Cracking Of Petroleum Residues By Reactive Molecular Distillation

It is known that the Brazilian oils are more heavy - super heavy - viscous, its operation is difficult, especially its production, including all stages - elevation, runoff and primary processing - in addition to their transfer, and refining itself. Studies indicate the existence of oil fields as heavy lifting and that the simple flow of the base of the pit to the surface seems impossible at first sight, especially in off-shore fields, compromising both technically and economically a project to produce a new field. Therefore, efforts are needed to develop alternatives aimed at reducing the API gravity, viscosity and sulfur content of extra-heavy oil, adding a higher commercial value for these oils. This work aims to study, propose and develop enhanced hybrid process that transforms the extra-heavy oil, or part thereof, in lighter crude oil to generate a mixture: lower sulfur content, lower density, lower viscosity, lower content of volatile (aromatics and asphaltenes), greater resistance to the processes of purification. The process studied is the Reactive molecular distillation with the addition of tetralin that suffer from high temperature cracking of molecules, providing protons that help the breakdown of asphaltenes and residues will suffer as a consequence physicochemical changes, such as those mentioned above. This way you can improve the problems associated with the deposition of asphaltenes at high temperatures. The conversion of light with immediate reduction of API gravity and sulfur content promoted a better use of extra-heavy oil and the DMR is a product of high-value oil and very interesting for the oil industry and the environment. The experimental work proposed in this study was conducted to cracking and separation of fractions and petroleum. The evaluation and characterization of the cracking results were obtained after analysis of properties such as density, viscosity, sulfur content, molar mass and mass balance of the currents. © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.42329334Erciyes, A.T., Ishikawa, H., Inuzuka, M., Hiraoka, S., Mori, H.E., Yamada, I., Vaporization of binary liquid mixtures from surface at reduced pressure (1987) Chem Eng Symp Series, 1, pp. A359-A371Moraes, E.B., Batistella, C.B., Torres Alvarez, M.E., Maciel Filho, R., Wolf Maciel, M.R., Evaluation of tocopherol recovery through simulation of molecular distillation process (2004) Appl Biochem Biotech, 114, pp. 689-711Noeres, C., Kenig, E.Y., Górak, A., Modelling of reactive separation processes (2003) Reactive Absorption and Reactive Distillation. Chem Eng Process, 42, pp. 157-178Duarte, F.A., Mello, P.A., Bizzi, C.A., Nunes, M.A.G., Moreira, E.M., Alencar, M.S., Motta, H.N., Flores, E.M.M., Sulfur removal from hydrotreated petroleum fractions using ultrasound-assisted oxidative desulfurization process (2001) Fuel, 90, pp. 2158-216

Acid hydrolysis of barley straw: study of lignocellulosic pretreatment conditions and batch reactor / Hidrólise ácida da palha de cevada: estudo das condições de pré-tratamento lignocelulósico e do reator de lote

O cultivo da cevada cresceu no Brasil nos últimos anos, atingindo uma produção anual de 1,5 milhão de toneladas. Este estudo teve como objetivo projetar e construir um reator para hidrólise ácida de materiais lignocelulósicos e investigar a liberação de açúcares fermentáveis da palha da cevada. Para orientar o desenvolvimento de um reator viável, foi realizado um planejamento experimental para investigar as condições de pré-tratamento com ácido sulfúrico. As variáveis independentes foram a relação palha de cevada / solução (5,0: 10, 1,0: 10, 1,5: 10 e 2,0: 10% p / v) e concentração de ácido sulfúrico (0,5, 0,8, 1,0, 1,5, 2,0, 2,5 e 3,0 % v / v). O pré-tratamento foi realizado por 40 min em autoclave vertical a 121 ° C e 1 kgf / cm2. As variáveis de resposta foram sólidos solúveis (° Bx) e o rendimento de glicose (razão em peso de glicose liberada para biomassa inicial de palha de cevada). Os resultados mostraram que as condições ótimas para a liberação de glicose e sólidos solúveis foram uma relação palha de cevada / solução de 7:10 (p / v) e 2,6% (% v / v) de ácido sulfúrico

Induction of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ Regulatory T Cells during Human Hookworm Infection Modulates Antigen-Mediated Lymphocyte Proliferation

