The drying process involving heat and mass transfer at solid-liquid interfaces is fundamental in various industries such as food, pharmaceuticals and textiles. One of the most challenging aspects of this phenomenon is to ensure smooth heat and mass transfer at solid-liquid interfaces, as discontinuities in boundary conditions can lead to inaccurate results and complicate process control. This study is devoted to the formulation of mathematical conditions that ensure a smooth transition at solid-liquid interfaces in a combined drying process. A transition state model based on Fourier and Fick equations is proposed to describe heat exchange and moisture diffusion in a food product. The modelling takes into account the thermophysical properties of the material, the heat transfer coefficient and the operating conditions of the system. Fundamental theories and mathematical methods required for effective modelling to improve the understanding and control of drying processes are also discussed.
{"title":"Realisation of mathematical conditions ensuring smooth transition of heat and mass transfer at the boundaries of solids and liquids","authors":"J.E. Safarov , Sh.A. Sultanova , D.I. Samandarov , Gurbuz Gunes , M.R. Najafli , A.A. Mambetsheripova , M.M. Pulatov , Gunel Imanova","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.032","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.032","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The drying process involving heat and mass transfer at solid-liquid interfaces is fundamental in various industries such as food, pharmaceuticals and textiles. One of the most challenging aspects of this phenomenon is to ensure smooth heat and mass transfer at solid-liquid interfaces, as discontinuities in boundary conditions can lead to inaccurate results and complicate process control. This study is devoted to the formulation of mathematical conditions that ensure a smooth transition at solid-liquid interfaces in a combined drying process. A transition state model based on Fourier and Fick equations is proposed to describe heat exchange and moisture diffusion in a food product. The modelling takes into account the thermophysical properties of the material, the heat transfer coefficient and the operating conditions of the system. Fundamental theories and mathematical methods required for effective modelling to improve the understanding and control of drying processes are also discussed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"226 ","pages":"Pages 476-484"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.016
Xingyue Pu , Yu Zhang , Yijie Wang , Mingzhang Xu , Ziyue Wang , Qiyu Huang , Zicheng Liu , Hongyu Wang
Hot-cold blending of waxy crude oils in interconnected pipelines can trigger rapid cooling, wax precipitation, and gel formation, posing serious risks to flow assurance. To address this challenge, a loop apparatus with a T-junction was developed to systematically investigate flow behavior and deposition characteristics under different temperature differences (ΔT) and momentum ratios (M). Flow visualization showed that increasing main-stream velocity transformed the branch jet from impinging to deflected and finally to wall jet, leading to reduced blending efficiency and enhanced flow heterogeneity. Wax deposition tests revealed that rapid cooling produced gels with smaller, loosely connected wax crystals, weaker intermolecular forces, and significantly lower yield stress compared with slow cooling. Based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results and the Avrami equation, a predictive model for gel strength was established and validated against experimental data, achieving deviations within ±15 %. This work clarifies the mechanisms of rapid-cooling gel formation during hot–cold blending and provides a practical tool for evaluating deposition strength, offering guidance for blending operation design and pigging strategies in high pour point crude oil pipelines.
