Article
Engineering, Chemical
M. Mouzaoui, M. Sauceau, L. Devriendt, J. C. Baudez, P. Arlabosse
Summary: The study investigates the impact of structural changes during sludge treatments on flowability and technical issues using different experimental methods. Results show a transition from pasty to granular-like material at 43 wt% TS content. Sludge exhibits powder-like behavior with increasing frictional interactions, especially above 43 wt% TS content.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lourdes Mendez-Mora, Maria Cabello-Fusares, Josep Ferre-Torres, Carla Riera-Llobet, Samantha Lopez, Claudia Trejo-Soto, Tomas Alarcon, Aurora Hernandez-Machado
Summary: The study developed a microdevice for precise rheological characterization of biofluids, particularly blood, based on rheometry and fluid mechanics principles at the microscale. A mathematical model combined with an experimental model was used to characterize viscosity of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids at different shear rates. The technology is capable of describing the nonlinear rheology of biofluids, requiring minimal sample and space, and achieved consistent results with previous studies.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Zeeshan Tariq, Ahmed BinGhanim, Murtada Saleh Aljawad, Muhammad Shahzad Kamal, Mohamad Mahmoud, Zuhair AlYousef
Summary: This study generated a large amount of data on effective bulk foam viscosity using a high pressure high temperature (HPHT) foam rheometer device, and developed a predictive model through machine learning techniques. Temperature, corrosion inhibitor, and shear rate were found to have significant impact on reducing foam viscosity.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Wenguang Nan, Mehrdad Pasha, Mojtaba Ghadiri
Summary: Understanding the rheological behavior of fully three-dimensional and non-uniform particle flow is crucial. By analyzing the resistance exhibited by a granular bed as a rotating impeller penetrates into it, the rheological characteristics of the bed can be deduced. The relationship between shear strain rate, inertia number, and bulk friction coefficient differs between spherical and rodlike particles.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Alexander M. Bier, Walter Arne, Dirk W. Schubert
Summary: A novel method is developed to calculate the elongational viscosity of polymers during the fiber spinning process. By investigating polymethylmethacrylates (PMMAs) with different molar masses using a capillary rheometer, the diameter of the polymeric strand is determined and simulations are carried out to describe the temperature distribution. The elongational viscosity of the polymers can be determined at higher strain rates by calibrating the force in an aerodynamic stretching device.
MACROMOLECULAR MATERIALS AND ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mary Vermi Aizza Corpuz, Laura Borea, Vincenzo Senatore, Fabiano Castrogiovanni, Antonio Buonerba, Giuseppina Oliva, Florencio Ballesteros, Tiziano Zarra, Vincenzo Belgiorno, Kwang-Ho Choo, Shadi W. Hasan, Vincenzo Naddeo
Summary: The study showed that the addition of algae in membrane bioreactors can significantly improve nutrient removal and reduce membrane fouling rate.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Mireia Bolivar-Prados, Noemi Tomsen, Yuki Hayakawa, Satomi Kawakami, Kazuhiro Miyaji, Jun Kayashita, Pere Clave
Summary: A rheological protocol was designed and validated to accurately measure the shear viscosity of thickening products and assess the impact of oral and pharyngeal factors on therapeutic effect. The study showed that different laboratories can obtain similar and accurate measurements using this protocol.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Solaima Belachqer-El Attar, Ainoa Morillas-Espana, Jose Luis Casas Lopez, Maria Guadalupe Pinna-Hernandez, Gabriel Acien
Summary: The optimization of downstream processing in microalgae-related processes is crucial, as the rheological behavior of the concentrated slurry greatly impacts further processing steps. Research on microalgal concentrates in freshwater and seawater revealed different rheological properties, with freshwater slurries being more viscous and requiring increased energy consumption for mixing, resulting in a potential 60% cost increase.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Jiuguang Geng, Leilei He, Mingyuan Chen, Yanhui Niu
Summary: This paper studied the effects of different particle size, content, and extra water of superabsorbent polymer (SAP) on the apparent viscosity of cement paste over time. The results showed that SAP particle size had a significant impact on the apparent viscosity of cement paste and the addition of SAP and extra water reduced the plastic viscosity and yield stress of the cement paste. The apparent viscosity could explain the water absorption and desorption kinetics of SAP in cement paste and could be used as an evaluation index for the rheological properties of cement-based materials cured in SAP.
MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yiguang Qian, Xiaofan Jia, Tengda Ding, Mengting Yang, Bo Yang, Juying Li
Summary: The study investigated the occurrence and removal of ten bisphenol analogues in municipal wastewater treatment plants and laboratory-scale activated sludge bioreactor. Results showed that the BPA substitutes were widely used in daily life and discrepancies existed in the removal efficiencies of BPs by different wastewater treatment processes. Factors such as protonation, hydrophobicity, and molecular features were critical for the elimination of BPs in wastewater.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Saleh Najafi Chaleshtori, Mehrdad Shamskilani, Azadeh Babaei, Masoomeh Behrang
Summary: This study investigated the performance of microalgal-activated sludge membrane bioreactor (MAS-MBR) as a self-biological treatment or post-treatment for conventional biological treatments. The results showed that cultivating mixed algae/sludge in raw wastewater achieved the best performance in terms of ammonium and phosphorus removal efficiency, as well as the highest oxygen production rate and oxygen uptake rate. However, membrane fouling was increased in this case, highlighting the need for regular membrane cleaning.
JOURNAL OF WATER PROCESS ENGINEERING
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ruhul Amin Mozumder, Sulaem Musaddiq Laskar, Aminul Islam Laskar
Summary: In this study, the dimensions of impeller and cylindrical container of rotational concrete rheometers have been optimized using genetic algorithm in MATLAB environment. The optimal dimensions of impeller and cylindrical container were determined, and the calculated optimum concrete volume for testing was found to be 12.3 L. Experimental investigations were conducted to validate the optimization results.
ARABIAN JOURNAL FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Li Sha, Xiaoyan Yu, Zhangxiang Wu, Xingxin Liu, Haozhe Wang, Qingqing Jiang, Shuting Zhang
Summary: This study systematically examined the variations in sludge AER and potential mechanisms related to sludge properties, revealing the patterns of AER change in different layers and the influencing factors.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Biruk Hailu Tekle, Ludwig Hertwig, Klaus Holschemacher
Summary: This study investigated the rheological properties of ambient-temperature-cured alkali-activated blended binder mixtures activated with sodium silicate and sodium hydroxide solutions. The results showed that both the yield stress and plastic viscosity are mainly affected by the binder content and TW/TS ratio.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Weijie Xu, Lin Deng, Liuyan Tang, Jinqing Qu
Summary: Hydrophobically modified ethoxylated urethanes (HEUR) are commonly used in paint fabrication to adjust rheology, prevent cracks, and improve resistance to sag. In this study, silicon modified HEUR was prepared using one-step polymerization, which exhibited good solvent stability and anti-organic-solvent performance.
PROGRESS IN ORGANIC COATINGS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Juan Carlos Berrio, Andres Pinilla, Nicolas Ratkovich
Summary: This study proposes an optimization model based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to determine the droplet size distribution for modeling dispersed flows, aiming to accurately predict water volume fractions. The findings suggest the consideration of different droplet diameters in modeling dispersed flows.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Andres Pinilla, Miguel Asuaje, Camila Hurtado, Angela Hoyos, Luis Ramirez, Aaron Padron, Nicolas Ratkovich
Summary: Water production has become common in the oil industry, resulting in increased costs and environmental impact. The Viscous Fingering phenomenon, caused by viscosity ratios, is a major issue in heavy oil fields. By studying this phenomenon using 3D CFD modeling with scaled horizontal wells, researchers were able to simulate and analyze the effects of water production at the pore scale. This information is valuable for improving completion and recovery techniques in the oil industry.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Andres Pinilla, Luis Ramirez, Miguel Asuaje, Nicolas Ratkovich
Summary: The study simulated 3D coreflood experiments using CFD and compared the performance of different mesh types. The CFD model based on the VOF model and porous media model was validated against experimental data for oil recovery profile. The study concluded that unstructured polyhedral and structured hexahedral meshes provided the most reliable description of the phenomenon.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Juan Pablo Valdes, Miguel Asuaje, Nicolas Ratkovich
Summary: The study implemented a robust CFD-PBM model to analyze the internal flow behavior of an ESP, achieving good agreement with experimental data using the Eulerian-PBM framework. Adverse pressure gradients inducing backflow currents and eddies were noted to occur particularly at higher oil fractions and lower flowrates.
