Pilot Plant Application Research Articles

Salicornia seed oil: A high-yielding and sustainable halophytic feedstock for biodiesel and energy in underutilized hypersaline coastal deserts

Addressing the critical need for sustainable biofuel sources that do not compete with prime agricultural land, this work presents a promising evaluation of Salicornia species as novel biodiesel feedstocks cultivable in underutilized coastal hypersaline regions. The research leveraged a successful pilot plant application, demonstrating the practical large-scale cultivation of Salicornia as an energy feedstock in these environments. Through innovative integration of advanced analytical techniques and multivariate statistical approaches, S. bigelovii and S. sinus-persica were comprehensively analyzed for their biodiesel potential. S. bigelovii seeds exhibited superior oil content (20.6 wt%) compared to S. sinus-persica (11.6 wt%), with an exceptional oil yield potential of 11,442 kg/ha, surpassing established biodiesel feedstocks. Oil extraction experiments also showed that cleaned high-density S. bigelovii seeds yielded up to 36.0 % oil content. Fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiling and biodiesel properties confirmed that both species meet ASTM D6751 and EN 14214 standards. The multivariate analyses revealed interesting relationships between Salicornia oils and other feedstocks, providing valuable insights for future breeding programs. Furthermore, advanced imaging elucidated Salicornia seed microstructures and oil distribution. This research establishes a robust analytical framework for evaluating novel biodiesel sources with significant implications for sustainable energy production in marginal lands. The findings pave the way for developing high-yielding, salt-tolerant energy crops, enhancing biodiesel feedstock cultivation in salt-affected coastal areas worldwide. By tackling both energy security and land use challenges in a changing climate, the study marks a breakthrough in sustainable biodiesel research.

Eulerian computational fluidisation modelling using OpenFOAM applied to a semi-industrial fluidised bed reactor and pilot plant application

Simulations of a fluidised bed reactor for gasification of municipal solid refuse-derived fuel were performed using OpenFOAM software. Firstly, evaluation was made of a simplified gas-solid two-phase model, considering sand and air as the components, according to a transient Eulerian-Eulerian approach. A scale-up study was also performed to obtain thermal-fluid dynamic parameters. Then, a real dimensions non-reacting model was developed, based on the experimental information from a semi-industrial gasification plant with capacity for processing 7.1 t day−1 of municipal refuse-derived fuel, producing 16.9 t day−1 of syngas. The fluidising regime was mapped for different inlet conditions, at 1,123 K, with air velocities ranging from 0.01 to 1.25 m s−1, and the continuous operation of the reactor was analysed, where in the solid particles packing remained at approximately 88% from maximum, with bed height of 2.05 m. The results were in good agreement with data available in the scientific literature, and the computational model was able to provide consistent results when compared to the experimental information for the semi-industrial reactor. The authors’ major remark was the hability of this computational model in obtaining consistent results from simulations of the semi-industrial scale reactor, with good prediction of the internal fluid dynamics characteristics.

Performance and implications of forward osmosis-membrane distillation hybrid system for simultaneous treatment of different real produced water streams

This study investigates the simultaneous treatment of different real produced water streams using forward osmosis-membrane distillation (FO-MD) hybrid system. The water–oil separator outlet (WO) was used simultaneously as FO draw solution (DS) and MD feed solution (FS). The FO process generated stable average fluxes of 13.6 L/m2/h and 15.8 L/m2/h with desalter effluent (DE) and wash water (WW) as FO feed streams, while MD produced 13.2 L/m2/h and 11 L/m2/h, respectively. Monovalent ions induced internal concentration polarization and CaSiO3 colloidal scaling on the support layer reduced the FO flux. Further FO flux reduction was caused by CaSO4 and NaCl crystals on the active layer. Moreover, CaSO4 created partial pore covering while oil and grease depicted pore clogging of the MD membrane, which decreased the MD flux. Volatile fatty acids and organic nano pollutants reached MD permeate and FO FS. Humic acid scaling was fully recovered by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid by masking calcium ions and reducing the pH. No membrane wetting was observed in the system. No bacteria were found in real streams as analyzed with Epifluorescence microscopy, eliminating the potential of microbial fouling. The hybrid system showed > 93 % removal of oil, inorganics and organics, making the permeate quality excellent for re-injection or industrial reuse. The FS streams were concentrated by 77–84 % resulting in smaller disposal volumes. No utilization of chemicals and water makes this hybrid concept practical and sustainable. The findings of this study can serve as design criteria for future onsite pilot plant applications.