{"title":"Mechanisms of stratification and gel deposition during hot-cold blending of waxy crude oil","authors":"Xingyue Pu , Yu Zhang , Yijie Wang , Mingzhang Xu , Ziyue Wang , Qiyu Huang , Zicheng Liu , Hongyu Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.016","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hot-cold blending of waxy crude oils in interconnected pipelines can trigger rapid cooling, wax precipitation, and gel formation, posing serious risks to flow assurance. To address this challenge, a loop apparatus with a T-junction was developed to systematically investigate flow behavior and deposition characteristics under different temperature differences (ΔT) and momentum ratios (M). Flow visualization showed that increasing main-stream velocity transformed the branch jet from impinging to deflected and finally to wall jet, leading to reduced blending efficiency and enhanced flow heterogeneity. Wax deposition tests revealed that rapid cooling produced gels with smaller, loosely connected wax crystals, weaker intermolecular forces, and significantly lower yield stress compared with slow cooling. Based on differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results and the Avrami equation, a predictive model for gel strength was established and validated against experimental data, achieving deviations within ±15 %. This work clarifies the mechanisms of rapid-cooling gel formation during hot–cold blending and provides a practical tool for evaluating deposition strength, offering guidance for blending operation design and pigging strategies in high pour point crude oil pipelines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"226 ","pages":"Pages 437-449"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.024
Ihtisham Wali Khan , Imran Ullah , Abdul Naeem , Muhammad Farooq , Yinhai Su , Tooba Saeed , Sabiha Sultana , Zafar A.K. Khattak , Muhammad Shahid
Biodiesel, a promising renewable alternative to fossil fuels, addresses rising environmental concerns and the global energy crisis. In this study, a novel Na2O/Ba-chitosan catalyst was designed for the catalytic conversion of pongamia seed oil (PO) to sustainable biodiesel. Various characterization techniques, including XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, BET, and TPD, confirmed the successful synthesis of the designed catalyst. The catalyst exhibited a high basic site density of 2.185 mmol/g and demonstrated excellent catalytic performance under moderate reaction conditions (1:35 PO/MeOH, 150 min, 75 ℃, and 3 wt% catalyst loading), achieving a biodiesel yield of 93 %. Notably, the Na2O/Ba-chitosan catalyst retained its catalytic activity over 7th consecutive cycles, demonstrating its stability and reusability. The synthesized biodiesel was investigated via GC-MS and FTIR to confirm its quality and composition. Kinetic studies based on 1st-order, 2nd-order, and pseudo-1st-order models revealed that the Na2O/Ba-chitosan catalyzed trans-esterification reaction follows a pseudo-1st-order model, with an activation energy of 74.90 kJ/mol. The calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔH = 77 kJ·mol−1, ΔS = −65.065 J·mol−1·K−1, ΔG = 79.77 kJ·mol−1) provide further insight into the reaction pathway. Additionally, the cost of the Na2O/Ba-chitosan catalyst was estimated to assess its economic feasibility for large-scale application.
生物柴油是一种很有前途的可再生化石燃料替代品，可以解决日益严重的环境问题和全球能源危机。本研究设计了一种新型的Na2O/ ba -壳聚糖催化剂，用于催化鱼籽油（PO）转化为可持续生物柴油。各种表征技术，包括XRD， FTIR， SEM， EDX， BET和TPD，证实了设计的催化剂的成功合成。该催化剂具有较高的碱基密度（2.185 mmol/g），在中等反应条件（1:35 PO/MeOH, 150 min, 75℃，3 wt%的催化剂负载）下表现出优异的催化性能，可获得93 %的生物柴油产率。值得注意的是，Na2O/ ba -壳聚糖催化剂在连续7次循环中保持了催化活性，表明其稳定性和可重复使用性。通过GC-MS和FTIR对合成的生物柴油进行了表征，确定了生物柴油的质量和组成。基于一级、二级和准一级模型的动力学研究表明，Na2O/ ba -壳聚糖催化的反式酯化反应符合准一级模型，活化能为74.90 kJ/mol。计算得到的热力学参数（ΔH = 77 kJ·mol−1，ΔS =−65.065 J·mol−1·K−1，ΔG = 79.77 kJ·mol−1）为进一步了解反应途径提供了依据。此外，对Na2O/ ba -壳聚糖催化剂的成本进行了估算，以评估其大规模应用的经济可行性。
{"title":"Synthesis of Na2O/Ba-chitosan heterogeneous base catalyst for sustainable biodiesel production from pongamia oil: Optimization, kinetics, and thermodynamic analysis","authors":"Ihtisham Wali Khan , Imran Ullah , Abdul Naeem , Muhammad Farooq , Yinhai Su , Tooba Saeed , Sabiha Sultana , Zafar A.K. Khattak , Muhammad Shahid","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.024","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.024","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Biodiesel, a promising renewable alternative to fossil fuels, addresses rising environmental concerns and the global energy crisis. In this study, a novel Na<sub>2</sub>O/Ba-chitosan catalyst was designed for the catalytic conversion of pongamia seed oil (PO) to sustainable biodiesel. Various characterization techniques, including XRD, FTIR, SEM, EDX, BET, and TPD, confirmed the successful synthesis of the designed catalyst. The catalyst exhibited a high basic site density of 2.185 mmol/g and demonstrated excellent catalytic performance under moderate reaction conditions (1:35 PO/MeOH, 150 min, 75 ℃, and 3 wt% catalyst loading), achieving a biodiesel yield of 93 %. Notably, the Na<sub>2</sub>O/Ba-chitosan catalyst retained its catalytic activity over 7th consecutive cycles, demonstrating its stability and reusability. The synthesized biodiesel was investigated via GC-MS and FTIR to confirm its quality and composition. Kinetic studies based on 1st-order, 2nd-order, and pseudo-1st-order models revealed that the Na<sub>2</sub>O/Ba-chitosan catalyzed trans-esterification reaction follows a pseudo-1st-order model, with an activation energy of 74.90 kJ/mol. The calculated thermodynamic parameters (ΔH = 77 kJ·mol<sup>−1</sup>, ΔS = −65.065 J·mol<sup>−1</sup>·K<sup>−1</sup>, ΔG = 79.77 kJ·mol<sup>−1</sup>) provide further insight into the reaction pathway. Additionally, the cost of the Na<sub>2</sub>O/Ba-chitosan catalyst was estimated to assess its economic feasibility for large-scale application.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"226 ","pages":"Pages 387-401"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973888","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-13DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.026
