Resumo em Inglês:

The sorption kinetics of some aromatics (toluene, p-xylene, o-xylene and p-diethylbenzene) was studied experimentally with a high sensitivity microbalance (± 1µg) at temperatures between 150 and 210ºC and concentrations in the adsorbed phase of a maximum of 1 mmol/g. In general, the sorption rates decreased in the following order: toluene > p-xylene > o-xylene > p-diethylbenzene. Two diffusion models were tested against the experimental results. One model considers the mass transfer inside the zeolitic micropores as the controlling diffusion step. The other model supposes that resistance to mass transfer in the macropores (formed during pelletization of the crystals with the amorphous ligand) is the limiting step. The results observed for both models are presented and analyzed

Resumo em Inglês:

Abstract - Selective adsorbents have become frequently used in industrial processes. Recent studies have shown the possibility of using adsorption to separate copper refinery electrolyte contaminants, with better results than those obtained with conventional techniques. During copper electrorefinning, many impurities may be found as dissolved metals present in the anode slime which forms on the electrode surface, accumulated in the electrolyte or incorporated into the refined copper on the cathode by deposition. In this study, synthetic zeolites, chelating resins and activated carbons were tested as adsorbents to select the best adsorbent performance, as well as the best operating temperature for the process. The experimental method applied was the finite bath, which consists in bringing the adsorbent into contact with a finite volume of electrolyte while controlling the temperature. The concentration of metals in the liquid phase was continuously monitored by atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS)

Resumo em Inglês:

The effects of gas-solid interaction and mass transfer in fixed-bed systems of supported catalysts were analyzed for g -Al2O3 (support) and Cu/g -Al2O3 (catalyst) systems. Evaluations of the mass transfer coefficients in the macropores and of the diffusivity in the micropores, as formed by the crystallite agglomerates of the metallic phases, were obtained. Dynamic experiments with gaseous tracers permitted the quantification of the parameters based on models for these two pore structures. With a flow in a range of 18 cm³ s-1 to 39.98 cm³ s-1 at 45ºC, 65ºC and 100ºC, mass transfer coefficients k m =4.33x10-4 m s-1 to 7.38x10-4 m s-1 for macropore structures and diffusivities Dm =1.29x10-11 m² s-1 to 5.35x10-11 m² s-1 for micropore structures were estimated

Resumo em Inglês:

Dehydration of ethanol via adsorption using molecular sieves has recently been suggested as a promising alternative to the conventional separation methods for ethanol-water mixtures. 3A zeolites possess selective micropores whereon, due to the small size of their pores, the water molecules are adsorbed while the ethanol molecules are excluded. The scope of this work was, hence, the thermodynamic and kinetic study of ethanol-water adsorption on commercial zeolites of different origins, with the aim to select the best one. For the thermodynamic study, a thermostated bath was used at four different temperatures, where the data obtained by the static method could be correlated by means of a nonlinear isotherm. The kinetic data were obtained in a circulating finite liquid bath cell, where the effect of the temperature and of the mean diameter of the adsorbent particles on the rate of adsorption was studied. The results obtained in this way, expressed through uptake rate curves, showed that the adsorption rates were strongly dependent on the parameters studied. On comparing the adsorption rates among the adsorbents (commercial 3A zeolites), it could be concluded that, under the same operational conditions, exists a pronounced difference among them

Resumo em Inglês:

Improving adsorptive processes demands a constant search for new adsorbents. In the specific case of ethanol-water separation, A zeolites are successfully being used. The use of nonconventional adsorbents to substitute zeolites, mainly starchy adsorbents in virtue of their known chemical affinity water, has recently been proposed. In this work a thermodynamic and kinetic study has been undertaken on the liquid phase adsorption of water from an ethanol-water mixture using manioc starch pellets as the adsorbent. The fundamental thermodynamic data were obtained by means of the static method, using a thermostated bath at four different temperatures (25, 40, 50 and 60° C), and could be correlated by means of a semi-empirical isotherm. The kinetic data, in turn, were obtained in a finite circulating liquid bath cell, enabling the construction of uptake rate curves, whereby the influence of temperature, interstitial velocity and adsorbent mean particle size on the adsorption rate was analyzed. The effective internal diffusivities at the experimental temperatures were estimated by a pore diffusion model and the results obtained were compared with those for commercial 3A zeolite

Resumo em Inglês:

Ion exchange isotherms are very important tools to achieve a better comprehension of cation removal by means of zeolite treatment. In this work, three isotherms were obtained (at 298K, at 313K and at 333K) from natural pretreated Na+ clinoptilolite. The ion exchange was carried out with Cr+3 ions. The isotherms’ shape is similar to the classical type "b" isotherm, according to the arrangement proposed by Breck (1984). Mathematical fitting was applied to the experimental points (Table Curve software) to obtain a representative curve thereof. From such fittings, points were simulated and then used to construct the Kielland plots, whose shape was associated with an ion exchange mechanism. Straight lines were obtained as an indication that, although the zeolite used is of natural occurrence and presents impurities such as mordenite and clays, only one site is involved in the ion exchange process

