Microchannel reactive distillation for the conversion of aqueous ethanol to ethylene

Here we demonstrate the proof-of-concept for microchannel reactive distillation for alcohol-to-jet application:combining ethanol/water separation and ethanol dehydration in one unit operation.Ethanol is first distilled into the vapor phase,converted to ethylene and water,and then the water co-product is condensed to shift the reaction equilibrium.Process intensification is achieved through rapid mass transfer-ethanol stripping from thin wicks using novel microchannel architectures-leading to lower residence time and improved separation efficiency.Energy savings are realized with integration of unit operations.For example,heat of condensing water can offset vaporizing ethanol.Furthermore,the dehydration reaction equilibrium shifts towards completion by immediate removal of the water byproduct upon formation while maintaining aqueous feedstock in the condensed phase.For aqueous ethanol feedstock(40%_w),71% ethanol conversion with 91% selectivity to ethylene was demonstrated at 220℃,600psig,and 0.28 h^(-1) wt hour space velocity.2.7 stages of separation were also demonstrated,under these conditions,using a device length of 8.3 cm.This provides a height equivalent of a theoretical plate(HETP),a measure of separation efficiency,of ^(3).3 cm.By comparison,conventional distillation packing provides an HETP of ^(3)0 cm.Thus,9,1 × reduction in HETP was demonstrated over conventional technology,providing a means for significant energy savings and an example of process intensification.Finally,preliminary process economic analysis indicates that by using microchannel reactive distillation technology,the operating and capital costs for the ethanol separation and dehydration portion of an envisioned alcoholto-jet process could be reduced by at least 35% and 55%,respectively,relative to the incumbent technology,provided future improvements to microchannel reactive distillation design and operability are made.

Experiments and kinetic modeling of the sorbitol dehydration to isosorbide catalyzed by sulfuric acid under conditions of non-constant volume

Isosorbide is a novel bio-based material derived as a secondary dehydration product of sorbitol.This work focuses on the kinetics of sulfuric acid-catalyzed dehydration of sorbitol under conditions of nonconstant volume.Herein,the effects of stirring rate,catalyst dosage,reaction temperature,and reaction time on the dehydration reaction of sorbitol were investigated.The yield of isosorbide up to 77.13%was obtained after 1.5 h of reaction time under conditions of 2 kPa,1.0%(mass)catalyst dosage,and 413.15 K.Based on the sorbitol dehydration reaction mechanism and a simplified reaction network,a kinetic model was developed in this work.A good agreement was accomplished between kinetic modeling and experiments between 393.15 and 423.15 K.The fitting results indicate that side reactions with higher activation energies are more affected by reaction temperatures,and the main side reaction that influences the selectivity of isosorbide is the oligomerization reaction among the primary dehydration products of sorbitol.The model fitting of the catalyst amounts effect shows that the effective concentration of sulfuric acid would be reduced with the increase of dosage due to the molecular agglomeration effect.Hopefully,the kinetic experiments and modeling results obtained in this work will be helpful to the design and optimization of the industrial sorbitol dehydration process.

Adipokinetic hormone signaling regulates adult dehydration resistance in the migratory locust

Drought events have become more severe under climate change,and this can pose a major threat to the survival of various organisms.The molecular mechanisms involved in dehydration resistance are not well known.Here,adults of the migratory locust,Locusta migratoria,were subjected to food-mediated dehydration,and adipokinetic hormone(AKH)signaling was found to play a key role in regulating dehydration resistance.Specifically,dehydration shortened the lifespan,increased the body weight loss,and reduced the water loss rate in adult locusts.Global transcriptome profiles revealed variations in tissue-specific gene expression between dehydration-resistant locusts and normal locusts.Importantly,dehydration selection and exposure induced prominent expression of AKH genes in the retrocerebral complex of adult locusts.Furthermore,individual knockdown of AKH1,AKH2,or AKH receptor(AKHR)accelerated water loss and shortened the lifespan of adult locusts under dehydration conditions,and trehalose supplementation ameliorated the negative effects caused by interference with AKH or AKHR.These findings demonstrated that AKH/AKHR signaling-dependent trehalose metabolism plays a crucial role in regulating locust dehydration resistance and thus provide novel insights into the regulatory mechanism underlying drought resistance.