JOURNAL OF PETROLEUM SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Jose Serrano, Nicolas Ratkovich, Felipe Munoz, Olivier Dufaud
Summary: This article examines the impact of test procedures on the explosion severity of six aluminum samples with primary particle diameters ranging from 0.04 to 125 µm. The study finds that the test procedure has different effects on micron-sized aluminum dust and nanoparticles, with the presence of agglomerates significantly affecting the test results.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Andres Cepeda-Vega, Rafael Amaya-Gomez, Miguel Asuaje, Carlos Torres, Carlos Valencia, Nicolas Ratkovich
Summary: A Generalized Additive Model (GAM) is proposed to predict pressure drop in gas-liquid two-phase flow, utilizing 21 different dimensionless numbers. The model demonstrates high prediction capacity and interpretability, and effectively describes the pressure gradient in different flow patterns. Regularization technique is used to filter variables, and certain dimensionless numbers exhibit significant importance in explaining the pressure gradient.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Andres Pinilla, Milan Stanko, Miguel Asuaje, Nicolas Ratkovich
Summary: This article presents a numerical study on the working principle of rate-controlled production valves, providing a deep understanding of fluid dynamics near the wellbore, completion assembly, and RCP valves. It offers insights for future research on improving multiphase flow efficiency.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nicolas Botero, Nicolas Ratkovich, Santiago Lain, Omar D. Lopez Mejia
Summary: This study analyzed the performance of a vertical axis turbine with straight blades using synthetic jets as an active flow control method through three-dimensional numerical simulations. The results showed that synthetic jets can increase the torque and power output of the turbine, improving its efficiency.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nicolas Ratkovich, Rafael Amaya-Gomez
Summary: Membrane Bioreactors (MBR) combine traditional biological treatments such as Activated Sludge (AS) with a membrane-based filtration process. MBR operation involves high shear rates near the membrane surface. This study explores the possibility of mimicking the rheological behavior of AS using carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and xanthan gum (XG) as food thickeners. The rheological properties of these polymers differ depending on the manufacturer, rheometers, and measurement protocols involved. Statistical analysis based on flow and consistency indexes provides insights for MBR design and operational decision-making.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Miguel Andres Mauricio Daza-Gomez, Carlos Andres Gomez Velasco, Juan Carlos Gomez Daza, Nicolas Ratkovich
Summary: This study develops a numerical model using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to evaluate the drying chamber of a heat pump dryer. It assesses the impact of air velocity and temperature distribution on the chamber and identifies the non-uniformity issue. The proposed solution is to implement air distributors or adjust the tray positioning.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Luis Alfonso Ramirez Cerquera, Jorge Andres Pinilla, Nicolas Rios Ratkovich, Miguel Asuaje
Summary: This study proposed a numerical model based on computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology to understand and improve the design of rate-controlled production (RCP) autonomous inflow-control device (AICD) valves. The model exhibited expected responses to the physical properties of the fluids involved in heavy oil production and identified some limitations that could be improved in future studies.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Javier Ramirez, Alexander Zambrano, Nicolas Ratkovich
Summary: Downhole electric heating can effectively reduce the viscosity of heavy crude oil, improving the production efficiency of the well. This study predicts the temperature and viscosity profiles in heavy oil-production wells using a simplified CFD model. The results show that downhole electrical induction heating is effective in reducing heavy-oil dynamic viscosity, but has insignificant thermal effects in the reservoir.
Editorial Material
Education, Scientific Disciplines
Daniel Burgos, Sebastian Valencia, Rafael Amaya-Gomez, Nicolas Ratkovich
Summary: This article evaluates the difference between using the P-HENS software and the commercial simulator Aspen Energy Analyzer for developing heat exchanger network designs. It discusses the similarities in energy integration between the two software and suggests potential improvements for the tool.
EDUCATION FOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERS
(2023)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Nicolas Ratkovich, Christian Esser, Ana Maria de Resende Machado, Benjamim de Almeida Mendes, Maria das Gracas Cardoso
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the production, classification, and quality control of cachaca, a traditional Brazilian sugarcane spirit with significant cultural importance. It emphasizes the role of quality control in maintaining the spirit's integrity.
