Phalsa Berries)

Berries have been gaining in popularity among consumers and producers due to their natural bioactive compounds that have beneficial effects on human health. This review aimed to identify effective techniques for the extraction of bioactive compounds from berries, consolidate the findings of recent studies using various extraction technologies, and provide a global perspective on the research trends in this field. These extraction techniques include pulsed electric field, ultrasound-assisted extraction, pressurized liquid extraction, microwave-assisted extraction, and supercritical CO2 extraction. The solid waste generated during the industrial berry juice production process is assumed to be a less expensive source of raw materials for the natural extraction of bioactive compounds. The main aim of modern techniques is to produce more of the desired compound and find a method to extract bioactive compounds from berries without the use of hazardous solvents. These include flavonoids, phenols, anthocyanins, and antioxidants. Regarding the characterization of the bioactive compounds that are isolated from berries, aspects such as scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance were reviewed.

Gas–Liquid Two-Phase Flow Measurement Based on Optical Flow Method with Machine Learning Optimization Model

Gas–Liquid two-phase flows are a common flow in industrial production processes. Since these flows inherently consist of discrete phases, it is challenging to accurately measure the flow parameters. In this context, a novel approach is proposed that combines the pyramidal Lucas-Kanade (L–K) optical flow method with the Split Comparison (SC) model measurement method. In the proposed approach, videos of gas–liquid two-phase flows are captured using a camera, and optical flow data are acquired from the flow videos using the pyramid L–K optical flow detection method. To address the issue of data clutter in optical flow extraction, a dynamic median value screening method is introduced to optimize the corner point for optical flow calculations. Machine learning algorithms are employed for the prediction model, yielding high flow prediction accuracy in experimental tests. Results demonstrate that the gradient boosted regression (GBR) model is the most effective among the five preset models, and the optimized SC model significantly improves measurement accuracy compared to the GBR model, achieving an R2 value of 0.97, RMSE of 0.74 m3/h, MAE of 0.52 m3/h, and MAPE of 8.0%. This method offers a new approach for monitoring flows in industrial production processes such as oil and gas.

Quantitative shear stress imaging in high throughput in-line Si wafer inspection

Defect inspection methods are basic steps in electronic chip manufacturing and power device production processes in the semiconductor industry. Based on stress induced photoelastic anisotropy, in-line polarized stress imaging (PSI) and quantitative determination of the local shear stress component are possible in single crystalline silicon wafers. Hereafter, such polarization stress images are compared and validated quantitatively with results of finite element simulations based on different 3D elastic models. Uniquely, high resolution at high throughputs is achieved for 300 mm wafer size in the present quantitative stress imaging study.

The Role of AI in Co-design and Production Process in the Design Industry: A Prompt Investigation in the Creative Industry

The Role of AI in Co-design and Production Process in the Design Industry: A Prompt Investigation in the Creative Industry

Selection of waste receiving companies for sustainable industrial symbiosis network: an application a case in Ankara for foundry industry waste

AbstractIn the past twenty years, besides the technological and innovative efforts for production processes, there have been activities for the recovery and quality improvement of waste based on the development of sustainable solutions. These activities bring us closer to zero waste by protecting natural resources and reducing the environmental impact of production facilities. One of the essential approaches in this process is the industrial symbiosis (IS) approach. Efforts to implement the industrial symbiosis approach in an industrial park constitute the motivation of the study. The study aims to identify alternative enterprises that can evaluate the wastes generated in the main production process of the foundry industry with industrial symbiosis and rank them to establish a symbiotic relationship. First, the Pythagorean Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process (PF-AHP) model has been developed to evaluate organizational factors, waste-specific factors, and economic and environmental sustainability criteria for establishing an IS network among alternative businesses. Then, alternative businesses were ranked to establish a symbiosis network with the PF-TOPSIS method. The proposed method contributes to the solution of a real-life problem that may arise when there are multiple alternatives to cooperate in the field of industrial symbiosis. By contributing this framework to the literature, the robustness of the results has been demonstrated through sensitivity analysis and comparative analysis. According to the results obtained, it was seen that the importance levels of economic factors came to the fore. Furthermore, among the alternatives, enterprises with high waste exchange potential, such as cement, took first place in the ranking.