Oncologic outcomes with and without amniotic membranes in robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy:A propensity score matched analysis

Objective:Placement of human placenta derived grafts during robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy(RARP)hastens the return of continence and potency.The long-term impact on the oncologic outcomes remains to be investigated.Our objective was to determine the oncologic outcomes of patients with dehydrated human amnion chorion membrane(dHACM)at RARP compared to a matched cohort.Methods:In a referral centre,from August 2013 to October 2019,599 patients used dHACM in bilateral nerve-sparing RARP.We excluded patients with less than 12 months follow-up,simple prostatectomy,and unilateral nerve-sparing.Patients with dHACM(amnio group)were 529,and were propensity score matched 1:1 to 2465 patients without dHACM(non-amnio group)and a minimum follow-up of 36 months.At the time of RARP,dHACM was placed around the neurovascular bundle in the amnio group.Continuous and categorical variables in matched groups was tested by two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and Fisher's exact test respectively.Outcomes measured were biochemical recurrence(BCR),adjuvant and salvage therapy rates.Results:Propensity score matching resulted in two groups of 444 patients.Cumulative incidence functions for BCR did not show a difference between the groups(p=0.3).Patients in the non-amnio group required salvage therapy more frequently than the amnio group,particularly after partial nerve-sparing RARP(6.3%vs.2.3%,p=0.001).Limitations are the absence of prospective randomization.Conclusion:The data suggest that using dHACM does not have a negative impact on BCR in patients.Outcomes of cancer specific and overall survival will require follow-up study to increase our understanding of these grafts’impact on prostate cancer biology.

Biomass-based production of trimellitic and trimesic acids

The production of industrial chemicals with renewable biomass feedstock holds potential to aid the world in pursuing a carbon-neutral society.Trimellitic and trimesic acids are important commodity chemicals in industry that are prepared by the oxidation of petroleum-derived trimethylbenzene.To reduce the dependence on the limited oil source,we develop a potential sustainable alternative towards trimellitic and trimesic acids using biomass-based 2-methyl-2,4-pentandiol(MPD),acrylate and crotonaldehyde as starting materials.The process for trimellitic acid includes dehydration/D-A reaction of MPD and acrylate,flow aromatization over Pd/C catalyst,hydrolysis and catalytic aerobic oxidation(60%overall yield).The challenging regioselectivity issue of D-A reaction is tackled by a matched combination of temperature and deep eutectic solvent ChCl/HCO_(2)H.Crotonaldehyde can also participate in the reaction,followed by Pd/C-catalyzed decarbonylation/dehydrogenation and oxidation to provide trimesic acid in 54%overall yield.Life cycle assessment implies that compared to conventional fossil process,our biomass-based routes present a potential in reducing carbon emissions.

Study on the effect of four kinds of raw materials in hypertonic dehydration cell model

It aims to investigate the protective effects of sodium hyaluronate,panthenol,Portulaca oleracea L.and Calendula officinalis L.on hyperosmotic dehydration-induced injury of human immortalized keratinocytes(HaCaT).The safety mass concentrations of four raw materials were screened by detecting cell viability,and the secretion of hyaluronic acid(HA)was determined using the ELISA method.The expression of HaCaT barrier function related genes(OVOL1,EREG,TGM1,TGM2,IVL,IRF6,THBS1,CASP14)was detected at the mRNA level to explore the regulatory effect of four raw materials on these genes.The results demonstrate that pretreatment with the four kinds of raw materials could increase the cell viability after hyperosmotic dehydration,promote the secretion of HA,and improve the expression of barrier function related genes after hyperosmotic dehydration,among which panthenol and Calendula officinalis L.are better.The results show that the four raw materials have a certain protective effect on the hyperosmotic dehydration cell model,which provides data support for its application in cosmetics.

