Applications processing

There are a large number of industrial processes which employ cavitation as an energy source for the generation of fine emulsions and dispersions. One of the earliest devices which was developed for this purpose was the so-called liquid whistle (see Chapter 7) and this continues to be used widely. Typical examples of the uses of such whistles include the preparation of emulsion bases for soups, sauces or gravies which consist of a premix of water, milk powder, edible oil and fat together with flour or starch 

When cavitation bubble collapse occurs near a porous material the jet that is generated is able to force liquid to penetrate the surface. This effect can be utilised to enhance any process that involves either extraction or impregnation of a liquid in a solid. 

The classical techniques for the solvent extraction of chemical compounds from vegetable material are based upon the correct choice of solvent and conditions e. g. heating or agitation. A range of commercially important pharmaceuticals, flavours and colourants are now derived from vegetable sources. It has been shown that the solvent extraction of organic compounds contained within the body of plants and seeds is significantly improved by the use of power ultrasound [25]. 

Power ultrasound also has an additional property which is particularly beneficial in crystallisation operations namely that the cleaning action of the cavitation effectively stops the encrustation of crystals on cooling elements in the crystallisation vat and thereby ensures continuous efficient heat transfer. 

A review in French about current uses of borides including BN has been published [1]. 

---

The 3D inspection system has a number of measuring and report utilities that enables the user to easily find, analyse and report possible indications in the test object. As an example, a moveable 2D projection view plane can be moved along e.g, the welding geometry dynamically updating the content of the 2D projection view window. Indications can be measured using any referenee co-ordinate system and the results and screen dumps can automatically be dumped in report files suited for later import into a word processing application. 

Kuhni contacters (Eig. 15e) have gained considerable commercial application. The principal features are the use of a shrouded impeller to promote radial discharge within the compartments, and a variable hole arrangement to allow flexibility of design for different process applications. Columns up to 5 m in diameter have been constmcted (176). Description and design criteria for Kuhni extraction columns have been reported (177,178). 

Using 2eohte catalysts, the NO reduction takes place inside a molecular sieve ceramic body rather than on the surface of a metallic catalyst (see Molecularsieves). This difference is reported to reduce the effect of particulates, soot, SO2/SO2 conversions, heavy metals, etc, which poison, plug, and mask metal catalysts. ZeoHtes have been in use in Europe since the mid-1980s and there are approximately 100 installations on stream. Process applications range from use of natural gas to coal as fuel. Typically, nitrogen oxide levels are reduced 80 to 90% (37). 

In chemical process applications, one-dimensional gas flows through nozzles or orifices and in pipelines are the most important apphcations of compressible flow. Multidimensional external flows are of interest mainly in aerodynamic applications. 

Transfer function models are linear in nature, but chemical processes are known to exhibit nonhnear behavior. One could use the same type of optimization objective as given in Eq. (8-26) to determine parameters in nonlinear first-principle models, such as Eq. (8-3) presented earlier. Also, nonhnear empirical models, such as neural network models, have recently been proposed for process applications. The key to the use of these nonlinear empirical models is naving high-quality process data, which allows the important nonhnearities to be identified. 

Of these, the first option is the most commonly used in process applications. 

Pump shall he designed to operate satisfactorily with a reasonable service life when operated either intermittently or continuously in typical process applications. 

Process Applications The production of esters from alcohols and carboxylic acids illustrates many of the principles of reactive distillation as applied to equilibrium-limited systems. The equilibrium constants for esterification reactions are usually relatively close to unity. Large excesses of alcohols must be used to obtain acceptable yields with large recycles. In a reactive-distiUation scheme, the reac-... 

Droplet Breakup—High Turbulence This is the dominant breakup mechanism for many process applications. Breakup results from local variations in turbulent pressure that distort the droplet... 

These figures represent the usual ranges of design for water-treatment applications. For chemical-process applications, allowable flow rates are generally somewhat lower than the maximums shown, and hed depths are usually somewhat greater. 

Although intended primarily for air-conditioning applications, these units have been successfully applied to the collection of relatively nonconducting mists such as oil. However, other process applications... 

Folding is defined in Background and Definitions and is a significant problem in most process applications, and somewhat of a problem in most water applications. RO membranes may be fouled by sparingly soluble sealants which supersaturate at the membrane. 

Aromatic polyamide (aramid) membranes are a copolymer of 1-3 diaminobenzene with 1-3 and 1-4 benzenedicarboxylic acid chlorides. They are usually made into fine hollow fibers, 93 [Lm outer diameter by 43 [Lm inner diameter. Some flat sheet is made for spirals. These membranes are widely used for seawater desalination and to some extent for other process applications. The hollow fibers are capable of veiy high-pressure operation and have considerably greater hydrolytic resistance than does CA. Their packing density in hoUow-fiber form makes them veiy susceptible to colloidal fouling (a permeator 8 inches in diameter contains 3 M fibers), and they have essentially no resistance to chlorine. 

The primaiy purpose of materials selection is to provide the optimum equipment for a process application in terms of materials of construction, design, and corrosion-control measures. Optimum here means that which comprises the best combination of cost, life, safety, and reliability. 

Actually, in many cases strength and mechanical properties become of secondaiy importance in process applications, compared with resistance to the corrosive surroundings. All common heat-resistant alloys form oxides when exposed to hot oxidizing environments. Whether the alloy is resistant depends upon whether the oxide is stable and forms a protective film. Thus, mild steel is seldom used above 480°C (900°F) because of excessive scaling rates. Higher temperatures require chromium (see Fig. 28-25). Thus, type 502 steel, with 4 to 6 percent Cr, is acceptable to 620°C (I,I50°F). A 9 to 12 percent Cr steel will handle 730°C (I,350°F) 14 to 18 percent Cr extends the limit to 800°C (I,500°F) and 27 percent Cr to I,I00°C (2,000°F). 

---