Search results for "Process engineering"

Engineering Zeolites for Catalytic Cracking to Light Olefins

2017

Propene is a key building block for the petrochemical industry whose demand is increasing strongly in recent years, even faster than that of ethene. The availability of propene is limited, and therefore, efforts to optimize its production are being pursued. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the first FCC unit, we analyze some recent advances that have been achieved in the understanding and development of zeolites aiming to increase the production of light olefins as petrochemical building blocks by means of catalytic cracking. We discuss a selected group of emerging strategies in zeolite engineering that have great prospects for research and that we consider could impact the sector…

Influence of bio-based additives on RAP clustering and asphalt binder rheology

2017

The use of high Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) content in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) allows developing innovative materials for the construction and/or rehabilitation of sustainable infrastructures. The chemo-physical phenomena occurring during production of HMA containing high RAP content should be investigated and considered for the mix design optimization. In fact, when additives are used as rejuvenators of the aged bitumen, these phenomena can be affected causing significant variations in the mixture characteristics. This paper aims at studying the influence of two bio-based additives specifically on RAP clustering, phenomena which can significantly affect the performance of high-content R…

Service Life of Cementitious Photocatalytic Paints Newly Formulated

2013

The use of photocatalytic products for surface coating of buildings contributes to the sustainability of building interventions, due to the reduction of some atmospheric pollutants and self-cleaning attitude. The world market produces a wide range of coatings, applied in limited thickness, transparent and opaque, high initial performance, although data on their durability are still missing. The knowledge of the performance over time of such innovative products is necessary according to the new EU Regulation No. 305/2011, which introduced for construction works, the seventh requirement on their sustainability and particularly their durability. The study concerns the evaluation of the durabil…

Performance increase of membrane distillation pilot scale modules operating in vacuum-enhanced air-gap configuration

2019

Abstract This paper presents the first experimental evaluation at pilot scale of the operation of vacuum-enhanced air-gap membrane distillation (V-AGMD) using two commercial spiral-wound modules at Plataforma Solar de Almeria's solar desalination test facilities. The main difference between the modules was the channel length (1.5 and 2.7 m) as a result of having different membrane surface area (7.2 m2 and 25.9 m2 respectively) and different number of envelopes. Suction of air from the gap improved the vapour transfer through the membrane pores and the performance of the modules was significantly increased in relation to common air-gap (AGMD) operational mode, especially in the treatment of …

Experimental evaluation of the durability of innovative cementitious coatings: photocatalytic activity and colour

2012

Today, in a world context characterized by high pollution levels and increasingly limited natural resources, even in the building sector, focusing on environmental issues, through energy saving and a more rational use of these resources, both during construction and management, is fundamental. An important contribution in this direction is given by the knowledge of the durability of products and building components, especially when innovative products are applied and no information are available on the reliability and service life. The research concerns the evaluation of the durability of cement-based photocatalytic coatings ("rasanti" in the Italian diction), containing different types of …

Technical Parameters Modeling of a Gas Probe Foaming Using an Active Experimental Type Research

2018

Reverse electrodialysis heat engine (REDHE)

2022

Abstract Reverse electrodialysis (RED) is a membrane technology for the production of electricity via the “controlled mixing” of solutions at different salt concentrations, i.e., a diluted solution and a concentrated solution. The presence of ion-exchange membranes (IEMs) allows the production of renewable energy by converting the salinity gradient, which would be dissipated during a spontaneous (i.e., uncontrolled) mixing process, into an ionic current and, in a second step, into electricity at the electrodes. RED is the inverse process of the well-known electrodialysis process for salty water desalination, in which an electric field is applied at the electrodes and ionic currents are gene…

Quality control of manufacturing and hot storage of crumb rubber modified binders

2020

The ultimate performance of crumb rubber modified (CRM) binders is linked to the accurate control of the properties during manufacturing and hot storage. However, due to their complexity, asphalt technologists find the characterisation of these materials still challenging. In this study, the adoption of a Dual Helical Ribbon (DHR), a novel mixing/measuring device for rotational viscometers, is proposed for the real-time monitoring of CRM binders during manufacturing and hot storage. According to the laboratory results, manufacturing periods of 45-60 min at 195 degrees, as well as storage temperatures not exceeding 150 degrees C, are recommended for this type of modified binders. (C) 2019 El…

Effect of mixing time on reclaimed asphalt mixtures: An investigation by means of imaging techniques

2015

This paper presents an application of imaging techniques to investigate the distribution of reclaimed asphalt and air voids within gyratory compacted specimen. Stone Mastic Asphalt specimens containing reclaimed asphalt, were produced at five different laboratories participating in the collaborative project Re-Road: University of Nottingham, Belgium Road Research Centre, Danish Road Directorate, TU Braunschweig and Laboratoire Centrale de Ponts et Chaussees (now IFSTTAR). This study applies the X-ray Computed Tomography and Optical Microscopy techniques to view the internal structure of the specimen with particular focus on the air voids and reclaimed asphalt distributions within the specim…

Tyre rubber-modified bitumens development: the effect of varying processing conditions

2013

Tyre rubber-modified binders (TR-MBs), produced through McDonald’s wet process and used worldwide (e.g. asphalt rubber), have been demonstrated to provide various benefits to pavements and, moreover, they represent a good opportunity for recycling tyre rubber (TR). However, this technology is still struggling to be fully adopted in Europe, mainly because of their poor stability during high temperatures storage, which leads to high initial costs in modifying existing asphalt plants. Storage stable TR-MBs are proving to be a great option and their development could be the key to spread the recycling of TR within paving applications in Europe. This paper aims to enrich this field of research b…