Bibliometric Exploration of Conversion of Sugars to Furan Derivatives 2,5-Dimethylfuran by Catalytic Process

This study investigated the conversion of sugars into furan derivatives,specifically 2,5-dimethylfuran,through catalytic processes using bibliographic analysis.This method evaluates scientific outcomes and impact within a specific field by analyzing data such as publication trends,references,collaborative models,leading authors,and institutions.The study utilized data fromthe reliable Scopus database and conducted analysis using the visualization of similarity(VOS)viewer program to gain in-depth insights into the current state of research on this topic.The findings revealed that“5 hydroxymethyl furfural”was the most used keyword,followed by“biomass”and“catalysis.”The research trend remained stable and popular from 2006 to 2022,with a decline beginning in 2023.The growing number of publications indicates increasing interest and importance of these topics.Notably,China led in the number of publications,with 80%more than the second-rankedUnited States,followed closely by India in the third place.The study also highlighted citation linkages between authors and countries,providing a comprehensive overview of research on converting sugars to furan derivatives,particularly 2,5-dimethylfuran,through catalytic processes.

Hydroelectrolytic and Energetic Replenisher in Horses Undergoing Marcha Training

The study aimed to assess the clinical, laboratory, and blood gas analysis of horses undergoing Marcha training and the effects of voluntary ingestion of hydroelectrolytic and energy replenishers after exercise. Eight horses of both genders aged between 5 and 10 years, were included in the study. The exercise consisted of a 10-min warm-up followed by 45 min uninterrupted Marcha on a flat dirt track in the morning. After exercise, the horses received one of the following treatments: Drinking water (control group);Hydroelectrolytic and energy replenisher containing sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium acetate, magnesium chloride, sodium citrate, dextrose, maltodextrin, and sucrose in three different concentrations (Replenishers A, B, and C). The horses were distributed across the four treatments in a 4 × 4 Latin Squares design using a Split-plot system with 48-hr intervals. Clinical and laboratory evaluations were conducted at four time points: T0 - 5 min before exercise;T1 - up to 5 min after exercise;T2 - 2 hr after starting treatment;and T4 - 4 hr after beginning treatment. Concentrations of urea, creatinine, lactate, phosphorus, and ionized calcium significantly changed after exercise. An increase in blood pH and a decrease in chloride concentrations were observed when replenishers B and C were offered after exercise. The replacements were ingested spontaneously by the animals in a volume greater than that of the control group (water). Replacement B was the most ingested by the animals, demonstrating its greatest potential.

Quantification of In Vivo Epidermal Keratinocyte Architecture Associated with the Signs of Skin Aging and the Skin Benefit Evaluation by Application of Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (Pitera)-Containing Skin Care Product

Background: Aged skin exhibits visual alterations such as wrinkles, rough texture, pore dilation, and dull skin tone, as well as physiological aging, namely, decreased hydration and increased transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Recent advances in coherence tomography have also revealed that skin aging affects in vivo epidermal keratinocyte architecture. However, the interconnectivity between spatial architectural aging and visual/physiological aging parameters remains largely unknown. Purpose: To elucidate whether the tomographic keratinocyte architectural aging is correlated with visual and physiological skin aging parameters and to quantitatively evaluate the improvements of the architectural, visual, and physiological aging parameters by the daily treatment of the skin care formula containing Galactomyces Ferment Filtrate (GFF, 8X PiteraTM). Method: We measured the in vivo keratinocyte cellular architecture with two-photon stereoscopic tomography obtaining by-layer epidermal section images in 78 Asian females of various ages. Visual aging parameters were analyzed using a portable image capture system. Hydration and TEWL were also assessed. The anti-aging effects of GFF-containing skin moisturizer (SK-II LXP CreamTM) were also examined in two studies after twice-daily application for 2 (N = 35) and 4 (N = 32) weeks. Results: As for the keratinocyte cellular architecture, skin aging was significantly associated with decreased cell density and increased cell uniformity. These architectural aging parameters were significantly correlated with visual and physiological aging parameters, namely, rough texture, wrinkles, pore dilation, dull skin tone, dehydration, and increased TEWL. The strong interconnectivity allowed us to develop formulae to estimate the keratinocyte architecture from visual aging parameters. Moreover, twice-daily application of SK-II significantly improved the keratinocyte architecture associated with multiple skin aging visual and physiological parameters. Conclusion: Skin aging is a process involving mutual interconnections among epidermal keratinocyte cellular architecture, visual, and physiological parameters. The GFF-containing moisturizer SK-II effectively improves spatial architecture of keratinocytes in epidermis and these evaluated skin aging parameters in a new trajectory over the course of treatment. .