P. Prziwara , S. Breitung-Faes , A. Kwade
Dry operated stirred media mills are gaining increasing relevance in fine grinding applications due to their high energy densities and process flexibility. Nevertheless, the interrelation between operating parameters and stress conditions remains insufficiently understood compared to wet milling systems. In this work, the grinding media motion within a vertically oriented batch stirred media mill was investigated using Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations, experimentally calibrated to incorporate the influence of powder flowability as a function of grinding aid formulation and applied to dry milling experiments of calcium carbonate. The results reveal that, analogous to wet operation, an optimum stress intensity exists at which the specific energy demand to achieve a target fineness is minimized. For dry milling, however, the stress intensity must be defined as the ratio of stress energy to the stressed product mass, since the captured product fraction which varies with powder properties is decisive for the stress intensity value. DEM analysis further indicates that the tip speed alone does not adequately represent the effective bead velocity distribution under dry conditions. The study demonstrates that both operating parameters and product formulation significantly affect the stress environment and comminution efficiency, implying that individual optimization strategies are required for each product system.
{"title":"Investigation of stress conditions and energy efficiency in dry stirred media milling by DEM simulation","authors":"P. Prziwara , S. Breitung-Faes , A. Kwade","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.026","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.026","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Dry operated stirred media mills are gaining increasing relevance in fine grinding applications due to their high energy densities and process flexibility. Nevertheless, the interrelation between operating parameters and stress conditions remains insufficiently understood compared to wet milling systems. In this work, the grinding media motion within a vertically oriented batch stirred media mill was investigated using Discrete Element Method (DEM) simulations, experimentally calibrated to incorporate the influence of powder flowability as a function of grinding aid formulation and applied to dry milling experiments of calcium carbonate. The results reveal that, analogous to wet operation, an optimum stress intensity exists at which the specific energy demand to achieve a target fineness is minimized. For dry milling, however, the stress intensity must be defined as the ratio of stress energy to the stressed product mass, since the captured product fraction which varies with powder properties is decisive for the stress intensity value. DEM analysis further indicates that the tip speed alone does not adequately represent the effective bead velocity distribution under dry conditions. The study demonstrates that both operating parameters and product formulation significantly affect the stress environment and comminution efficiency, implying that individual optimization strategies are required for each product system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"226 ","pages":"Pages 465-475"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.001
Hooman Rezaei , Ali Akbar Zinatizadeh , Mohammad Joshaghani , Sirus Zinadini , Saeid Jalali Honarmand
The efficacy of employing photocatalysis as a means to effectively eliminate textile dyes depends on the matrix and quality of the aqueous medium. In the preceding endeavor, the synthesis and modification of the N-carbon quantum dot-modified MIL-53 (Fe) nanocomposite (NCM-53) were successfully executed, leading to the obtaining of optimal conditions for the consequent photocatalytic process. The present study sought to assess the impact of matrix constituents, including inorganic anions, metal ions, and natural organic matter, as well as inorganic oxidants, on the photocatalytic oxidation of NCM-53. Methylene blue (MB) was employed as a representative contaminant in this study. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted to evaluate the impact of inorganic oxidants on serving as viable alternatives for electron acceptors in the photocatalytic oxidation of NCM-53. The findings of our experiments indicate that the combination involving IO4- has exhibited a pronounced enhancement in the rate of photocatalytic degradation of MB by NCM-53. Conversely, the remaining oxyanions, whose reaction rate constants are either equivalent to or less than threefold, have shown a moderate improvement. The comprehensive investigation of the prepared nanocomposite involved a thorough examination of the impact of coexisting aqueous species, particularly prevalent inorganic ions and metal ions. The research results indicate that the introduction of Al3+ ions led to a slight decrease in the efficacy of photocatalytic degradation. Furthermore, the presence of other cations resulted in a slight decline in the photocatalytic activity. The analysis of the effects of inorganic anions demonstrated that the photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite was significantly inhibited. In particular, carbonate ions showcased greater efficiency compared to other anions in diminishing the photocatalytic activity of the NCM-53 nanocomposite. The findings about the impact of natural organic matter (NOM) indicate that increased concentrations of NOM led to a reduction in the rate of the reaction responsible for the MB removal. Moreover, an assessment has been conducted to evaluate the impact of various natural water matrices, including pure water, tap water, and river water, on the decolorization of MB and the efficacy of organic carbon removal. Furthermore, an estimation was made regarding the electrical energy per order (EEO) pertaining to the Xenon/NCM-53/Oxidant system. The findings indicated that the utilization of periodate oxidant had the potential to diminish the EEO index.
{"title":"Enhanced methylene blue photodegradation with NCQD/MIL-53 under visible light: Effects of aqueous matrix species including anions, cations, oxidants, and organic matter","authors":"Hooman Rezaei , Ali Akbar Zinatizadeh , Mohammad Joshaghani , Sirus Zinadini , Saeid Jalali Honarmand","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The efficacy of employing photocatalysis as a means to effectively eliminate textile dyes depends on the matrix and quality of the aqueous medium. In the preceding endeavor, the synthesis and modification of the N-carbon quantum dot-modified MIL-53 (Fe) nanocomposite (NCM-53) were successfully executed, leading to the obtaining of optimal conditions for the consequent photocatalytic process. The present study sought to assess the impact of matrix constituents, including inorganic anions, metal ions, and natural organic matter, as well as inorganic oxidants, on the photocatalytic oxidation of NCM-53. Methylene blue (MB) was employed as a representative contaminant in this study. A comprehensive evaluation was conducted to evaluate the impact of inorganic oxidants on serving as viable alternatives for electron acceptors in the photocatalytic oxidation of NCM-53. The findings of our experiments indicate that the combination involving IO<sub>4</sub><sup>-</sup> has exhibited a pronounced enhancement in the rate of photocatalytic degradation of MB by NCM-53. Conversely, the remaining oxyanions, whose reaction rate constants are either equivalent to or less than threefold, have shown a moderate improvement. The comprehensive investigation of the prepared nanocomposite involved a thorough examination of the impact of coexisting aqueous species, particularly prevalent inorganic ions and metal ions. The research results indicate that the introduction of Al<sup>3+</sup> ions led to a slight decrease in the efficacy of photocatalytic degradation. Furthermore, the presence of other cations resulted in a slight decline in the photocatalytic activity. The analysis of the effects of inorganic anions demonstrated that the photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposite was significantly inhibited. In particular, carbonate ions showcased greater efficiency compared to other anions in diminishing the photocatalytic activity of the NCM-53 nanocomposite. The findings about the impact of natural organic matter (NOM) indicate that increased concentrations of NOM led to a reduction in the rate of the reaction responsible for the MB removal. Moreover, an assessment has been conducted to evaluate the impact of various natural water matrices, including pure water, tap water, and river water, on the decolorization of MB and the efficacy of organic carbon removal. Furthermore, an estimation was made regarding the electrical energy per order (EEO) pertaining to the Xenon/NCM-53/Oxidant system. The findings indicated that the utilization of periodate oxidant had the potential to diminish the EEO index.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"226 ","pages":"Pages 402-420"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-12DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.023
Yu Guo , Yongli Ma , Zheng Lai , Mingyan Liu
Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) is an environmentally friendly, efficient and sustainable desalination technology of different waters. However, designing a low-cost and highly efficient solar interfacial evaporator remains a huge challenge. This work is based on the natural biomass material corncobs and combines pyrrole monomers with corncob pellets through chemical oxidation polymerization. The prepared polypyrrole-corncobs retain the porous structure of natural corncobs and have excellent thermal management, water transport and light absorption properties. In this work, a gas-driven reverse fluidized bed (GDFB) with an inner diameter of 0.11 m and a height of 0.4 m was designed. By combining solar interface evaporation with the reverse fluidized bed, a novel reverse fluidized bed photothermal evaporator was developed. The experimental results of the photothermal evaporation performance show that under 1 sun, the evaporation rate can reach 1.333 kg/(m²·h). The results of seawater desalination tests show that the system's salt rejection rate can reach 99.95 %, and the ion concentration of the desalinated water has decreased by 3–4 orders of magnitude. The results of the cycle test show that the fluidized bed evaporator has good durability during continuous operations.