Advanced Technologies in Food Processing—Development Perspective

Research into innovative techniques in food technology is developing dynamically. This is indicated by the significant increase in the number of scientific studies in this field. The aim of this work was to provide a comprehensive, in-depth analysis of the available scientific evidence on new techniques used in food that not only increase efficiency but also enable the creation of products with desirable sensory and nutritional characteristics. Research on techniques including cold plasma, high-pressure processing, ultrasound, pulsed electric fields, sous vide, and microwave heating aims to provide innovative methods of food processing, in the context of meeting growing consumer expectations and optimizing production processes in the food industry. Compared to traditional food processing methods, innovative techniques can provide more efficient solutions in the processing of products. Research on alternative non-thermal methods in food technology suggests their possible benefits, including enhancing sensory and nutritional quality, minimizing environmental impact, and increasing production efficiency, which are a significant challenge in the modern food industry. Despite the many benefits, it is worthwhile to continue research to further improve modern food technologies.

Uncovering crystal growth and regeneration mechanism to control crystal morphology: The case study of aceclofenac

The study of crystal growth and regeneration mechanisms is of great significance for controlling the morphology of crystals. Through the investigation of the recovery and regrowth processes of crystals, we have revealed the regeneration mechanism of aceclofenac (ACF) crystals and the influence of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) on the regeneration of ACF crystals. Firstly, ACF crystal regeneration experiments were conducted in acetone (ACT) and methyl acetate (MA), and it was found that the broken crystals could be successfully regenerated and restored to their original morphology, the regenerated ACF crystals in MA exhibited a larger aspect ratio. Secondly, the crystals obtained from the two solvents were placed in different solvents for regrowth, and it was shown that solvent was a key factor influencing the aspect ratio of ACF crystals. Additionally, HPMC was used to regulate the crystal morphology, it was found that the best effect was achieved when the mass fraction of HPMC was 0.5%, resulting in a regenerated crystal with an aspect ratio of only 2.19. Molecular simulation results indicated that the interaction between the radial (110) crystal facet and the solvent was weaker than that with the axial (1 0 -1) crystal facet, leading to a higher radial growth rate and a larger aspect ratio of the crystal. However, after adding HPMC, the interaction between HPMC and the radial (1 1 -1) and (110) crystal facets became stronger. HPMC selectively adsorbed on these two crystal facets, ultimately resulting in crystals with a smaller aspect ratio. The research findings of this study will provide theoretical basis for solving the problem of difficult morphology control due to crystal fragmentation in the pharmaceutical industry production process.

The impact of pressure-shift freezing on the three-dimensional network structure and properties of myofibrillar proteins in surimi gel derived from freshwater fish

Freezing treatment can prolong the shelf life of surimi products, but it will lead to deterioration of surimi gel quality. This study compared the effects of three different processing methods — non-freezing processing (control), conventional air freezing (CAF), and pressure-shift freezing (PSF) — on the three-dimensional (3D) network structure of grass carp surimi gel. After PSF treatment, the pores in the 3D gel network structure were denser compared to the control group which facilitates interaction of water and network structure. Furthermore, the ultraviolet and fluorescence spectral analysis indicated that PSF treatment mitigates the decline in stability of the tertiary structure of myofibrillar protein (MP) during freezing. The microstructure of MP showed that PSF treatment promotes the cross-linking of MP to form protein aggregates and then promotes the gelation of MP. Industrial relevancePSF can increase the commodity value of low-value freshwater fish products and has potential in the development of new products of surimi gels. This study reported a novel idea and theoretical basis for the application of PSF technology in the frozen food and aquatic product processing industry.