Non-isothermal kinetic analysis of thermal dehydration of La_2(CO_3)_3·3.4H_2O in air

The single phase La2（CO3）3·3.4H2 O was synthesized by hydrothermal method. The thermal decomposition and intermediates and final solid products of La2（CO3）3·3.4H2O from 30 to 1000 °C were characterized by XRD, FTIR and DTA-TG. The kinetics of dehydration of La2（CO3）3·3.4H2O in the temperature range of 30-366 °C was investigated under non-isothermal conditions. Flynn-Wall-Ozawa and Friedman isoconversion methods were used to calculate the activation energy and analyze the reaction steps; multivariate non-linear regression program was applied to determine the most probable mechanism and the kinetic parameters. The results show that the thermal dehydration of La2（CO3）3·3.4H2O is a kind of three-step competitive reaction, and controlled by an n-order initial reaction followed by n-order competitive reaction（FnFnFn model）. The activation energy matching with the most probable model is close to value obtained by Friedman method. The fitting curves match the original TG-DTG curves very well.

Three-stage Transformation of Chlorophyll Transient Fluorescence Pattern Under Sustained Dehydration and the Discovery of Critical Water Content in Seaweeds

The chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics of marine red alga Grateloupia turutunt Yamada, green alga Ulva pertusa Kjellm and brown alga Laminaria japonica Aresch during natural sustained dehydration were monitored and investigated. The pulse amplified modulation (PAM) system was used to analyze the distinct fluorescence parameters during thallus dehydration. Results proved that the fluorescence kinetics of different seaweed all showed three patterns of transformation with sustained water loss. These were: 1) peak kinetic pattern (at the early stage of dehydration fluorescence enhanced and quenched subsequently, representing a normal physiological state). 2) plateau kinetic pattern (with sustained water loss fluorescence enhanced continuously but quenching became slower, finally reaching its maximum). 3) Platform kinetic pattern (fluorescence fell and the shape of kinetic curve was similar to plateau kinetic pattern). A critical water content (CWC) could be found and defined as the percentage of water content just prior to the fluorescence drop and to be a significant physiological index for evaluation of plant drought tolerance. Once thallus water content became lower than this value the normal peak pattern can not be recovered even through rehydration, indicating an irreversible damage to the thylakoid membrane. The CWC value corresponding to different marine species were varied and negatively correlated with their desiccation tolerance, for example. Laminaria japonica had the highest CWC value (around 90%) and the lowest dehydration tolerance of the three. In addition, a fluorescence 'burst' was found only in red algae during rehydration. The different fluorescence parameters F-o, F-v and F-v, F-m were measured and compared during water loss. Both F-o and F-v increased in the first stage of dehydration but F-v/F-m. kept almost constant. So the immediate response of in vivo chlorophyll fluorescence to dehydration was an enhancement. Later with sustained dehydration F-o increased continuously while F-v decreased and tended to become smaller and smaller. The major changes in fluorescence (including fluorescence drop during dehydration and the burst during rehydration) were all attributed to the change in F-o instead of F-v This significance of F-o indicates that it is necessary to do more research on F-o as well as on its relationship with the state of thylakoid membrane.