Hookworm infection is considered one of the most important poverty-promoting neglected tropical diseases, infecting 576 to 740 million people worldwide, especially in the tropics and subtropics. These blood-feeding nematodes have a remarkable ability to downmodulate the host immune response, protecting themselves from elimination and minimizing severe host pathology. While several mechanisms may be involved in the immunomodulation by parasitic infection, experimental evidences have pointed toward the possible involvement of regulatory T cells (Tregs) in downregulating effector T-cell responses upon chronic infection. However, the role of Tregs cells in human hookworm infection is still poorly understood and has not been addressed yet. In the current study we observed an augmentation of circulating CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells in hookworm-infected individuals compared with healthy non-infected donors. We have also demonstrated that infected individuals present higher levels of circulating Treg cells expressing CTLA-4, GITR, IL-10, TGF-β and IL-17. Moreover, we showed that hookworm crude antigen stimulation reduces the number of CD4+CD25+FOXP3+ T regulatory cells co-expressing IL-17 in infected individuals. Finally, PBMCs from infected individuals pulsed with excreted/secreted products or hookworm crude antigens presented an impaired cellular proliferation, which was partially augmented by the depletion of Treg cells. Our results suggest that Treg cells may play an important role in hookworm-induced immunosuppression, contributing to the longevity of hookworm survival in infected people

Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, ventilation management, and outcomes in invasively ventilated intensive care unit patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome: a pooled analysis of four observational studies

Background: Geoeconomic variations in epidemiology, the practice of ventilation, and outcome in invasively ventilated intensive care unit (ICU) patients without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain unexplored. In this analysis we aim to address these gaps using individual patient data of four large observational studies. Methods: In this pooled analysis we harmonised individual patient data from the ERICC, LUNG SAFE, PRoVENT, and PRoVENT-iMiC prospective observational studies, which were conducted from June, 2011, to December, 2018, in 534 ICUs in 54 countries. We used the 2016 World Bank classification to define two geoeconomic regions: middle-income countries (MICs) and high-income countries (HICs). ARDS was defined according to the Berlin criteria. Descriptive statistics were used to compare patients in MICs versus HICs. The primary outcome was the use of low tidal volume ventilation (LTVV) for the first 3 days of mechanical ventilation. Secondary outcomes were key ventilation parameters (tidal volume size, positive end-expiratory pressure, fraction of inspired oxygen, peak pressure, plateau pressure, driving pressure, and respiratory rate), patient characteristics, the risk for and actual development of acute respiratory distress syndrome after the first day of ventilation, duration of ventilation, ICU length of stay, and ICU mortality. Findings: Of the 7608 patients included in the original studies, this analysis included 3852 patients without ARDS, of whom 2345 were from MICs and 1507 were from HICs. Patients in MICs were younger, shorter and with a slightly lower body-mass index, more often had diabetes and active cancer, but less often chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and heart failure than patients from HICs. Sequential organ failure assessment scores were similar in MICs and HICs. Use of LTVV in MICs and HICs was comparable (42\ub74% vs 44\ub72%; absolute difference \u20131\ub769 [\u20139\ub758 to 6\ub711] p=0\ub767; data available in 3174 [82%] of 3852 patients). The median applied positive end expiratory pressure was lower in MICs than in HICs (5 [IQR 5\u20138] vs 6 [5\u20138] cm H2O; p=0\ub70011). ICU mortality was higher in MICs than in HICs (30\ub75% vs 19\ub79%; p=0\ub70004; adjusted effect 16\ub741% [95% CI 9\ub752\u201323\ub752]; p<0\ub70001) and was inversely associated with gross domestic product (adjusted odds ratio for a US$10 000 increase per capita 0\ub780 [95% CI 0\ub775\u20130\ub786]; p<0\ub70001). Interpretation: Despite similar disease severity and ventilation management, ICU mortality in patients without ARDS is higher in MICs than in HICs, with a strong association with country-level economic status. Funding: No funding