Demonstration of applied linear model predictive control for an enzymatic reactive dividing wall column

The synergistic integration of different processing steps in multifunctional units offers huge potential for bioprocess intensification. Especially reactive separation technologies have been widely applied in chemical processes, with reactive distillation being termed the front-runner of industrial process intensification. The concept can be transferred to bioprocesses in terms of enzymatic reactive distillation, which can further be intensified through thermal coupling with a subsequent distillation column into an enzymatic reactive dividing wall column. While such a highly integrated process offers considerable potential for operational and investment cost savings, it also faces operational challenges and limitations caused by the strong degree of integration and the temperature sensitivity of the biocatalyst, that need to be addressed by a sophisticated process control system. The current study demonstrates the applicability and efficiency of a linear model predictive control approach for the enzymatic reactive dividing wall column in a pilot plant application. The transesterification of butanol and hexyl acetate to hexanol and butyl acetate, catalyzed by the enzyme CalB (Novozym 435), serves as a model reaction. The control performance is illustrated for a setpoint adjustment and a feed disturbance, for which a comparative evaluation with an established PI-control approach is conducted.

Process stability examinations of bioelectromethanogenesis using a pure culture of M. maripaludis

The production of chemicals and fuels in bioelectrochemical systems using CO2 and electrical current as substrates for metabolic processes is on the turning point from lab scale to first pilot plant applications. However, for industrial use, the production of fuels, such as methane needs to be a reliable process resistant against system failures and power fluctuations. Therefore, we briefly show some system failure experiments carried out for bioelectromethanogenesis. It was observed that the bioelectromethanogenesis process is long term stable (450 h) with a minimum of maintenance, suggesting that the technology is viable. Testing failures of relevant process conditions, the current consumption and methane production rate recovered quickly after a shut-off of the applied potential or the gas supply, but did not fully recover during 24 h after a breakdown in temperature control or a sudden shift in the in-gas composition. This results show that the process will be relatively stable during shut-off times or system failures in industrial applications, which makes it feasible to conduct further research and construct first pilot plants.

Analysis of protein enrichment during single- and multi-stage tribo-electrostatic bioseparation processes for dry fractionation of legume flour

Abstract The potential of a dry fractionation approach for the production of native plant protein concentrates has been validated for navy bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris ) flour as a model system utilizing a lab-scale tribo-electrostatic separator. For this approach, protein and carbohydrate particles in pin-milled flour were tribo-charged to different levels before being fractionated according to their acquired charge under the influence of an applied electric field. In the present study, the location and distribution of the charged protein-rich particles along the surface of the electrode plate was investigated as a function of air flow rate (laminar vs . turbulent) and electric field strength. A turbulent air flow rate at a variety of electric field strengths resulted in the formation of protein-rich particles and starch granule agglomerates affecting the production of high-purity protein concentrates. Charging the flour particles at a laminar air flow rate followed by separation under a low electric field strength enabled the production of fine protein-rich fractions with considerably higher protein contents (38.4–46.5%) but lower protein separation efficiency. The combination of a laminar air flow rate and high electrode voltage slightly reduced the protein content of the fraction (39.4–42.9%), but significantly improved the protein separation efficiency to ∼45%. To further improve the separation efficiency of the navy bean protein concentrate without compromising its protein content, a two-stage tribo-electrostatic separation approach was evaluated at a laminar air flow but different plate voltages. The combined protein-rich fraction produced by the two-stage approach had a protein content of ∼38% accounting for 60% of the total protein that was significantly higher than that of the optimized single-stage tribo-electrostatic separation, facilitating the scale-up of this dry fractionation technique for pilot-plant applications.

Pilot-Scale Investigation of Micropollutant Removal with Granular and Powdered Activated Carbon

Activated carbon is investigated as adsorptive barrier for organic micropollutants (OMP) within the Berlin water cycle. In a pilot plant using granular activated carbon (GAC) as upper layer in dual-media filtration, OMP concentrations in treated wastewater could be reduced without any negative impact on filtration efficiency. OMP breakthroughs occurred after shorter runtimes than estimated according to isotherm experiments with powdered activated carbon (PAC). Batch adsorption tests comparing the used GAC to new GAC showed that the capacity of the used GAC was not exhausted, indicating that besides direct site competition, pore blocking is also responsible for the poor GAC performance. A pilot plant application of PAC of the same type as GAC showed significantly higher OMP removals at lower dosages, taking advantage of immobilization of PAC particles in the filters. Both PAC and GAC applications can be integrated into tertiary wastewater treatment without significant constructional changes.