Efficient production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural from hexoses using solid acid SO_4^(2-)/In_2O_3-ATP in a biphasic system

A natural attapulgite （ATP）‐based catalyst, sulfated In2O3‐ATP （SO42-/In2O3‐ATP）, was obtained by an impregnation‐calcination method and was used to efficiently and selectively produce the useful platform chemical 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural （HMF） from hexoses. Some important reaction param‐eters were studied, revealing that Lewis and Br-nsted acid sites on SO42-/In2O3‐ATP catalyze glu‐cose isomerization and fructose dehydration. The yields of HMF from glucose and fructose were 40.2%and 46.2%, respectively, using the optimal conditions of 180℃ for 60 min with 10 wt%of solid acid catalyst in a mixture of γ‐valerolactone‐water （9：1）.

Chlorella Resistance to Dehydration Conditions and Protection Effect of Different Cryoprotecants on Chlorella Cells

[Objective] The aim was to study on the chlorella resistance to dehydration conditions and effect of different cryoprotecants on drying of chlorella cells.[Method]The protection effect of seven kinds of cryoprotecants on chlorella cells was analyzed.[Result]The protection effect of trehalose on chlorella cells was the best,and the survival rate of chlorella cells had improved by 50% with the applied trehalose concentration of 5%.[Conclusion]The result in this study had important guidance effect on the mutation breeding of chlorella.

Dehydration of bio-ethanol to ethylene over iron exchanged HZSM-5

Iron exchanged ZSM-5 with Si/Al ratio from 25 to 300 prepared by three consecutive ion exchanges was used for the dehydration of ethanol to ethylene.The iron exchanged ZSM-5（Si/Al=25） catalyst with an iron content of 0.46 wt%gave 97%-99%yield of ethylene at 98%-99%conversion of ethanol at 260℃ and 0.81 h^-1 liquid hourly space velocity.The high performance was maintained for60 d on-stream.X-ray diffraction,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of pyridine adsorption,NH3 temperature-programmed desorption and diffuse reflectance UV-vis spectroscopy were used for catalyst characterization.Ion exchange with iron decreased the total acidity of the zeolite,especially the strong acid sites and Bronsted acid sites.The doped iron species were distributed over Fe-ZSM-5 as predominantly isolated Fe^3＋.Therefore,the catalytic performance for ethanol dehydration to ethylene was improved.

Alkali-metal-modified ZSM-5 zeolites for improvement of catalytic dehydration of lactic acid to acrylic acid

Various ZSM-5 zeolites modified with alkali metals （Li, Na, K, Rb, and Cs） were prepared using ion exchange. The catalysts were used to enhance the catalytic dehydration of lactic acid （LA） to acrylic acid （AA）. The effects of cationic species on the structures and surface acid-base distributions of the ZSM-5 zeolites were investigated. The important factors that affect the catalytic performance were also identified. The modified ZSM-5 catalysts were characterized using X-ray diffraction, tempera- ture-programmed desorptions of NH3 and CO2, pyridine adsorption spectroscopy, and N2 adsorption to determine the crystal phase structures, surface acidities and basicities, nature of acid sites, specific surface areas, and pore volumes. The results show that the acid-base sites that are adjusted by alkali-metal species, particularly weak acid-base sites, are mainly responsible for the formation of AA. The KZSM-5 catalyst, in particular, significantly improved LA conversion and AA selectivity because of the synergistic effect of weak acid-base sites. The reaction was conducted at different reaction temperatures and liquid hourly space velocities （LHSVs） to understand the catalyst selectivity for AA and trends in byproduct formation. Approximately 98% LA conversion and 77% AA selectivity were achieved using the KZSM-5 catalyst under the optimum conditions （40 wt% LA aqueous solution, 365 ℃, and LHSV 2 h-1）.

Role of Bridge-bonded Formate in Formic Acid Dehydration to CO at Pt Electrode： Electrochemial in-situ Infrared Spectroscopic Study

Formic acid （HCOOH） decomposition at Pt film electrode has been studied by electrochem- ical in situ FTIR spectroscopy under attenuated-total-reflection configuration, in order to clarify whether bridge-bonded formate （HCOOD） is the reactive intermediate for COad for-mation from HCOOH molecules. When switching from HCOOH-free solution to HCOOH- containing solution at constant potential （E=0.4 V vs. RHE）, we found that immediately upon solution switch COad formation rate is the highest, while surface coverage of formate is zero, then after COad formation rate decreases, while formate coverage reaches a steady state coverage quickly within ca. 1 s. Potential step experiment from E=0.75 V to 0.35 V, reveals that formate band intensity drops immediately right after the potential step, while the COad signal develops slowly with time. Both facts indicate that formate is not the reactive intermediate for formic acid dehydration to CO.