Poly (Lactic Acid) Production for Tissue Engineering Applications

AbstractTissue engineering is the most fascinating domain of medical technology and has emerged as a promising alternative approach in the treatment of malfunctioning or lost organs where patients are treated by using their own cells, grown on a polymer support so that a tissue part is regenerated from the natural cells. This support is known as scaffold and is needed to serve as an adhesive substrate for the implanted cells and a physical support to guide the formation of the new organs. In addition to facilitating cell adhesion, promoting cell growth, and allowing the retention of differentiated cell functions, the scaffold should be biocompatible, biodegradable, highly porous with a large surface/volume ratio, mechanically strong, and malleable. The scaffold degrades while a new organ or tissue is formed. A number of three-dimensional porous scaffolds fabricated from various kinds of biodegradable materials have been developed. Bioabsorbable polymers have been identified as alternative materials for biomedical applications, since these polymers are degraded by simple hydrolysis to products that can be metabolized by the human body. With their excellent biocompatibility, poly-lactones such as poly-lactic acid (PLA), poly-glycolic acid (PGA), and poly-caprolactone (PCL), as well as their copolymers are becoming the most commonly used synthetic biodegradable polymers as fixation devices materials for biomedical devices. Among the biomaterials (biopolymers) used in the medical field, the poly (lactic acid) (PLA) has received significant attention. Poly-lactic acid (PLA) is at present one of the most promising biodegradable polymers for this purpose and has convincingly demonstrated the proof of concept for using in bioabsorbable polymer as bone fixation devices, owing to its mechanical property profile, thermoplastic possibility and biological properties, such as biocompatibility and biodegradability. It is produced from lactic acid, a naturally occurring organic acid that can be produced by fermentation. The objective of this study was to investigate the synthesis of PLA in a laboratory scale in order to characterize it in accordance with the needs for biomedical use

Extension Of The Tbp Curve Of Petroleum Using The Correlation Destmol

The properties of natural petroleum and petroleum products make use of the True Boiling Point (TBP) distillation analysis and it has been proved to be very useful for petroleum characterization and design and operation of refinery units. So, the TBP distillation analysis has contributed to the petroleum science and technology, to the classification of petroleum, to the development of petroleum property correlations and it has been used worldwide. However, when applied to heavy petroleum fractions, difficulties are often encountered. Through petroleum distillation curve (TBP), it is possible to evaluate the yields of the products that will be obtained in the refineries, as well as to establish operational strategies and process optimizations, as the cracking process. The TBP curve is very important for the oil industry and is used to understand the behavior of oil before distillation. For when the oil is subjected to a distillation tower on an industrial scale is already known about the percentage of distillate obtained working at a specific temperature. In the oil refining industry as the distillations follow: Atmospheric Distillation (distillation up to 673 K-ASTM D 2892) and vacuum distillation (distillation to 838K-ASTM D 5236). This work creates the possibility of extending the temperature range of distillation of oil to 973K. The goal of this work is extend the TBP by DESTMOL, the extension of the TBP curve oil reaching approximately 973 K exceeding the curves generated so far that reach only 838 K. The DESTMOL correlation applies pretty good showing continuity and asymptotic profile of the TBP curve. The results help to meet the waste oil and can thus use the waste for more noble ends. As the result of DESTMOL, we can better define the strategiesand operating conditions for oil processing, achieving better economic results in the use of heavy oil, due to its better characterization. © 2012 Published by Elsevier Ltd.42726732Miquel, J., Hernandez, J., Castells, F., A new method for petroleum fractions and crude oil characterization (1992) SPE Reserv Eng, 7, pp. 265-270Behrenbruch, P., Dedigama, T., Classification and characterisation of crude oils based on distillation properties (2007) J Petrol Sci Eng, 57, pp. 166-180Roussis, S.G., Fitzgerald, W.P., Gas chromatographic simulated distillation-mass spectrometry for the determination of the boiling point distributions of crude oils (2000) Anal Chem, 72, pp. 1400-1409Lopes, M.S., (2011), D.Sc. Thesis. School of Chemical Engineering. State University of Campinas (UNICAMP). BrazilMaciel Filho, R., Wolf Maciel, M.R., Batistella, C.B., (2011) FRAMOL Project, , UNICAMP/CENPES/PETROBRAS/FINEPBatistella, C.B., Wolf Maciel, M.R., Maciel Filho, R., Rigorous modeling and simulation of molecular distillations: Development of a simulator under conditions non ideality of the vapour phase (2000) Comput Chem Eng, 24, pp. 1309-1315Sbaite, P., Batistella, C.B., Winter, A., Vasconselos, C.J.G., Wolf Maciel, M.R., Maciel Filho, R., Gomes, A., Kunert, R., Evaluation of atmospheric and vacuum residues using molecular distillation and optimization (2006) Petrol Sci Technol, 24, pp. 275-283Lima, N.M.N., Liñan, L.Z., Manenti, F., Maciel Filho, R., Wolf Maciel, M.R., Embiriçu, M., Medina, L.C., Fuzzy cognitive approach of a molecular distillation process (2001) Chem Eng Res des, 48, pp. 471-473ASTM D 2892: Distillation of crude petroleum (15-theoretical plate column) (1999) Annual Handbook of ASTM Standards 05.01, , American Society of Testing and MaterialsASTM D 5236: Distillation of heavy hydrocarbon mixtures (vacuum Potstill method) (1999) Annual Handbook of ASTM Standards 05.01, , American Society of Testing and Material