Artificial intelligence approach in crude distillation unit operation

This study incorporates the use of Artificial Intelligence in the monitoring of atmospheric distillation unit of large scale refining operation using Google AutoML tables, Jupyter, and Python software. The process involved training, evaluation, improvement, and deployment of the models based on the input data. The predicted yield (vol %) for the models were: Auto ML model: liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) - 1.41 , straight run gasoline (SRG)– 4.96, straight run naphtha (SRN) – 17.87, straight run kerosene (SRK) – 14.5, light diesel oil (LDO) – 26.47, heavy diesel oil (HDO) – 2.7, and atmospheric residue (AR) –30.03; Jupyter Model: LPG – (0.93), SRG – (4.69), SRN – (17.24), SRK – (14.39), LDO – (26.43), HDO – (2.7), and AR – (30.18); and Python Model:LPG – (1.66) , SRG – (7.58), SRN – (11.68), SRK – (14.92), LDO – (24.77), HDO – (4.59), and AR – (24.59). The coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.99981, 0.99943, and 0.93078 and Standard Error values of 0.240918, 0.419291, 3.536064, were obtained for the 3 models, respectively. All the software gave good predictions of the actual yield, although the Google Auto ML Table gave the best prediction. The training of the model is fundamental to its performance and precision.

Muruntau gold mining and refining operation: Resources, expansion program and future considerations

The international geological community has acknowledged Muruntau gold deposit as the greatest discovery in the mid-to-late 20th century. Muruntau mine field holds the total appraised resource potential of more than 4.5 thousand tons of gold. Hydrometallurgical plant GMZ-3 implements gold-ore processing by gravitational sedimentation and adsorption. The technological and instrumental modernization of the gold processing circuit toward its higher capacity, gold recovery and thoroughness are the important aspects of production improvement and cost reduction. The developed and introduced ore milling flowchart provides replacement of the second milling stage pumps by higher-capacity pumps backed up with additional cyclones. Aiming to ensure stable gold production at plants GMZ-2 and GMZ-3, Navoi MMC’s experts accomplished the feasibility study of mining operations in Chukurkuduk and Turbai deposits in 2020. The growth prospects for open pit mining in Murunatu–Myutenbai fields after 2060 are estimated using the model of optimized ultimate pit limit design at the gold price of USD 1500/t. The model ultimate pit limit embraces all probable reserves as per the detailed 2D seismic data as of early 2020, including proven reserves intended for open pit and underground mining. The gold ore appraisal and the expansion program elaborated for Muruntau gold mining and refining integrated works in joint Muruntau–Myutenbai field, through implementation of operation phases V and further make it possible to forecast stable performance up to 2030–2050.

Technical and economic aspects of development and running ladle treatment aggregates

Modern ladle treatment of liquid steel represents a wide set of technological processes and aggregates, as well as units and systems, many of them having significant cost and need expensive maintenance. Technical and economic advantages, obtained at various variants of steel ladle treatment considered, the advantages being at both metal products producers and consumers. Factors of production expenses saving at the stage of steel smelting due to transferring of the steel refining operation from melting aggregates to the stage of ladle treatment considered. It was noted, that in the process of continuous casting of metal, subjected to ladle refining, the steel casting improves considerably due to keeping the narrow temperature interval, decreased content and globular form of nonmetallic inclusions. In its turn it results in a decrease of rejects, an increase of billet drawing speed possibility and correspondent increase of production capacity, reduction of the number of the casted billet shell breaks. Technical and economic advantages of melt treatment by cored wire or by all-metal injection wire with stuff shown. Decrease of rejects is an important factor for cost decreasing. For example, application of calcium-aluminum cored wire at a steel-works enabled to decrease the rejects of well-casings made of 20ГЮ steel by a factor of 1.5–2. In many cases production of state-of-the-art steel grades, for example IF-steels, being the base of the modern motor-car construction, is not possible without ladle treatment. Therefore, absence of ladle treatment elements at a big steelworks can lead to considerable losses.