A study of brackish water membrane with ultrafiltration pretreatment in Indonesia’s coastal area

Water pollution and sea water intrusion to water sources in coastal areas result lack of provision safe drinking water by the drinking water regional company or coastal community. The existing water treatment plant that operated on brackish surface water or groundwater feed requires improving process. Membrane process could be a choice to treat the quality of brackish water to the level of potable water that designed to lower cost with high stabile flux and longer lifetime. This research focus on application of pilot plant of brackish water treatment using Ultrafiltration (UF) membrane-air lift system as pretreatment of Reverse Osmosis (RO) membrane-low pressure. Brackish water sources contain high colloidal and suspended solids that can cause fouling load of RO membranes and impair its performance. UF pretreatment operation tested by addition of compressed air into the feed (air lift system), resulted stable flux, reduces membrane fouling and low feed pressure. A flux of RO with UF pretreatment can produce drinking water of 30-61 L/m 2 ·hour. It was observed, the good quality of RO permeate resulted by using a pretreatment of UF-PS (Polysulfone-UF) with total dissolved solid rejection about 96-98% and color rejection about 99-100% at 5 or 8 bars of operation pressure. This paper concludes that performance of membrane technology with UF-air lift system pretreatment and RO membrane-low pressure could be accepted as condition of brackish water source in Indonesia coastal areas in producing drinking water.

Phase-based supervisory control for fermentation process development

Abstract Supervisory control of fed-batch fermentation processes is a difficult problem because the process is inherently non-linear, operated at unsteady state, and often poorly modeled. This problem is exacerbated in laboratory and pilot-plant applications due to lack of historical data from similarly operated batches. In this paper, we propose an approach for the supervisory control of fed-batch fermentation during process development. Transitions in the process are explicitly modeled and characterized using simple multivariate rules. Online data is then used to identify the occurrence of transitions and thus track the process across different phases. Supervisory control actions such as sequence control, phase-specific regulatory controllers and alarm settings are then subsequently executed based on this knowledge of the current phase. One key advantage of this approach is that it does not require detailed process knowledge or extensive process data and is thus well suited for application in process development. This approach has been implemented as an online expert system, called i Prophet, and successfully tested on two laboratory-scale process development case studies—a bacterial ( Escherichia coli ) fermentation and laboratory-scale yeast ( Pichia pastoris ) fermentation. The approach and results from the two case studies are presented.

The application of membrane filtration for the removal of ammonium ions from potable water

It is well recognized that soluble ammonia and nitrite in drinking water has chronic effects on humans. Ammonia has potential environmental health hazards, particularly to young children. European Union Standards limit the concentration of ammonia to 0.5 mg/l in drinking water. In Eskisehir (Turkey) drinking and tap water are supplied from a water treatment plant, consisting mainly of screening, sedimentation, filtration and sterilization units and having a capacity of 80.000 m 3/d. Depend on the industrial and climatic effects the observed high ammonium concentration in treated water causes undesirable effects of water quality. Therefore, people in Eskisehir do not want to use tap water for drinking. The aim of the study was to evaluate the performance of membrane processes, i.e. Nanofiltration and reverse osmosis to the removal of ammonium and Ca ions from plant effluent and recommend one of them for a subsequent pilot plant application.

Centrifuge dewatering and reconstitution of fine coal: A pilot-plant application of the GranuFlow Process

A continuous pilot-scale test of the GranuFlow Process was conducted using a screen-bowl centrifuge for the dewatering and reconstitution of column-flotation concentrate at a coal preparation plant in Virginia. In this test, a slipstream of the fine clean-coal slurry from the column-flotation concentrate was treated with a bitumen emulsion before dewatering. The treated products from the screen-bowl centrifuge appeared to be dry and in afree-flowing granular form, while the untreated products were wet, sticky and difficult to handle. Test results indicated that the average moisture contents of the dewatered coal products were 35.7%, 35.5%, 32.6%, 29.9% and 26.5% (by weight) with Orimulsion additions of 0.0%, 0.7%, 3.2%, 4.8% and 6.4% (by weight), respectively. The handleability and dust reduction of the dewatered coal products were also vastly improved.

Risk-informed inservice inspection

The operational readiness and functional integrity of certain safety-related piping and associated structural elements such as piping supports are vital to the safety of operations in nuclear power plants. Inservice inspection (ISI) is one of the mechanisms used by the power plant owners to ensure piping integrity. Previously, the type and frequency of ISI have been based on the collective best judgment of the NRC and industry in a consensus code and rulemaking process. The ASME code-based ISI requirements and practices have not explicitly taken into consideration unique aspects of piping functions, piping degradation mechanisms, weld integrity, fabrication details, and the extent of the contribution to overall plant risk. Due to the general nature of the ASME code ISI requirements and non-reliance on quantification of risk estimates, current ISI requirements may unnecessarily emphasize inspection of less safety-significant piping segments, and thereby unnecessarily expose plant personnel to radiation exposure. Nuclear power plant owners are currently interested in optimizing inspection and testing by applying resources in more safety-significant areas. They are also interested in maintaining system availability and reducing overall maintenance costs which do not have any adverse effects on safety. The NRC has confirmed its intent of using probabilistic, as an adjunct to deterministic, techniques, to help define the scope, type, and frequency of ISI. The development of risk-informed inservice inspection programs (RI-ISI) has the potential to optimize the use of NRC and industry resources and to continue assuring adequate protection of the public's health and safety. Currently there are two methodologies being proposed by the industry for the implementation of the RI-ISI programs. One is being developed jointly by the ASME Research and Westinghouse Owners Group (WOG) and the other by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). Both methodologies will be implemented for pilot plant applications. Based on discussions with the interested licensees, the NRC staff has tentatively accepted Surry, ANO-2, and Fitzpatrick as the RI-ISI pilot plants. The Surry pilot application is based on the WOG methodology, whilst ANO-2 and Fitzpatrick are based on the EPRI methodology.

