Design and Multiobjective Optimization of a Novel Double Extractive Dividing Wall Column with a Side Reboiler Scheme for the Recovery of Ethyl Acetate and Methanol from Wastewater

This work presents the development of two novel intensified energy-efficient extractive distillation configurations for the separation of ethyl acetate and methanol from waste effluent while prioritizing economic, environmental, and safety performances. Departing from the typical three or four column extractive distillation process, we proposed two intensified processes that offer superior performance. Specifically, we introduced the extractive dividing wall column with a side reboiler (EDWC-SR), which combines the four columns into two, and the double EDWC-SR (DEDWC-SR), which combines the four columns into a single unit. Subsequently, multiobjective optimization and multicriteria decision making were used to obtain the optimum configurations for the three processes, i.e., base case, EDWC-SR, and DEDWC-SR. Both the EDWC-SR and DEDWC-SR gave better economic and environmental performances relative to the base case with slightly lowered safety performance. The DEDWC-SR gave the lowest total annual cost and CO2 emission by 20.20 and 33.81%, respectively, and a higher safety index by 18%, relative to the base case

A Deep Learning Hybrid Framework Combining an Efficient Evolutionary Algorithm for Complex Many-Objective Optimization of Sustainable Triple CO₂ Feed Methanol Production

Current mainstream technologies have exhibited limits in integrating global many-objective optimization methods with chemical production systems, resulting in subpar outcomes in terms of energy efficiency and environmental issues for methanol production systems. In this study, a novel deep learning hybrid framework is proposed, which involves the construction of a mechanism model with the ability to elucidate the underlying principles and interrelationships of chemistry on a macroscopic scale and a data-driven model to enhance the accuracy and dependability of predictions from available data. The efficiency and global search capability of the proposed framework are further improved through the integration of an advanced evolutionary algorithm, which incorporates many-criteria decision-making technology to provide a comprehensive set of trade-offs for the optimal solution sets. The results demonstrate that all four objective functions of carbon dioxide emissions, methane conversion rate, methanol production, and energy consumption in the triple CO2 feed methanol production system are rapidly optimized, in which carbon dioxide emissions and energy consumption are reduced by 18.50% and 3.15%, respectively. Consequently, this considerably enhances the environment. This proposed framework holds significant potential in facilitating the efficient optimization and sustainable production of complex systems within process engineering

Energy-Saving Optimal Design and Effective Control of Heat Integration-Extractive Dividing Wall Column for Separating Heterogeneous Mixture Methanol/Toluene/Water with Multiazeotropes

To the best of our knowledge, very few efforts have been investigated for separating heterogeneous mixtures methanol/toluene/water with multiazeotropes using extractive dividing-wall column (EDWC). In this work, we propose a systematic approach for the energy-efficient EDWC to achieve less capital cost and operating cost in separating heterogeneous multiazeotropes mixtures, which involves thermodynamic feasible insights via residue curve maps to find separation constraints, global optimization based on a proposed CPOM model, and a dynamic control through Aspen Dynamics simulator to better maintain product purities. An energy-saving EDWC with heat integration (HI-EDWC) flowsheet is then proposed to achieve the minimum total annualized cost (TAC). The computational results show that the TAC of the proposed HI-EDWC is significantly reduced by 15.14% compared with the optimal double-column extractive distillation with an additional decanter. Furthermore, an effective control strategy CS3 with a fixed reboiler duty-to-feed ratio and temperature/(S/F) cascade is proposed to better handle the methanol, toluene, and water product purities than basic control structures CS1 and CS2 while feed flow rate and composition disturbances are introduced in the proposed HI-EDWC process

Life Cycle Sustainability Assessment of Chemical Processes: A Vector-Based Three-Dimensional Algorithm Coupled with AHP