Article
Construction & Building Technology
Paula Pico, Juan Pablo Valdes, Andres Pinilla, Adriana Echeverri, Jessica Maria Gomez, Nicolas Ratkovich, Bernay Cifuentes
Summary: The purpose of this study is to detect design and operational flaws of the ACS in a Tier 2 DC located at Universidad de los Andes (Colombia) using CFD tools. The results suggest that the current ACS cannot overcome the flaws in the DC's layout and corridor arrangement.
ADVANCES IN BUILDING ENERGY RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Rong-Gui Zhu, Chang-Gui Pan, Feng-Jiao Peng, Chao-Yang Zhou, Jun-Jie Hu, Kefu Yu
Summary: This comprehensive survey investigated the occurrence, bioaccumulation, and trophic magnification of parabens and their metabolite 4-HB in a marine food web. Results showed that parabens were the predominant pollutants in marine organisms, with significant bioaccumulation from sediments. The estimated trophic magnification factor indicated biomagnification for MeP and trophic dilution for 4-HB. Overall, the risks for humans consuming marine organisms were found to be low.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Andres F. Torres-Franco, Deborah Leroy-Freitas, Cristina Martinez-Fraile, Elisa Rodriguez, Pedro A. Garcia-Encina, Raul Munoz
Summary: Anaerobic and microalgae-based technologies have emerged as sustainable alternatives for municipal wastewater treatment. However, the presence of viruses in the treated wastewater is a major concern for reuse applications. This study assessed the ability of these technologies to reduce viruses during secondary wastewater treatment. The results showed that all technologies were effective in reducing the concentration of viruses, with microalgae-based treatment exhibiting the highest potential for reducing the disinfection requirements of treated wastewater.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Young Gwang Kim, Sae Yun Kwon, Spencer J. Washburn, Scott C. Brooks, Ji Won Yoon, Lucien Besnard
Summary: The study uses Hg isotope ratios to identify the sources and exposure pathways of mercury in bivalves, finding that dissolved Hg phases in the water column are the primary source and exposure pathway to bivalves. This provides new insights into using bivalves as bioindicators for sediment quality monitoring.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Hui Geng, Ying Xu, Rui Liu, Dianhai Yang, Xiaohu Dai
Summary: This study investigates the effect of cation exchange resin (CER) on the sequential recovery of hydrogen and methane from anaerobic digestion (AD) and the corresponding mechanisms. The results show that CER can simultaneously enhance the production of hydrogen and methane by promoting the solubilisation, hydrolysis, and acidification of organic matter. Additionally, CER facilitates effective contact between bacteria and organic particulates and reduces the energy barrier for mass transfer during methane production. The study also reveals changes in the microbial community structure and metagenomics during the AD process.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Xiaojing Lin, Zhan Jin, Shunfeng Jiang, Zhiquan Wang, Suqing Wu, Ke Bei, Min Zhao, Xiangyong Zheng
Summary: Dehumidification combined with addition of absorbent resin supplement (ARS) was used to achieve rapid evaporation of non-pretreated urine, resulting in high water evaporation efficiency and nutrient recovery.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yangli Che, Chaoran Lin, Shen Li, Jiao Liu, Longhai Zhu, Shilei Yu, Nan Wang, Haoshuai Li, Mutai Bao, Yang Zhou, Tonghao Si, Rui Bao
Summary: Hydrodynamic processes play a crucial role in the transmission of sediments, microbial assembly, and organic carbon redistribution in the ocean. Through experiments and analysis, we found that hydrodynamics shape the assembly of microbial communities and control the redistribution of different sourced organic carbon, thereby influencing microbial-mediated biogeochemical transformation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chao Chen, Yu Yang, Nigel J. D. Graham, Zhenyu Li, Xingtao Yang, Zhining Wang, Nadia Farhat, Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder, Li -an Hou
Summary: The fouling of seawater reverse osmosis membranes is a persistent challenge in desalination. This study monitored the operational performance of a desalination plant for 7 years and the fouling development in different areas of membrane modules. The findings showed that operational performance declined over time and fouling mainly occurred at the feed side of the modules, with the highest microbial diversity. Keystone species like Chloroflexi and Planctomycetes played an important role in maintaining community structure and biofilm maturation. Polysaccharides, soluble microbial products, marine humic acid-like substances, and inorganic substances contributed to fouling. Overall, biofouling had a significant impact on membrane fouling after 7 years of operation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dan Li, Jieyi Sun, Yibo Fu, Wentao Hong, Heli Wang, Qian Yang, Junhong Wu, Sen Yang, Jianhui Xu, Yunfei Zhang, Yirong Deng, Yin Zhong, Ping'an Peng
