Pervaporation dehydration of alcohol–water mixtures: Optimization for permeate flux and selectivity by central composite rotatable design

A central composite rotatable design (CCRD) of response surface methodology was used to analyze pervaporation performance of homogeneous poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) membranes. A regression model was developed for the pervaporation flux and selectivity as a function of the operating conditions: temperature, concentration and flow-rate. Dehydration experiments were performed on two different alcohol–water systems: isopropanol–water (IPA–water) and ethanol–water (Et–water) mixtures around their azeotropic concentrations. Based on preliminary experiments and CCRD design, the ranges of values of the operating conditions were selected: temperature 33–67 °C, feed flow-rate 46–114 L/h, and concentration 83–92 wt% for IPA and 93–98 wt% for Et in feed mixtures. A total of 20 pervaporation experiments were conducted for each alcohol–water system. Judged by the lack-of-fit criterion, the analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed the regression model to be adequate. From the regression analysis, the flux and selectivity were expressed with quadratic equations of temperature, feed concentration and flow-rate. The predicted flux and selectivity from the regression model were presented in 3D surface plots. For both alcohol–water systems, quadratic terms of temperature and feed alcohol concentration showed significant (p < 0.0001) influence on the flux and selectivity. A strong interaction effect of temperature and concentration was observed on the selectivity for the Et–water system. However, the interaction of flow-rate with temperature or concentration was found to be less significant. In order to optimize the pervaporation flux and selectivity of azeotropic alcohol–water mixtures, the desirability function approach was applied to analyze the regression model equations by commercial software. For the azeotropic IPA–water mixture (87.5 wt% IPA), the optimized dehydration variables were found to be 50.5 °C and 93.7 L/h for temperature and flow-rate, respectively. For the azeotropic Et–water mixture (95.5 wt% Et), the optimized temperature and flow-rate were found to be 57 °C and 89.2 L/h, respectively. Compared with experiments performed at optimized temperature and flow-rate, the predicted flux and selectivity of the azeotropic mixtures showed errors to be within 3–6%.     

Starting solutions for a viscoelastic fluid with fractional Burgers’ model in an annular pipe

In this work, we have discussed some simple flows of a viscoelastic fluid with fractional Burgers’ model in an annular pipe. The fractional calculus approach is introduced in the constitutive relationship of a Burgers’ fluid model. Exact analytical solutions are obtained by using Laplace and Weber transforms for two types of flows, namely: Poiseuille flow and Axial Couette flow.     

The fractional coupled KdV equations： Exact solutions and white noise functional approach

Variable coefficients and Wick-type stochastic fractional coupled KdV equations are investigated. By using the mod- ified fractional sub-equation method, Hermite transform, and white noise theory the exact travelling wave solutions and white noise functional solutions are obtained, including the generalized exponential, hyperbolic, and trigonometric types.     

Light-controlled gas permeability of mesoporous silica glass bearing photochromic spironaphthoxazine on its surface

N2 and CO2 gas permeability of mesoporous silica glass bearing photochromic indolinospironaphth[2,1-b][1,4]oxazine through a covalent linkage was controlled by photo-irradiation: the photo-isomerization of the spironaphthoxazine to the photomerocyanine form suppressed the gas permeation of the glass.     

Volumetric,Viscometric, and Refractive Index Behaviour of Glycine in Aqueous Diols at Different Temperatures

Densities, ρ, viscosities, η, and refractive indices, n_D, of glycine (Gly) (0.1 — 0.5 M) in aqueous 1,2‐ethanediol (1,2‐EtD), 1,2‐propanediol (1,2‐PrD), and 1,3‐butanediol (1,3‐BuD) (30% v/v) were measured at 298, 303, 308, and 313 K. Experimental values of ρ and η were used to calculate partial molar volumes, ?⁰_v, partial molar volumes of transfer of Gly from water to aqueous diol solutions, ?⁰_v(tr), Falkenhagen and Jones ‐Dole coefficients, A and B, respectively, free energies of activation of viscous flow, Δμ⁰*₁ and Δμ⁰*₂, per mole of solvent and solute, respectively, enthalpies, ΔH* and entropies, ΔS* of activation of viscous flow. Large positive values of ?⁰_v, and an increasing value of S_v*, for all the three mixtures at each temperature suggest the presence of strong solute‐solvent interaction, and this interaction decreases as the size of alkyl moiety increases from 1,2‐EtD to 1,3‐BuD. Positive ?⁰_v(tr) values tend to decrease with increasing the number of CH₂ group, thereby indicating that the electrostriction effect in diols follows the sequence; 1,2‐EtD > 1,2‐PrD > 1,3‐BuD. Small A values, with large values of B, are indicative of weak solute‐solute and strong solute‐solvent interactions that operate in the present systems, and that the magnitudes of B are in the sequence: 1,2‐EtD > 1,2‐PrD > 1,3‐BuD and, thus, the sequence represents the strength of interaction between Gly and diol molecules. Moreover, positive SB/ST values suggest the structure‐breaking nature of Gly in diol + water mixtures. The observed values of Δμ⁰*₂ fall in the sequence: 1,2‐EtD > 1,2‐PrD > 1,3‐BuD which, like ?⁰_v and S_v*, reinforce that Gly‐diol interaction decreases with subsequent addition of CH₂ group in diols. The trends in the variation of ΔH* and ΔS* with Gly concentration also reveal the presence of significant solute‐solvent interaction in all three systems. An almost linear increase in RD with an increasing amount of Gly reveals that Gly tends to increase the polarizability of the aqueous‐diol molecules under study. The variation of all these parameters with concentration of Gly and with temperature suggests the presence of strong solute‐solvent interaction, which decreases as the size of alkyl moiety in diols increases from 1,2‐EtD to 1,3‐BuD.     