Review of the characteristics and graded utilisation of coal gasification slag

The characteristics of the energy structure of rich coal,less oil and less gas,coupling with a high external dependence on oil and natural gas and the emphasis on the efficient and clean utilisation of coal,have brought opportunities for coal chemical industry.However,with the large-scale popularisation of coal gasification technology,the production and resulting storage of coal gasification slag continue to increase,which not only result in serious environmental pollution and a waste of terrestrial resources,but also seriously affect the sustainable development of coal chemical enterprises.Hence,the treatment of coal gasification slag is extremely important.In this paper,the production,composition,morphology,particle size structure and water holding characteristics of coal gasification slag are introduced,and the methods of carbon ash separation of gasification slag,both domestically and abroad,are summarised.In addition,the paper also summarises the research progress on gasification slag in building materials,ecological restoration,residual carbon utilisation and other high-value utilisation,and ultimately puts forward the idea of the comprehensive utilisation of gasification slag.For large-scale consumption to solve the environmental problems of enterprises and achieve high-value utilisation to increase the economic benefits of enterprises,it is urgent to zealously design a reasonable and comprehensive utilisation technologies with simple operational processes,strong adaptability and economic benefits.

Characteristics of a Supersonic Swirling Dehydration System of Natural Gas

A new type of dehydration unit for natural gas was briefly described and its basic structure and working principles were presented. An indoor test rig for testing the unit performance was set up and the experimental results were given. The results showed that the unit could attain a maximum dew point depression of about 20℃ without any need of external mechanical power and chemicals. The pressure loss ratio, shock wave and the flow rate had great influence on the dehydration characteristics. From the systematic analysis of the factors that affect the dehydration efficiency of the unit, the suggestions for improving the unit are put forward.

Mass transfer model,preparation and applications of zeolite membranes for pervaporation dehydration:A review

Pervaporation(including vapor permeation) is a kind of new membrane separation technology, possessing the advantages of high efficiency, energy saving and convenient operation. It has promising application in the separation and purification of organic solvents. Dehydration is an important step in the production and recovery of organic solvents. Zeolite membranes have attracted wide attention for pervaporation dehydration due to their high separation performance and good thermal/chemical stability. So far, zeolite membranes have been preliminarily industrialized for dehydration of organic solvents. This paper reviews the recent development of zeolite membranes for pervaporation dehydration, including mass transfer models, preparation and applications of zeolite membranes. The review also discusses the current industrial applications of zeolite membranes and their future development in pervaporation.

Pretreatment of Isopropanol Solution from Pharmaceutical Industry and Pervaporation Dehydration by NaA Zeolite Membranes

NaA zeolite membranes with 80 cm in length and 12.8 mm in outer diameter were prepared by our research group cooperating with Nanjing Jiusi Hi-Tech Co., China. The influence of dissolved inorganic salts and pH value in the feed of isopropanol （IPA） solution on NaA zeolite membranes was investigated. It was found that both factors exhibited strong influence on the stability of NaA zeolite membranes. A set of pretreatment steps such as pH adjustment and distillation of the IPA solution were proposed to improve stability for pervaporation dehydration. An industrial-scale pervaporation facility with 52 m2 membrane area was built to dehydrate IPA solution from industrial cephalosporin production. The facility was continuously operated at 368-378 K to dehydrate IPA solution from water mass content of 15%-20% to less than 2% with a feed flow rate of 400-500 L·h^-1 and an average water flux of 1-1.5 kg·m^-2·h-1. The successful application of this facility suggested a promising application of NaA zeolite mem-brane for IPA recovery from pharmaceutical production.