An integrated system theoretic process analysis with multilevel flow modeling for the identification of cyber‐physical hazards in a process industry

AbstractThe deep integration of information technology and process industry production systems makes system failure increasingly multi‐source and multi‐scale. In contrast to conventional hazard methods, system theoretic process analysis (STPA) can analyze the hazards in system control processes from the perspective of interactions among the system components. Theoretically, this method offers advantages that are better suited for modern production systems. However, as of now, the integration between STPA and process industrial production systems is still lacking. To address this issue, this study improved the original STPA method. First, we propose the “5 flows” concept for the process industrial cyber‐physical systems. The systems are described using multilevel flow modeling (MFM). This leads to the development of the MSTPA method, which is specifically designed to analyze the cyber‐physical hazards in process industrial production systems. Subsequently, the cyber‐physical hazards of a fluidized‐bed catalytic cracking unit are analyzed in detail using the MSTPA method as an example. The results show that MSTPA can identify cyber‐physical hazards in multiple dimensions. It is proved that, compared with the original STPA and traditional hazard methods, the MSTPA method can better identify cyber‐physical hazards in process industrial production systems.

Gas–solid flow mechanism of spherocylindrical particles with various aspect ratios in spouted bed

Spherocylindrical particles encompass elongated spherical particles, such as biomass particles utilized in thermal reactions and capsule pills in the pharmaceutical industry, along with various other particles found in industrial production processes. Understanding the flow behavior of spherocylindrical particles within a spouted bed holds significant practical importance. This study delves into investigating the fluidization characteristics of spherocylindrical particles with varying aspect ratios within a spouted bed. Key parameters studied include particle void fraction, velocity, orientation, and mixing. These were analyzed using the computational fluid dynamics–discrete element method, and the simulation model's accuracy was verified through high-speed photography experiments. The findings revealed distinct void fraction distributions at different locations within the bed. Particles in the higher-bed region exhibited larger void fractions with flatter peaks compared to those in the lower-bed region. Moreover, the correlation between particle aspect ratio and void fraction varied at different heights within the bed. Notably, there was no significant correlation observed between particle aspect ratio and particle velocity. However, the larger the particle aspect ratio/gas velocity, the better the particle mixing quality. Additionally, gas velocity and particle aspect ratio had little effect on particle orientation, but there was a tendency for particle orientation angles to hover around 45°–60° near the wall region.

Changes in properties of myofibrillar protein and myofibrillar protein gel from freshwater fish after low-temperature and high-pressure collaborative treatment

This study investigated the effects of low-temperature and high-pressure collaborative and conventional air freezing (CAF) on myofibrillar protein (MP) characteristics from grass carp. Turbidity, solubility, and particle size analysis showed that the pressure shift freezing (PSF) treatment could inhibit the formation of large MP aggregates to a certain extent during freezing. Chemical interaction studies unveiled that PSF treatment not only mitigates damage to the inherent structure of MP during freezing but also enhances its crosslinking ability. Microstructure analysis revealed a densely woven fibrous protein network structure within the MP gel in the PSF group. MP gel with fiber shape network structure in the PSF group exhibited stronger water-holding capacity and mechanical properties compared to the CAF group having an incomplete protein network structure. This suggests that the combined application of low-temperature and high-pressure treatment holds promising potential for utilization in the surimi gel processing industry and aquatic products processing.Industrial relevance: The quality and safety of food are closely related to the commodity value of food. Combined low-temperature and high-pressure treatment can enhance the commodity value of low-value freshwater fish products and has potential in surimi gel new product development. This study provides theoretical guidance for high-pressure and low-temperature collaborative processing and industrial production of related aquatic products.

What will be the hydrogen and power demands of the process industry in a climate-neutral Germany?