Summary: Sulfidation-oxidation treatment of magnetite (Fe3O4) enhances the production of dark center dot OH, which can efficiently degrade dissolved organic matter (DOM) and accelerate carbon cycling.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Cheng Yu, Kaijun Wang, Kaiyuan Zhang, Ruiyang Liu, Pingping Zheng
Summary: This study implemented a microaerobic-aerobic configuration in a full-scale municipal wastewater treatment facility and investigated the effects on sludge characteristics, pollutant removal, microbial community, and granulation mechanisms. The results showed successful transition from flocculent-activated sludge to well-defined AGS after two months of operation. The primary pathways for pollutant removal were simultaneous nitrification, denitrification, and phosphorus removal. Moreover, the incorporation of internal separators induced shifts in the flow pattern, which promoted granulation.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Zhe Zhang, Shaoyang Hu, Guangrong Sun, Wei Wang
Summary: Halogenated aromatic disinfection byproducts (DBPs), such as halogenated phenols, have garnered widespread attention due to their high toxicity and prevalence. This study reports on the analysis, occurrence, and cytotoxicity of a group of emerging halogenated aromatic DBPs, known as halogenated polyhydroxyphenols (HPPs), in drinking water.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Shengyue Chen, Jinliang Huang, Peng Wang, Xi Tang, Zhenyu Zhang
Summary: Accurate prediction of river water quality is crucial for sustainable water management. This study introduces wavelet analysis and transfer learning techniques to assist LSTM modeling, proposing a newly coupled modeling approach that improves short-term prediction of river water quality.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Bang Du, Xinmin Zhan, Piet N. L. Lens, Yifeng Zhang, Guangxue Wu
Summary: Efficient anaerobic digestion relies on the cooperation of different microorganisms with different metabolic pathways. This study investigated the effects of different operational modes and the addition of powdered activated carbon (PAC) on ethanol metabolic pathways. The results showed that the SBR mode and the presence of CO2 facilitated ethanol metabolism towards propionate production, while the CFR mode with extended solids retention time enriched Geobacter. Adjusting operational modes and PAC addition can modulate anaerobic ethanol metabolism and enrich Geobacter.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Wanfa Wang, Si-Liang Li, Jun Zhong, Yuanbi Yi, Fujun Yue, Zenglei Han, Qixin Wu, Ding He, Cong-Qiang Liu
Summary: This study compares the carbon biogeochemical processes in karst and non-karst regions within large thermal stratified river-reservoir systems. The results demonstrate that karst reservoirs have a reduced potential for carbon emissions and highlight the importance of considering geologic settings to improve accuracy in regional and global CO2 emission estimates.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Chunxia Jiang, Zelong Zhao, Dong Zhu, Xiong Pan, Yuyi Yang
Summary: This study analyzed the occurrence and distribution of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in different environmental media of the Yangtze River using metagenomics. Core resistome dominated by multidrug resistance genes was found in all samples, while rare resistome dominated by various resistance genes was more prevalent in plasmids. Specific bacteria were identified as hosts for both core and rare resistomes, with high clinical concern ARGs found in the rare resistome. Particle-associated environment provided the most ideal conditions for resistome hosts. This study provided insights into the genetic locations of ARGs and the community assembly mechanisms of ARG hosts in freshwater environments.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yu Zhang, Yongtao He, Linchun Jia, Lei Xu, Zheng Wang, Yueling He, Ling Xiong, Xumeng Lin, Hong Chen, Gang Xue
Summary: By synergizing organic carbon source, thiosulfate, and zero-valent iron, efficient mixotrophic denitrification of oligotrophic secondary effluent can be achieved. Thiosulfate plays a vital role in promoting TN removal efficiency, while corrosion of Fe0 releases OH- to neutralize H+ from thiosulfate-driven denitrification, creating a suitable environment for denitrification. The coordination of thiosulfate and Fe0 maintains the dominance of Thiobacillus for denitrification.