Interactions of Phenylalanine,Tyrosine and Histidine in Aqueous Caffeine Solutions at Different Temperatures

Densities, ρ, viscosities, η, and refractive indices, n_D of aqueous caffeine (0.5 M) and of solutions of amino acids, l‐phenylalanine (Phe), l‐tyrosine (Tyr) and l‐histidine (His), (0.01–0.05 M) in aqueous‐caffeine have been measured at 298.15, 303.15, 308.15 and 313.15 K. From these experimental data, apparent molar volume, ?_v, limiting partial molar volume, ?^º_ν and the slope, S_v, transfer volume, ?^º_ν,tr, Falkenhagen coefficient, A, Jones‐Dole coefficients, B, free energies of activation per mole of solvent, Δμ^o#₁ and per mole of solute, Δμ^o#₂, enthalpy, ΔH^* and entropy, ΔS^* of activation of viscous flow, and molar refraction, R_m were calculated. The results are interpreted from the point of view of solute‐solvent and solute‐solute interactions in these systems. It has been observed that there exist strong solute‐solvent and weak solute‐solute interactions in these systems. Further, the solute‐solvent interactions decrease, whereas solute‐solute interactions increase with rise in temperature. It is observed that these amino acids act as structure‐makers in aqueous‐caffeine solvent. The thermodynamics of viscous flow have also been discussed.     

Thermodynamic modeling of contact angles on rough, heterogeneous surfaces

Theoretical modelling for contact angle hysteresis carried out to date has been mostly limited to several idealized surface configurations, either rough or heterogeneous surfaces. This paper presents a preliminary study on the thermodynamics of contact angles on rough and heterogeneous surfaces by employing the principle of minimum free energy and the concept of liquid front. Based on a two-dimensional regular model surface, a set of relations were obtained, which correlate advancing, receding and system equilibrium contact angles to surface topography, roughness and heterogeneity. It was found that system equilibrium contact angles (theta(ES)) can be expressed as a function of surface roughness factor (delta) and the Cassie contact angle (theta(C)): costheta(ES) = deltacostheta(C). This expression can be reduced to the classical Wenzel equation.: theta(ES) = theta(W) for rough but homogeneous surfaces, and the classical Cassie equation theta(ES) = theta(C) for heterogeneous but smooth surfaces. A non-dimensional parameter called surface feature factor (omega) was proposed to classify surfaces into three categories (types): roughness-dominated, heterogeneity-dominated and mixed-rough-heterogeneous. The prediction of advancing and receding contact angles of a surface is dependent on which category the surface belongs to. The thermodynamic analysis of contact angle hysteresis was further extended from the regular model surface to irregular surfaces; consistent results were obtained. The current model not only agrees well with the models previously studied by other researchers for idealized surfaces, but also explores more possibilities to explain the reported experimental results/observations that most existing theories could not explain.     

MHD flows of a second grade fluid between two side walls perpendicular to a plate through a porous medium

Exact analytical solutions for magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flows of an incompressible second grade fluid in a porous medium are developed. The modified Darcy's law for second grade fluid has been used in the flow modelling. The Hall effect is taken into account. The exact solutions for the unsteady flow induced by the time-dependent motion of a plane wall between two side walls perpendicular to the plane has been constructed by means of Fourier sine transforms. The similar solutions for a Newtonian fluid, performing the same motion, appear as limiting cases of the solutions obtained here. The influence of various parameters of interest on the velocity and shear stress at the bottom wall has been shown and discussed through several graphs. A comparison between a Newtonian and a second grade fluids is also made.     

Effect of Reynolds number on heat transfer and flow for multi-oxide nanofluids using numerical simulation

A numerical simulation model for laminar flow of nanofluids in a pipe with constant heat flux at the wall has been built to study the effect of Reynolds number on heat transfer and pressure loss. The investigation was performed for metallic oxide and multi-oxide nanoparticles suspended in water. The thermal conductivity and dynamic viscosity were measured for a range of temperature (10–60 °C) and volume fraction of multi-oxide nanofluid. Comparison of the thermal conductivity for monocular oxide and multi-oxide nanofluids reveals a new way to control the enhancement in nanofluid conductivity. The numerical results obtained were compared with existing well-established correlations. The predictions of the Nusselt number for nanofluids are in agreement with the Shah correlation, and the deviation in the results is less than 1 %. It is found that the pressure loss increases with the Reynolds number, nanoparticle density, and volume fraction for multi-oxide nanoparticles. However, the flow demonstrates enhancement in heat transfer which improves with increasing Reynolds number of the flow.     

Concise total synthesis of honokiol via Kumada cross coupling

A concise four-step efficient synthesis of honokiol 1 in 68% overall yield is described here. The present method involves tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium [Pd(Ph₃)₄] catalyzed Kumada coupling in two key steps. First coupling generates biaryl backbone intermediate 5 and second generates 2,4′-O-dimethylhonokiol 3. Final demethylation under AlCl₃/DMS condition affords honokiol in quantitative yield.