Stochastic optimization models in forest planning: a progressive hedging solution approach

Annals of Operations Research - We consider the important problem of medium term forest planning with an integrated approach considering both harvesting and road construction decisions in the...     

Thermal characterization of solar salts from north of Chile and variations of their properties over time at high temperature

The current study has conducted a wide-ranging characterization, under high-temperature conditions, of a new ternary and quaternary heat transfer fluid, with the addition of Ca(NO₃)₂ and LiNO₃, two of the solar salt additives with a greater potential for being included in these new formulations proposed for the new generation of concentrated solar power (CSP) plants. In this direction, the present research is focused on viscosity and thermal stability since these salts try to increase the work temperature range in CSP plants. Viscosity tests were analyzed each 10 °C from 130 to 300 °C in order to check the variation in this parameter close to their melting points. Isothermal analysis at 450 and 500 °C was also performed through thermal gravimetric (TG) analysis, measuring any resulting loss of mass in the sample at these temperatures. Results were compared with the behavior in binary solar salt. These tests showed a progressive thermal degradation of salts over the time and the maximum temperature for operation in CSP has been corrected regarding the use of ternary and quaternary molten salts.     

Liquid–liquid phase equilibrium of methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane + ethanol system at 303 K

The phase equilibrium data for methanol + ethanol + isooctane systems were obtained at 303.15 K. Data for methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane system were taken from literature. The effect of ethanol addition on the system equilibrium was investigated at the same temperature. The distribution curves for ternary and quaternary system was analyzed. The experimental results for ternary systems were correlated with UNIQUAC and NRTL equations. For the ternary systems studied here, the NRTL equation is more accurate than the UNIQUAC. The equilibrium data for the three ternary systems were used to determine interactions parameters for the UNIQUAC equation. For the quaternary system, the experimental data can be fitted more accurately to UNIQUAC equation than by the UNIFAC method.     

Influence of Temperature on Liquid–Liquid Equilibrium of Methanol + Toluene + Hexane Ternary Systems at Atmospheric Pressure

Phase equilibria of methanol?+?toluene?+?hexane ternary systems at (278.15, 283.15, 288.15 and 293.15) K at atmospheric pressure were investigated. The influence of temperature on the liquid–liquid equilibrium is discussed. All chemicals were quantified using gas chromatograph with a thermal conductivity detector coupled to a ChemStation and nitrogen as gas carrier, their mass fractions were higher than 0.999. From literature are found two articles from the same system at different temperatures studied here. Experimental data are compared with literature values. Values calculated using the NRTL and UNIQUAC equations are compared with the experimental data and it is found that the UNIQUAC equation fitted the experimental data better than the NRTL model for this ternary system.     

(Liquid + liquid) equilibria of methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane + methy <Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl ether quaternary system at <Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis> = 303.15 K

Tie line data of {methanol + methyl tert-butyl ether + isooctane} ternary systems were obtained at T = 303.15 K, while data for {methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane} were taken from literature. The ternary system {methanol + methyl tert-butyl ether + ethylbenzene} and {methyl tert-butyl ether + ethylbenzene + isooctane} were completely miscible. A quaternary system {methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane + methyl tert-butyl ether} was also studied at the same temperature. In order to obtain equilibium data of the quaternary system, four quaternary sectional planes with several methyl tert-butyl ether/methanol ratios were studied. The effect of the addition of methyl tert-butyl ether on the liquid-liquid equilibrium data of {methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane} ternary system has been investigate at the same temperature. The distribution curves for ternary and quaternary system was analysed. For the quaternary system {methanol + ethylbenzene + isooctane + methyl tert-butyl ether}, experimental data demonstrated that the distribution coefficient of ethylbenzene between the hydrocarbon and methanol phase on a methyl tert-butyl ether–free basis slightly increases with the increase of methyl tert-butyl ether/methanol ratio. Ternary experimental results were correlated with the UNIQUAC and NRTL equation. The NRTL equation is more accurate than the UNIQUAC equation for the ternary systems studied here. The equilibrium data of three ternary systems were used for determining interactions parameters for the UNIQUAC equation. The UNIQUAC equation fitted to the experimental data appeared to be more accurate than the UNIFAC method for the same quaternary system.     

Liquid–Liquid Equilibria of the Methanol + Toluene + Methylcyclohexane Ternary System at 278.15, 283.15, 288.15, 293.15, 298.15 and 303.15 K

Liquid–liquid equilibria of the methanol + toluene + methylcyclohexane ternary system at 278.15, 283.15, 288.15, 293.15, 298.15 and 303.15 K are reported. The effect of the temperature on liquid–liquid equilibrium is discussed. Data for the ternary system is available from the literature at T = 298 K. All chemicals were quantified by gas chromatography using a thermal conductivity detector. Experimental data for the ternary system are compared with values calculated by the NRTL and UNIQUAC equations. It is found that the UNIQUAC and NRTL models provide similar good correlations of the solubility curve at these six temperatures.