Resumo em Inglês:

The objectives of this paper are to verify the viability of operating a bioreactor coupled with a membrane, and to analyze the global mechanisms witch need to be considered in the bioreactional concept in the separation by membrane. In order to meet the proposed objectives, a culture with a synthetic substratum (ethanol) was utilized. A mineral membrane with the following characteristics was used: a pore diameter of 0.2 m m, 19 channels of a 4 mm diameter, a width of 0.85 m, a filtering surface area of 0.2 m², a pressure of 2 bar and a tangential velocity of 2 m/s. The experiments consisted of modifying the residence time of the substratum within the reactor. The following measurements were taken: chemical oxygen demand (COD), concentration of biomass and filtered flow. The results show a treated effluent of good quality, indicating that the time of hydraulic residence time influences the efficiency of the system and is influenced by the restriction of the filtered flow by a fast fouling of the membrane

Resumo em Inglês:

The presence of gallium on HZMS5 zeolites increases the rate of coke elimination in their regeneration in hydrogen. The gallium species should contribute to the hydrogenation of the coke molecules and the acid sites should favour their crackings. However, the location of the coke molecules (near the outer surface and near the gallium species) instead of their nature seems to be the determining parameter for their elimination

Resumo em Inglês:

This work presents the principles of operation of a solar refrigerator with the following basic components: a reactor, a set of evacuated tube solar collectors, a condenser, a heat exchanger, and an evaporator. During the heating phase, solar radiation is collected and transferred to the reactor for desorption by a vapor thermal siphon loop. During the cooling phase, heat from the reactor is released to the ambient by a second water vapor loop. Ambient data collected daily during a period of 18 years were divided into hourly values and used to simulate the temperatures of the reactor, which uses salt impregnated with graphite and ammonia, during the adsorption / desorption processes. The results show that the refrigerator operates well in Fortaleza and that better results are expected for the countryside of the state of Ceara. It is concluded that only a high efficiency collector set can be used in the system

Resumo em Inglês:

The influence of the surface-active agent Tween 80 (polyoxyethylene 20 sorbitan monoleate) on the dispersed growth of Mycobacterium bovis - BCG - was studied. The slopes of the bacterial dry mass / absorbance curves, were significantly reduced, by the increase of the Tween 80 concentration in the medium. Such an influence was probably due to the effect Tween 80 had on the average size of bacterial clumps during the culture carried out in a bench fermenter

Resumo em Inglês:

Bulk blending is a way to produce compound fertilizers in which the different nutrients are present in different particles. Due to the heterogeneous composition of bulk blends, particle segregation, when it occurs, is a serious problem to the fertilizer producer, as well as to the farmer. Free fall is one of the main types of particle movement to promote segregation. The physical properties of the particles that potentially affect the tendency to segregate the most are size, density and shape. The main objective of this work is to study the influence of size and density of particles and distance of fall on segregation due to free fall. It was found that particle size is the most important physical characteristic to affect segregation; the greater the difference in particle size, the greater the segregation. Free fall is an important mechanical factor affecting segregation; the greater the distance of fall, the greater the segregation. No evidence of the influence of particle density on segregation was found

Resumo em Inglês:

A draft tube spouted bed was constructed with a screw conveyor attached at its base to feed particles into the column. Results on fluid dynamic characteristics and particle movement in this system are presented and discussed. Two methods of measuring the superficial air velocity in the annular region are compared. The particle velocity and recirculation rates have been determined in a half column with transparent walls. The effects of the particle feed rate, air flow rate and bed height on the spouted bed dynamics have been analysed and compared with those in the literature. Keywords: Spouted bed, continuous feed, dynamics

Resumo em Inglês:

A model is proposed for the average effective diffusivity for an arbitrary pore size distribution. It is shown that the average diffusivity must also depend on the distribution of the catalyst sites. The reaction diffusivity is compared with the average diffusivities defined by Wakao and Smith (1962) and Johnson and Stewart (1965). For the methanol dehydration and n-butene isomerization, the reaction diffusivity gives a better estimation of the effectiveness factor than the other models

Resumo em Inglês:

Hydrolysis of the hemicellulosic fraction of sugarcane bagasse by sulphuric acid was performed in laboratory (25 mL) and semi-pilot (25 L) reactors under different conditions of temperature, time and acid concentration. On the laboratory scale, the three highest recovery yields were obtained at: 140ºC for 10 min with 100 mg acid/g dm (yield=73.4%); 140ºC for 20 min with 100 mg acid/g dm (yield=73.9%) and 150ºC for 20 min with 70 mg acid/g dm (yield=71.8%). These conditions were also used for hydrolysis in a semi-pilot reactor, and the highest xylose recovery yield (83.3%) was obtained at 140ºC for 20 min with 100 mg acid/g dm