Management of change: A pilot plant application

AbstractWhereas the management of change concept is a common practice for many production facilities, its application in a research and development environment is relatively new. How does one effectively manage a change control program when “change” is the normal way of doing business? Is it really necessary for pilot plants? These were the challenges facing the Searle chemical pilot plant organization in 1991 when it initiated its program.This paper describes the Searle pilot plant equipment management of change program, its evolution, and implementation. The problems and issues faced during implementation will also be reviewed.

A Preliminary Study on Strategies for Optimal Fluid-Bed Drying

ABSTRACT The degradation of product quality during convective drying depends on the temperature and water concentration history of the panicles and drying time. For improving product quality in combination with acceptable operation costs, optimal control of the operation variables is required. In this preliminary study the relevance of dynamic optimal operations for batch-wise fluid-bed drying is explored by simulation. Optimal trajectories of operation variables were calculated for a pilot-plant installation by using a model which concerned the drying history of the panicles and the product quality (inactivation of biological active components). The applied objective function was based on an economic criterion combining product quality and operation costs. Although the advances for the chosen pilot-plant application are moderate, in future studies the potentials and relevance of dynamic optimal operations for drying will be quantified for installations on industrial scale.

DIALOGS: Diagnostics with Logistic Support for System Supervision

This paper discusses recent developments within the DIALOGS project which are aimed at implementing a range of advanced fault detection techniques in real industrial applications. The DIALOGS methodology of representing the plant's physical and functional structure as a hierarchy is presented. The mechanism to map the target faults onto this hierarchy is discussed resulting in the choice of appropriate fault detection algorithm. An example fault detection system design is presented for a heat exchanger pilot plant application. This design example shows the complementary relationships between the analytically derived fault detection algorithms such as Static Characteristics and Parity Space, statistical residual evaluation using GLR and CUSUM, and logic based reasoning to make the final diagnostic hypothesis. A possible mechanism to present this information to the operators is also presented.

Coordinated Decentralised Control Design and Distillation Pilot Plant Application

The Coordinated Decentralised Control forms a useful approach to control a complex industrial process. It enables the design of a multilevel control system in the form of a hierarchical network of control and decision centers. The vertical information transfer help for the coordination in a hierarchical control and the horizontal information transfer is used for the cooperation in decentralised control. The relations between the control centers are expressed by the tracking of the used process models. The aggregated model situated on the upper level of the hierarchy is tracked by the detailed models of the lower level. Eventually a multiple model could be introduced to caracterise a process part in its various operating conditions. On the base of linear state variable models and the input-output quadratic tracking cost function, a Coordinated Decentralized Control Algorithm in the form of matrix modular computing blocs is presented. The stability study gives the condition to be satisfied for the interconnection of these centers. The application of the proposed approach to the experimental pilot plant with two distillation columns controled by a micro-computer distributed system is presented.

Formaldehyde Treatment of Partially Swollen Cotton

Two processes for producing wash-wear cotton fabrics by treatment with formaldehyde are described. One of these processes consists of reacting the fabric in a wet swollen condition in an aqueous solution of formaldehyde and hydrochloric acid. This fabric has good wet wrinkle recovery only and is therefore referred to as the Form-W process. It has good strength retention and is suitable for line-drying after washing. The other process consists of reacting the fabric in a wet, partially swollen condition in a solution of acetic acid,. water, hydrochloric acid, and formaldehyde. It is referred to as the Form-D process because the fabrics have good dry (as well as wet) wrinkle recovery. These fabrics are suitable for either line-drying or tumble-drying. It is very important in both processes that the fabrics be well mercerized if adequate strength is to be re tained. Softeners also improve the tearing strength. Laboratory and pilot-plant appli cations are described, and data on the physical properties of the fabrics presented. Reaction rates of the Form-D process at various temperatures are given. Also, preliminary work on other solvents and catalysts is discussed briefly. Cross-linking with formaldehyde at various degrees of fiber swelling is discussed briefly from a theoretical standpoint.

Pilot‐plant application of filtration‐extraction to soybeans

Pilot‐plant application of filtration‐extraction to soybeans