In this study, an integrated vector-based three-dimensional (3D) methodology for the life cycle sustainability assessment (LCSA) of chemical process alternatives is proposed. In the methodology, a 3D criteria assessment system is first established by using the life cycle assessment, the life cycle costing, and the social life cycle assessment to determine the criteria from the environmental, economic, and social pillars, respectively. The methodology incorporates the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method to convert experts’ judgments on the soft criteria into quantitative data and realize a unitary scale for both quantified soft criteria and normalized hard criteria. After assigning appropriate weights to each pillar and criterion by using the AHP method, the sustainability of the alternative processes can be prioritized by employing a novel vector-based algorithm, which combines the absolute sustainability performance and the relative sustainability deviation of the investigated processes. A case study on the sustainability assessment of three alternative ammonia production processes demonstrates that the proposed methodology is able to serve as a comprehensive and rigorous tool for the stakeholders to rank and identify the most sustainable chemical process alternatives

Optimal Design and Effective Control of the <i>tert</i>-Amyl Methyl Ether Production Process Using an Integrated Reactive Dividing Wall and Pressure Swing Columns

Design of the <i>tert</i>-amyl methyl ether (TAME) production process has received much attention because TAME is an important oxygenated gasoline additive with much fewer environmental and health issues than methyl <i>tert</i>-butyl ether. Although a reactive dividing wall column where reaction and separation take place in one vessel has been developed with less capital and operating cost, little work on its application to TAME production has been reported. In this paper, we propose a new overall procedure for optimal design of the TAME production process through an integrated reactive dividing wall and pressure swing columns, which includes screening of the best dividing wall configuration, thermodynamic feasible insight, and process simulation and optimization using the sensitivity analysis tool in Aspen Plus. The computational results demonstrate that the optimal design of the TAME production process through an integrated reactive dividing wall and pressure swing column is successfully obtained to achieve desired TAME purity of 99.958 mol %, significantly reducing the total annualized cost by 43.58% and decreasing the exergy loss by 48.24% compared to the existing TAME production process using reactive distillation. Finally, an effective control strategy including tray temperature control is proposed to ensure the operating conditions are well controlled at or close to their set points in a desired time when disturbances occur

Role of Transthoracic Lung Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis of Pulmonary Embolism: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

<div><p>Background</p><p>Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a potentially life-threatening condition. Although computed tomography pulmonary angiography (CTPA) is the reference standard for diagnosis, its early diagnosis remains a challenge, and the concerns about the radiation exposures further limit the general use of CTPA. The primary aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the overall diagnostic accuracy of transthoracic lung ultrasound (TLS) in the diagnosis of PE.</p><p>Methods</p><p>PubMed, Web of science, OvidSP, ProQuest, EBSCO, Cochrane Library and Clinicaltrial.gov were searched systematically. The quality of included studies was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 tool. The sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) curves were used to examine the TS performance. The Bayes analysis was used to calculate the post-test probability of PE. Publication bias was assessed with Deeks funnel plot.</p><p>Results</p><p>The results indicated that the sensitivity, specificity, PLR and NLR were 0.85 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.78 to 0.90), and 0.83 (95% CI, 0.73 to 0.90). And the DOR and HSROC were 28.82 (95% CI, 17.60 to 47.21), 0.91(95% CI, 0.88, 0.93).</p><p>Conclusions</p><p>The present meta-analysis suggested that transthoracic lung ultrasonography is helpful in diagnosing pulmonary embolism. Although the application of transthoracic lung ultrasound may change some patients’ diagnostic processes, it is inappropriate to generally use transthoracic ultrasonography in diagnosing pulmonary embolism currently.</p></div

Additional file 1 of Insights into the combined toxic impacts of phoxim and deltamethrin on the embryo-larval stage of zebrafish (Danio rerio)

Additional file 1: Table S1 Detailed information about the biochemical parameters tested. Table S2 Gene primer sequences in real time quantitative PCR reaction

Forest plot for sensitivity and specificity.

<p>Forest plot for sensitivity and specificity.</p

Summary of QUADAS-2 assessments of included studies.

<p>Summary of QUADAS-2 assessments of included studies.</p

Characteristics of Eligible Studies-1.

<p>NR, not reported</p><p>§, mean(SD)</p><p>¶, median(range)</p><p>TP = true positive; FP = false positive; FN = false negative; TN = true negative</p><p>1^†, = yes</p><p>2^‡, = no.</p><p>Characteristics of Eligible Studies-1.</p