{"title":"Seawater desalination using photothermal particles made of corncob modified with polypyrrole in reverse gas-liquid-solid fluidized bed solar evaporator","authors":"Yu Guo , Yongli Ma , Zheng Lai , Mingyan Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) is an environmentally friendly, efficient and sustainable desalination technology of different waters. However, designing a low-cost and highly efficient solar interfacial evaporator remains a huge challenge. This work is based on the natural biomass material corncobs and combines pyrrole monomers with corncob pellets through chemical oxidation polymerization. The prepared polypyrrole-corncobs retain the porous structure of natural corncobs and have excellent thermal management, water transport and light absorption properties. In this work, a gas-driven reverse fluidized bed (GDFB) with an inner diameter of 0.11 m and a height of 0.4 m was designed. By combining solar interface evaporation with the reverse fluidized bed, a novel reverse fluidized bed photothermal evaporator was developed. The experimental results of the photothermal evaporation performance show that under 1 sun, the evaporation rate can reach 1.333 kg/(m²·h). The results of seawater desalination tests show that the system's salt rejection rate can reach 99.95 %, and the ion concentration of the desalinated water has decreased by 3–4 orders of magnitude. The results of the cycle test show that the fluidized bed evaporator has good durability during continuous operations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"226 ","pages":"Pages 421-436"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973747","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-11DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.021
Chengkai Liu , Yi Meng , Qianxin Liu , Yunfeng Tian , Zhen Yang , Bo Zu , Da He , Zhen Li , Chenglin Liu , Chenglin Liu , Kaisheng Xia
Clay-type lithium ores represent a significant resource due to their vast reserves and extraction potential. However, conventional extraction methods are often hampered by high costs and environmental concerns, necessitating the development of more sustainable and efficient alternatives. Here, we propose an ultrasound-assisted ball milling strategy for the extraction of lithium from salt lake sedimentary clay-type ore. A comprehensive characterization of the ore using XRF, XRD, ICP-OES, FTIR and SEM shows that lithium exists predominantly as interlayer adsorbed species and structural substitutions within montmorillonite and plagioclase. Ball milling effectively disrupts the crystalline structure of montmorillonite, facilitating the release of lithium ions. Subsequent ultrasonic treatment (40 kHz, 200 W) enhances the ion exchange efficiency, achieving a lithium extraction efficiency of 78.4 % at 40 °C in aqueous media without the need for harsh chemical conditions. In addition, the resulting leachate has a simplified ionic composition, improving downstream purification and lithium recovery. This environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach offers a promising route to sustainable lithium extraction from clay-type ores.
