Process Applications of NMR

This thesis describes applications of NMR techniques to flowing liquid streams to obtain quantitative information about the contents of the streams. The quantitative accuracy of NMR spectroscopy for composition measurement of liquid mixtures is measured as ±0.34 mol% and ±1 mol% for static and flowing mixtures respectively. The effects of flow on NMR spectroscopy are analysed using the residence time distributions of the streams in the magnet and the detection coil. Algorithms are developed for automated analysis of the NMR spectra of the mixtures, in which automatic phase and baseline correction are performed together. A peak-assignment algorithm is written that identifies components in a mixture based on the patterns observed in the pure-component spectra. Automated composition analysis of mixture spectra is performed using these algorithms in less than 4 minutes with an accuracy of ±0.66 mol%. A mathematical model is derived for the NMR spectrum of a mixture that considers the spectrum a weighted sum of pure-component spectra shifted in frequency. The experimental lineshape observed in an inhomogeneous magnetic field is poorly fitted by a Lorentzian lineshape, so a new model lineshape is developed based on the distribution of resonance frequencies across the sample. Volume selective NMR spectroscopy using the STEAM and PROJSAT pulse sequences is optimised to give quantitative results from well-defined volumes with minimal signal contamination. The STEAM pulse sequence is modified to include flow-compensated slice selection gradients. The accuracy of the compositions measured from volume selective spectra is measured as ±1 mol% and ±2 mol% for static and flowing mixtures respectively. Pulsed field gradient NMR sequences using double echoes for flow compensation are tested on flowing water, then used to determine the droplet size distributions of flowing emulsions. Flow images are acquired of a vertical liquid jets showing the narrowing and acceleration of the jet and the entrainment of the surrounding water

The Aluminium Industry: A Review on State-of-the-Art Technologies, Environmental Impacts and Possibilities for Waste Heat Recovery

Aluminium is becoming more frequently used across industries due to its beneficial properties, generally within an alloyed form. This paper outlines the entire production process of aluminium from ore to the finished metallic alloy product. In addition, the article looks at the current state of the art technologies used in each discrete process step. Particular interest is directed towards casting technologies and secondary recycling as the relative proportion of recycled aluminium is increasing dramatically and aluminium is much more energy efficient to recycle than to produce through primary methods. Future developments within the industries are discussed, in particular inert anode technology. Aluminium production is responsible for a large environmental impact and the gaseous emissions and solid residue by-products are discussed. In addition to the environmental impact, the industry is highly energy intensive and releases a large proportion of energy to atmosphere in the form of waste heat. One method of reducing energy consumption and decreasing the environmental impact of emissions is by installing waste heat recovery technology. Applied methods to reduce energy consumption are examined, with a latter focus on potential applications within the industry for waste heat recovery technologies.The research presented in this paper has received funding by the European Union's projects Spire 2030, DREAM, and Horizon 2020, ETEKINA, under grant agreement No's 723641 and 768772