Mixed media operation

The co-laminar flow principles of microfluidic electrochemical cells enable mixed media operation, in contrast to traditional types of fuel cells aud redox flow batteries operating under all-acidic or all-alkaline conditions imposed by the membranes. The unique mixed media capability allows independent tuning of half-cell conditions for optimization of reaction kinetics and cell potential. In nuxed media conditions, the open-circuit cell voltage can be increased by shifting the reversible... 

Choban et aL [26] Methanol (1 M) Dissolved oxygen Sulfuric acid or potassium hydroxide (IM) FloW Over 40 12 -Mixed media operation... 

The principle of operation of the hydraulic reciprocating pump is similar to the beam pump, with a piston-like sub-surface pump action. The energy to drive the pump, however, is delivered through a hydraulic medium, the power fluid, commonly oil or water. The power fluid drives a downhole hydraulic motor which in turn drives the pump. A separate surface pump delivers the hydraulic power. The power fluid system can be of the closed loop or of the open type. In the latter case, the power fluids are mixed with the produced fluid stream. The performance of the hydraulic pump is primarily monitored by measuring the discharge pressures of both surface and sub-surface pumps. 

Addition of Inert Filter Aids. FUtet aids ate rigid, porous, and highly permeable powders added to feed suspensions to extend the appheabUity of surface filtration. Very dilute or very fine and slimy suspensions ate too difficult to filter by cake filtration due to fast pressure build-up and medium blinding addition of filter aids can alleviate such problems. Filter aids can be used in either or both of two modes of operation, ie, to form a precoat which then acts as a filter medium on a coarse support material called a septum, or to be mixed with the feed suspension as body feed to increase the permeabihty of the resulting cake. 

The activity of the hydrogen ion is affected by the properties of the solvent in which it is measured. Scales of pH only apply to the medium, ie, the solvent or mixed solvents, eg, water—alcohol, for which the scales are developed. The comparison of the pH values of a buffer in aqueous solution to one in a nonaqueous solvent has neither direct quantitative nor thermodynamic significance. Consequently, operational pH scales must be developed for the individual solvent systems. In certain cases, correlation to the aqueous pH scale can be made, but in others, pH values are used only as relative indicators of the hydrogen-ion activity. 

Molecular Weight Distribution. In industry, the MWD of PE resins is often represented by the value of the melt flow ratio (MER) as defined in Table 2. The MER value of PE is primarilly a function of catalyst type. Phillips catalysts produce PE resins with a broad MWD and their MER usually exceeds 100 Ziegler catalysts provide resins with a MWD of a medium width (MFR = 25-50) and metallocene catalysts produce PE resins with a narrow MWD (MFR = 15-25). IfPE resins with especially broad molecular weight distributions are needed, they can be produced either by using special mixed catalysts or in a series of coimected polymerization reactors operating under different reaction conditions. 

Traditionally, sodium dichromate dihydrate is mixed with 66° Bh (specific gravity = 1.84) sulfuric acid in a heavy-walled cast-iron or steel reactor. The mixture is heated externally, and the reactor is provided with a sweep agitator. Water is driven off and the hydrous bisulfate melts at about 160°C. As the temperature is slowly increased, the molten bisulfate provides an excellent heat-transfer medium for melting the chromic acid at 197°C without appreciable decomposition. As soon as the chromic acid melts, the agitator is stopped and the mixture separates into a heavy layer of molten chromic acid and a light layer of molten bisulfate. The chromic acid is tapped and flaked on water cooled roUs to produce the customary commercial form. The bisulfate contains dissolved CrO and soluble and insoluble chromic sulfates. Environmental considerations dictate purification and return of the bisulfate to the treating operation. 

Let us examine some batch results. In trials in which 5 mL of a dye solution was added by pipet (with pressure) to 10 mL of water in a 25-mL flask, which was shaken to mix (as determined visually), and the mixed solution was delivered into a 3-mL rectangular cuvette, it was found that = 3-5 s, 2-4 s, and /obs 3-5 s. This is characteristic of conventional batch operation. Simple modifications can reduce this dead time. Reaction vessels designed for photometric titrations - may be useful kinetic tools. For reactions that are followed spectrophotometrically this technique is valuable Make a flat button on the end of a 4-in. length of glass rod. Deliver 3 mL of reaction medium into the rectangular cuvette in the spectrophotometer cell compartment. Transfer 10-100 p.L of a reactant stock solution to the button on the rod. Lower this into the cuvette, mix the solution with a few rapid vertical movements of the rod, and begin recording the dead time will be 3-8 s. A commercial version of the stirrer is available. 

In the Monsanto/Lummus Crest process (Figure 10-3), fresh ethylbenzene with recycled unconverted ethylbenzene are mixed with superheated steam. The steam acts as a heating medium and as a diluent. The endothermic reaction is carried out in multiple radial bed reactors filled with proprietary catalysts. Radial beds minimize pressure drops across the reactor. A simulation and optimization of styrene plant based on the Lummus Monsanto process has been done by Sundaram et al. Yields could be predicted, and with the help of an optimizer, the best operating conditions can be found. Figure 10-4 shows the effect of steam-to-EB ratio, temperature, and pressure on the equilibrium conversion of ethylbenzene. Alternative routes for producing styrene have been sought. One approach is to dimerize butadiene to 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene, followed by catalytic dehydrogenation to styrene ... 

The alternative to batch mode operation is continuous operation. In the continuous mode there is a continuous flow of medium into the fermentor and of product stream out of the fermentor. Continuous bioprocesses often use homogenously mixed whole cell suspensions. However, immobilised cell or enzyme processes generally operate in continuous plug flow reactors, without mixing (see Figure 2.1, packed-bed reactors). 

It had been decided to purify N,N-dimethylaniline by mixing acetic anhydride, water and hydrochloric acid following a published operating method. However, a slight modification was made that consisted in using the double amount of reagents. The medium was cooled with ice. When hydrochloric acid was introduced, the anhydride hydrolysis was so violent that it caused the apparatus to detonate. 

It can be mentioned here that we found in another study (17), that these surfactant remobilization mechanisms by mixed micellization also operated in the presence of crude oil in the medium and thus help increase oil recovery. 

Continuous operation In flow-type reactors, e.g., loop reactors, the space velocity of the reaction is determined through the installed static mixing device that is used to generate the dispersion, together with the velocity of the circiflating medium (catalyst- and substrate/product phase). Knowledge of these parameters allows one to set up a kinetic model for the investigated reaction. 

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