{"title":"Ultrasound-assisted ball milling enhanced green leaching for sustainable lithium recovery from salt lake sedimentary clay-type lithium ore","authors":"Chengkai Liu , Yi Meng , Qianxin Liu , Yunfeng Tian , Zhen Yang , Bo Zu , Da He , Zhen Li , Chenglin Liu , Chenglin Liu , Kaisheng Xia","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Clay-type lithium ores represent a significant resource due to their vast reserves and extraction potential. However, conventional extraction methods are often hampered by high costs and environmental concerns, necessitating the development of more sustainable and efficient alternatives. Here, we propose an ultrasound-assisted ball milling strategy for the extraction of lithium from salt lake sedimentary clay-type ore. A comprehensive characterization of the ore using XRF, XRD, ICP-OES, FTIR and SEM shows that lithium exists predominantly as interlayer adsorbed species and structural substitutions within montmorillonite and plagioclase. Ball milling effectively disrupts the crystalline structure of montmorillonite, facilitating the release of lithium ions. Subsequent ultrasonic treatment (40 kHz, 200 W) enhances the ion exchange efficiency, achieving a lithium extraction efficiency of 78.4 % at 40 °C in aqueous media without the need for harsh chemical conditions. In addition, the resulting leachate has a simplified ionic composition, improving downstream purification and lithium recovery. This environmentally friendly and cost-effective approach offers a promising route to sustainable lithium extraction from clay-type ores.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"226 ","pages":"Pages 378-386"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.018
Liangyu Cai , Donghai Yang , Hairong Li , Yuejiu Liang , Zhuochao Li , Feng Guo , Mofan Li , Limin He
In this study, a new method for the design of T-junction gas–liquid separators based on the pressure balance is proposed. The pressure in the T-junction separator was calculated using the pressure balance, and the structural parameters can be obtained. Further, numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the influence of the branch flow ratio and branch spacing to optimize the design method. Compared with a traditional T-junction separator, the separation efficiency of the T-junction separator based on the pressure balance method (PBTS) is higher by 13 %. Furthermore, to improve the separation efficiency, new structures have been designed: the straight T-junction separator (STS), the return-type T-junction separator (RTS), and the return-type T-junction separator with a finger buffer structure (RTSF). The experiment results indicate that the flow process and separation efficiency were consistent with the numerical simulation results. Under the design flow rate, the separation efficiency of STS, RTS, and RTSF is 85.3 %, 77.5 %, and 74.2 %. However, when the flow rate changes, the separation efficiency of RTS is higher, and the RTSF exhibits the smallest fluctuation. Overall, the RTS is the most optimal structure. This study is important for flow control and gas–liquid separation in multiphase flow.
{"title":"Investigation of flow characteristics in T-junction gas–liquid separator based on pressure balance","authors":"Liangyu Cai , Donghai Yang , Hairong Li , Yuejiu Liang , Zhuochao Li , Feng Guo , Mofan Li , Limin He","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, a new method for the design of T-junction gas–liquid separators based on the pressure balance is proposed. The pressure in the T-junction separator was calculated using the pressure balance, and the structural parameters can be obtained. Further, numerical simulations were conducted to investigate the influence of the branch flow ratio and branch spacing to optimize the design method. Compared with a traditional T-junction separator, the separation efficiency of the T-junction separator based on the pressure balance method (PBTS) is higher by 13 %. Furthermore, to improve the separation efficiency, new structures have been designed: the straight T-junction separator (STS), the return-type T-junction separator (RTS), and the return-type T-junction separator with a finger buffer structure (RTSF). The experiment results indicate that the flow process and separation efficiency were consistent with the numerical simulation results. Under the design flow rate, the separation efficiency of STS, RTS, and RTSF is 85.3 %, 77.5 %, and 74.2 %. However, when the flow rate changes, the separation efficiency of RTS is higher, and the RTSF exhibits the smallest fluctuation. Overall, the RTS is the most optimal structure. This study is important for flow control and gas–liquid separation in multiphase flow.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"226 ","pages":"Pages 499-514"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973739","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.017
Yi Liu , Yunjie Xie , Bowen Xu , Jie Ren , Ruiyan Sun , Chalachew Mebrahtu , Tuo Ji , Huanhao Chen , Zhenchen Tang , Feng Zeng
The thermochemical/catalytic conversion of biomass to ethanol via syngas presents a promising pathway for sustainable fuel and chemical production, addressing both energy security and carbon neutrality goals. In this study, a comprehensive process simulation of biomass-to-ethanol (BTE) via syngas was conducted using Aspen Plus, coupled with detailed techno-economic and environmental analyses. The integrated process comprises biomass gasification, syngas conditioning, alcohol synthesis, and product separation. Parametric studies identified that a low steam-to-biomass ratio (0.26), high gasification temperature (1000 °C), and optimized synthesis conditions (320 °C, 110 bar, and a gas hourly space velocity of 4100 mL/g/h) enhance alcohol productivity and selectivity. The process achieved a total alcohol yield of 0.32 kg/kg biomass, with ethanol accounting for 0.094 kg/kg. CO2 emission analysis revealed that adopting green electricity sources and improving heat recovery significantly reduces emissions to as low as 0.3 kg CO2/kg product. Techno-economic evaluation estimated a production cost of 4380 CNY/t for mixed alcohols, with ethanol as the primary target product. Scenario analysis shows that the syngas-based BTE process can achieve cost-competitiveness over coal-to-methanol and fermentation-based BTE routes with proper carbon price and the use of green electricity. These findings highlight the technical viability, environmental benefits, and future economic competitiveness of syngas-based BTE conversion under evolving carbon market dynamics.