The defossilization of industry has far-reaching implications regarding the future demand for hydrogen and other forms of energy. This paper presents and applies a fundamental bottom-up model that relies on techno-economic data of industrial production processes. Its aim is to identify, across a range of scenarios, the most cost-effective low-carbon options considering a variety of production systems. Subsequently, it derives the hydrogen and electricity demand that would result from the implementation of these least-cost low-carbon options in process industries in Germany. Aligning with the German government's target year for achieving climate neutrality, this study’s reference year is 2045. The primary contribution lies in analyzing which hydrogen-based and direct electrification solutions would be cost-effective for a range of energy price levels under climate-neutral industrial production and what the resulting hydrogen and electricity demand would be. To this end, the methodology of this paper comprises the following steps: selection of the relevant industries (I), definition of conventional reference production systems and their low-carbon options (II), investigation and processing of the techno-economic data of the standardized production systems (III), establishment of a scenario framework (IV), determination of the least-cost low-carbon solution of a conventional reference production system under the scenario assumptions made (V), and estimation of the resulting hydrogen and electricity demand (VI). According to the results, the expected industrial hydrogen consumption in 2045 ranges from 255 TWh for higher hydrogen prices in or above the range of onshore wind-based green hydrogen supply costs, to up to 542 TWh for very low hydrogen prices corresponding to typical blue hydrogen production costs. Meanwhile, the direct electricity consumption of the process industries in the results ranges from 122 TWh for these rather low hydrogen prices to 368 TWh for the higher hydrogen prices in the region of or above the hydrogen supply costs from the electrolysis of energy from an onshore wind farm. Most of the break-even hydrogen prices that are relevant to the choice of low-carbon options are in the range of the benchmark purchase costs for blue hydrogen and green hydrogen produced from offshore wind power, which span between €40 per MWh and €97 per MWh.

Assessing the hepatotoxicity of phosphogypsum leachate in zebrafish (Danio rerio)

The improper disposal of large amounts of phosphogypsum generated during the production process of the phosphorus chemical industry (PCI) still exists. The leachate formed by phosphogypsum stockpiles could pose a threat to the ecological environment and human health. Nevertheless, information regarding the harmful effects of phosphogypsum leachate on organisms is still limited. Herein, the physicochemical characteristics of phosphogypsum leachate were analyzed, and its toxicity effect on zebrafish (Danio rerio), particularly in terms of hepatotoxicity and potential mechanisms, were evaluated. The results indicated that P, NH3-N, TN, F−, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Ni, Zn, Mn, and Hg of phosphogypsum leachate exceeded the V class of surface water environmental quality standards (GB 3838–2002) to varying degrees. Acute toxicity test showed that the 96 h LC50 values of phosphogypsum leachate to zebrafish was 2.08 %. Under exposure to phosphogypsum leachate, zebrafish exhibited concentration-dependent liver damage, characterized by vacuolization and infiltration of inflammatory cells. The increased in Malondialdehyde (MDA) content and altered activities of antioxidant enzymes in the liver indicated the induction of oxidative stress and oxidative damage. The expression of apoptosis-related genes (P53, PUMA, Caspase3, Bcl-2, and Bax) were up-regulated at low dosage group and down-regulated at medium and high dosage groups, suggesting the occurrence of hepatocyte apoptosis or necrosis. Additionally, phosphogypsum leachate influenced the composition of the zebrafish gut microbiota by reducing the relative abundance of Bacteroidota, Aeromonas, Flavobacterium, Vibrio, and increasing that of Rhodobacter and Pirellula. Correlation analysis revealed that gut microbiota dysbiosis was associated with phosphogypsum leachate-induced hepatotoxicity. Altogether, exposure to phosphogypsum leachate caused liver damage in zebrafish, likely through oxidative stress and apoptosis, with the intestinal flora also playing a significant role. These findings contribute to understanding the ecological toxicity of phosphogypsum leachate and promote the sustainable development of PCI.

Ambient electrosynthesis of urea from carbon dioxide and nitrate over Mo2C nanosheet

Electrocatalytic synthesis of urea through CN bond formation, converting carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrate (NO3–), presents a promising, less energy-intensive alternative to industrial urea production process. In this communication, we report the application of Mo2C nanosheets-decorated carbon sheets (Mo2C/C) as a highly efficient electrocatalyst for facilitating CN coupling in ambient urea electrosynthesis. In CO2-saturated 0.2 mol/L Na2SO4 solution containing 0.05 mol/L NO3–, the Mo2C/C catalyst achieves an impressive urea yield of 579.13 µg h–1 mg–1 with high Faradaic efficiency of 44.80% at –0.5 V versus the reversible hydrogen electrode. Further theoretical calculations reveal that the multiple Mo active sites enhance the formation of *CO and *NH2 intermediates and facilitate their CN coupling. This research propels the use of Mo2C-based electrodes in electrocatalysis and accentuates the capabilities of binary metal-based catalysts in CN coupling reactions.

