Experiments and dynamic modeling of a reactive distillationcolumn for the production of ethyl acetate by consideringthe heterogeneous catalyst pilot complexities

Great effort has been applied to model and simulate the dynamic behavior of the reactive distillation as a successfulprocess intensification example. However, very little experimental work has been carried out in transient conditions.The work presents a series of experiments for the production of ethyl acetate from esterification of acetic acid andethanol in a reactive distillation pilot column. The steady-state approach performed experiments with both excessof alcohol and stoichiometric feed configuration. Predicted and measured results show good agreement and reveala strong dependency of the structured packing catalyst activity on the pilot geometry and its operating conditions.The transient process behavior of the heterogeneously catalyzed system was deeply investigated and continuousand dynamic data were collected for an equilibrium model validation, after different perturbations on parameters.The experimental validation is shown to be essential to provide realistic hydrodynamic parameters, to understandthe sensitive parameters such as heat losses and to adapt values for the catalyst holdup as a function of the system

Cancer and heart attack survivors’ expectations of employment status: results from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing

Background: Sociodemographic, health- and work-related factors have been found to influence return to work in cancer survivors. It is feasible though that behavioural factors, such as expectation of being at work, could also affect work-related outcomes. Therefore, the effect of earlier identified factors and expectation of being at work on future employment status in cancer survivors was explored. To assess the degree to which these factors specifically concern cancer survivors, a comparison with heart attack survivors was made. Methods: Data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing were used. Cancer and heart attack survivors of working age in the UK were included and followed up for 2 years. Baseline characteristics of both cancer and heart attack survivors were compared regarding employment status. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed in survivors at work, and the interaction between independent variables and diagnose group was assessed. Results: In cancer survivors at work (N = 159), alcohol consumption, participating in moderate or vigorous sport activities, general health and participation were univariate associated with employment status at two-year followup. Only fair general health (compared to very good general health) remained statistically significant in the multivariate model (OR 0.31; 95% CI 0.13–0.76; p = 0.010). In heart attack survivors at work (N = 78), gender, general health and expectation of being at work were univariate associated with employment status at follow-up. Female gender (OR 0.03; 95% CI 0.00–0.57; p = 0.018) and high expectation of being at work (OR 10.68; 95% CI 1.23–93.92; p = 0.033) remained significant in the multivariate model. The influence of gender (p = 0.066) and general health (p = 0.020) regarding employment status was found to differ significantly between cancer and heart attack survivors. Conclusions: When predicting future employment status in cancer survivors in the UK, general health is the most relevant factor to consider. While expectation of being at work did not show any significant influence in cancer survivors, in heart attack survivors, it should not be disregarded though, when developing interventions to affect their employment status. Future research should focus on more specific measures for expectation, and additional behavioural factors, such as self-efficacy, and their effect on employment status

The global impact of non-communicable diseases on macro-economic productivity: a systematic review

© 2015, The Author(s). Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have large economic impact at multiple levels. To systematically review the literature investigating the economic impact of NCDs [including coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke, type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), cancer (lung, colon, cervical and breast), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD)] on macro-economic productivity. Systematic search, up to November 6th 2014, of medical databases (Medline, Embase and Google Scholar) without language restrictions. To identify additional publications, we searched the reference lists of retrieved studies and contacted authors in the field. Randomized controlled trials, cohort, case–control, cross-sectional, ecological studies and modelling studies carried out in adults (>18 years old) were included. Two independent reviewers performed all abstract and full text selection. Disagreements were resolved through consensus or consulting a third reviewer. Two independent reviewers extracted data using a predesigned data collection form. Main outcome measure was the impact of the selected NCDs on productivity, measured in DALYs, productivity costs, and labor market participation, including unemployment, return to work and sick leave. From 4542 references, 126 studies met the inclusion criteria, many of which focused on the impact of more than one NCD on productivity. Breast cancer was the most common (n = 45), followed by stroke (n = 31), COPD (n = 24), colon cancer (n = 24), DM (n = 22), lung cancer (n = 16), CVD (n = 15), cervical cancer (n = 7) and CKD (n = 2). Four studies were from the WHO African Region, 52 from the European Region, 53 from the Region of the Americas and 16 from the Western Pacific Region, one from the Eastern Mediterranean Region and none from South East Asia. We found large regional differences in DALYs attributable to NCDs but especially for cervical and lung cancer. Productivity losses in the USA ranged from 88 million US dollars (USD) for COPD to 20.9 billion USD for colon cancer. CHD costs the Australian economy 13.2 billion USD per year. People with DM, COPD and survivors of breast and especially lung cancer are at a higher risk of reduced labor market participation. Overall NCDs generate a large impact on macro-economic productivity in most WHO regions irrespective of continent and income. The absolute global impact in terms of dollars and DALYs remains an elusive challenge due to the wide heterogeneity in the included studies as well as limited information from low- and middle-income countries.WHO; Nestle´ Nutrition (Nestec Ltd.); Metagenics Inc.; and AX

Kraft-Waerme-Kaelte-Kopplung mit Dampfstrahlkaeltetechnik Abschlussbericht

A combined heat, cold and power supply system on the basis of a steam jet refrigerator was to be developed. Cold generation supplements the 'classic' functions of heat and power generation and is most economical if waste heat is utilised. Most refrigeration processes are too inefficient, however, so that the steam jet technology was tested which promises better results. The final report contains a catalogue of requirements in which the boundary conditions of steam jet refrigeration are laid down.In dieser Arbeit sollen eine technisch optimale und fuer die Kraft-Waerme-Kaelte-Kopplung (KWKK) geeignete Kaelteversorgung auf Basis einer Dampfstrahlkaeltemaschine entwickelt und technische Optionen geprueft werden. Unter der Kraft-Waerme-Kaelte-Kopplung (KWKK) wird allgemein die kombinierte Energieversorgung mit Strom, Waerme und Kaelte verstanden. Die KWKK stellt eine Ergaenzung der Kraft-Waerme-Kopplung (KWK) dar, bei der die anfallende Nutzwaerme nicht nur fuer Heizzwecke, sondern auch fuer die Kaelteerzeugung eingesetzt wird. Insbesondere bei KWK-Anlagen, bei denen ganzjaehrig nicht genuegend Abwaermebedarf besteht, kann sich durch diesen ''Zusatzwaermeabsatz'' zur thermischen Kaelteerzeugung die oekonomische als auch die primaerenergetische Bewertung positiver darstellen. Die thermische Kaelteversorgung ist primaerenergetisch insbesondere dann von Vorteil, wenn sie im Rahmen einer Abwaermenutzung oder im Rahmen einer Kraft-Waerme-Kaelte-Kopplung erfolgt. In der Vergangenheit konnte eine KWKK allerdings mit der bestehenden Kaeltetechnik (Wasser-LiBr-Sorptionsprozesse, Adsorptionskaelteprozesse) vielmals aufgrund wirtschaftlicher, teilweise auch technischer Gruende, nicht angewendet werden. Mit der Dampfstrahlkaeltetechnik soll versucht werden, eine zusaetzliche Option fuer die KWKK zu entwickeln und somit den Ausbau der KWK bzw. KWKK zu foerdern. Im Abschlussbericht wird ein Anforderungskatalog erstellt, in dem sowohl von der Anwenderseite als auch von der waermeversorgungstechnischen Seite die Voraussetzungen u. Rahmenbedingungen fuer den Einsatz von Dampfstrahlkaeltemaschinen (DSKMs) betrachtet werden. (orig.)SIGLEAvailable from TIB Hannover: F03B562+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekBundesministerium fuer Bildung und Forschung, Berlin (Germany)DEGerman