通过合成气将生物质热化学/催化转化为乙醇为可持续燃料和化学品生产提供了一条有前途的途径，既解决了能源安全和碳中和目标。在本研究中，利用Aspen Plus进行了合成气生物质制乙醇（BTE）的综合过程模拟，并进行了详细的技术经济和环境分析。该综合工艺包括生物质气化、合成气调节、醇合成和产品分离。参数研究表明，低蒸汽与生物质比（0.26）、高气化温度（1000℃）和优化的合成条件（320℃，110 bar，气体每小时空速为4100 mL/g/h）提高了乙醇的产率和选择性。该工艺的乙醇总收率为0.32 kg/kg生物质，乙醇总收率为0.094 kg/kg。二氧化碳排放分析显示，采用绿色电源和提高热回收可以显著降低排放量，低至0.3 kg CO2/kg产品。经技术经济评价，以乙醇为主要目标产品的混合醇生产成本为4380元/吨。情景分析表明，在合理的碳价格和绿色电力的使用下，基于合成气的BTE工艺比基于煤制甲醇和发酵的BTE工艺具有成本竞争力。这些发现强调了在不断变化的碳市场动态下，基于合成气的BTE转化的技术可行性、环境效益和未来的经济竞争力。
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Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.019
Bhupendra M Ghodki , Akash Sharma , Krishna Bahadur Chhetri
Granulation processes have been widely used in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries. It is critical in producing different food products, such as instant beverages and cereals, influencing texture, flowability, and solubility. Computational fluid dynamics coupled with the discrete element method (CFD-DEM) provides a powerful tool for studying the gas-solid hydrodynamics of the granulation processes. This review paper aims to present a comprehensive review of the progress in CFD-DEM coupling for simulating, modeling, and optimizing the food granulation process. The fundamentals of CFD-DEM, including governing equations, force calculations, and coupling schemes, are presented initially. Subsequently, granulation techniques in food processing and the use of CFD-DEM were discussed. Specifically, the article focuses on CFD-DEM applications and recent developments. This review article acknowledges the existing challenges and offers a perspective on the future research potential of this transformative subject.
{"title":"Advancements in CFD-DEM coupling for modeling and optimizing food granulation processes","authors":"Bhupendra M Ghodki , Akash Sharma , Krishna Bahadur Chhetri","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.019","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.01.019","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Granulation processes have been widely used in the pharmaceutical, chemical, and food industries. It is critical in producing different food products, such as instant beverages and cereals, influencing texture, flowability, and solubility. Computational fluid dynamics coupled with the discrete element method (CFD-DEM) provides a powerful tool for studying the gas-solid hydrodynamics of the granulation processes. This review paper aims to present a comprehensive review of the progress in CFD-DEM coupling for simulating, modeling, and optimizing the food granulation process. The fundamentals of CFD-DEM, including governing equations, force calculations, and coupling schemes, are presented initially. Subsequently, granulation techniques in food processing and the use of CFD-DEM were discussed. Specifically, the article focuses on CFD-DEM applications and recent developments. This review article acknowledges the existing challenges and offers a perspective on the future research potential of this transformative subject.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"226 ","pages":"Pages 450-464"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145973748","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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