Boosting Electrocatalytic Ethylene Epoxidation by Single Atom Modulation.

The electrochemical synthesis of ethylene oxide (EO) using ethylene and water under ambient conditions presents a low-carbon alternative to existing industrial production process. Yet, the electrocatalytic ethylene epoxidation route is currently hindered by largely insufficient activity, EO selectivity, and long-term stability. Here we report a single atom Ru-doped hollandite structure KIr4O8 (KIrRuO) nanowire catalyst for efficient EO production via a chloride-mediated ethylene epoxidation process. The KIrRuO catalyst exhibits an EO partial current density up to 0.7 A cm-2 and an EO yield as high as 92.0%. The impressive electrocatalytic performance towards ethylene epoxidation is ascribed to the modulation of electronic structure of adjacent Ir sites by single Ru atoms, which stabilizes the *CH2CH2OH intermediate and facilitates the formation of active Cl2 species during the generation of 2-chloroethanol, the precursor of EO. This work provides a single atom modulation strategy for improving the reactivity of adjacent metal sites in heterogeneous electrocatalysts.

Boosting Electrocatalytic Ethylene Epoxidation by Single Atom Modulation

The electrochemical synthesis of ethylene oxide (EO) using ethylene and water under ambient conditions presents a low‐carbon alternative to existing industrial production process. Yet, the electrocatalytic ethylene epoxidation route is currently hindered by largely insufficient activity, EO selectivity, and long‐term stability. Here we report a single atom Ru‐doped hollandite structure KIr4O8 (KIrRuO) nanowire catalyst for efficient EO production via a chloride‐mediated ethylene epoxidation process. The KIrRuO catalyst exhibits an EO partial current density up to 0.7 A cm−2 and an EO yield as high as 92.0%. The impressive electrocatalytic performance towards ethylene epoxidation is ascribed to the modulation of electronic structure of adjacent Ir sites by single Ru atoms, which stabilizes the *CH2CH2OH intermediate and facilitates the formation of active Cl2 species during the generation of 2‐chloroethanol, the precursor of EO. This work provides a single atom modulation strategy for improving the reactivity of adjacent metal sites in heterogeneous electrocatalysts.

Extraction of Sesquiterpene Lactones from Inula helenium Roots by High-Pressure Homogenization and Effects on Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, and Antiglycation Activities

AbstractThe sesquiterpene lactones (SL) of Inula helenium (I. helenium) roots were extracted using high-pressure homogenization (HPH) and compared against those derived from maceration. The effect of process conditions on the extraction efficiency of bioactive compounds (alantolactone, isoalantolactone, total phenols, and flavonoids); the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical-scavenging activity, ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and antimicrobial activity of the extract; and the inhibition of advanced glycated end product (AGE) formation were assessed. The HPH of 90 MPa for 4 passes demonstrated the highest alantolactone (38.1 ± 0.7 mg/g) and isoalantolactone yields (34.4 ± 0.2 mg/g), respectively, which were significantly higher than the rates obtained using maceration (20.0 ± 0.2 mg/g and 18.9 ± 0.7 mg/g). Under optimal extraction conditions of 90 MPa for 4 passes, inhibition of AGE formation in the extract reached a rate of 97.16 ± 1.86%, with the highest DPPH and FRAP of 231.63 ± 2.96 µg/mL and 949.43 ± 1.86 µmol TE/100 mL, respectively. HPH exhibited lethal activity against all tested bacteria and fungi strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, and Penicillum expansum) at a concentration of 15 µL. SEM results proved that HPH severely damaged the cell structures of roots, increased solvent permeability, and improved the extraction rate of bioactive compounds. Additionally, this study also demonstrated that HPH yields high recovery with a specific energy consumption of 0.22 kWh/kg, which is close to the recommended minimum energy demand for an extraction procedure within industrial production processes. Therefore, these findings showed that HPH can be used as an efficient extraction technique for the production of SL in related industries.