COMPARAÇÃO ENTRE OS TRATAMENTOS POR ESGOTAMENTO E MEMBRANA PARA A ÁGUA ÁCIDA PROVENIENTE DE REFINARIA DE PETRÓLEO

As refinarias de petróleo apresentam uma grande importância no mercado mundial e tem como função realizar o refino de óleo cru extraído do solo, transformando-o em diversos subprodutos derivados tais como gasolina, querosene, GLP e óleo diesel. Para certas etapas do procedimento de refino, a água é um importante recurso na purificação desses produtos. No entanto, após sua utilização, a água contaminada por resíduos tóxicos, chamada de “água ácida” numa tradução livre do inglês sour water, necessita de tratamento para descarte no meio ambiente ou para ser reutilizada no processo de refino. Para evitar riscos ambientais e industriais relacionados à sua contaminação, as refinarias buscam solucionar esse problema, que é analisado de várias maneiras. Esse trabalho tem como objetivo avaliar e comparar duas alternativas de tratamento da água ácida: tratamento por esgotamento a vapor e separação por osmose reversa. Foi utilizado o software ASPEN PLUSÒ para modelagem e análise dos processos. A modelagem incluiu a caracterização da água ácida e a escolha do modelo termodinâmico adequado à representação do equilíbrio de fases e demais propriedades físico-químicas necessárias. Os resultados confirmam que o processo de tratamento da água ácida por esgotamento é o mais adequado.Petroleum refineries have a large importance in world business. Their main function is to refine crude oil, converting it to several products such as gasoline, diesel oil, LPG and fuel oil. In refinery operations, water is an important source of purification of the crude oil. However, after being used the water becomes contaminated by toxic residues that are dangerous to the environment if disposed incorrectly. Another option is purifying the water so that can be used again in other refining operation. For this alternative the contaminated water is referred as ‘’sour water’’. To avoid environmental and industrial risks related to its use, the refineries seek for a solution to their problem by applying the effluent treatment. In this scenario, the industries use modeling software to evaluate the benefit to cost ratio for the treatment of sour water. Lastly, this work has the objective of evaluating and comparing alternative processes such as stripping and membrane treatment, by formulating mathematical models that are going to be simulated by software used by Chemical Engineers, called ASPEN PLUSÒ , and an analysis of its preliminary cost.

A numerical and experimental study regarding the influence of some process parameters on the damage state in wood chips

The specific energy consumption during mechanical refining operation can be reduced by choosing the optimal process parameters in the wood chipping process such that a beneficial pretreatment is obtained. In the case of the utilization of a larger knife-edge angle, which is one such process parameter, the energy reduction is presumably due to the increased compressive loading parallel to the wood fibers. In the present article, a chip damage parameter D of spruce is in focus, which is relevant for cracking parallel to the fibers. D is defined and its dependence on the chip length and edge angle of the chipping knife is analyzed numerically by means of finite element analyses (FEA). The cutting force was measured in a pilot wood chipper for a number of knife-edge angles. There is a good correlation between the experimental results and those of FEA.

Pulping of different parts of whole green jute (C. Capsularies) plant by Kraft process

The chemical composition of the top, middle and bottom part of green jute plant (GJP) are not alike, thus the yield and strength properties of the pulp produced may vary if these are pulped separately. The alpha -cellulose content increases, whereas hemi-cellulose, lignin, ash and extractives decrease from top to bottom part of GJP. The Kraft pulp yield and strength properties increases (except tear) from top to bottom part of GJP. The pulp produced from GJP was found to undergo rapid beating in comparison to those of muli bamboo, jute cuttings. This indicates less energy requirement during refining operation of the GJP pulp. Low extractive (pectin) and high alpha-cellulose is favorable for pulping. Bangladesh J. Sci. Ind. Res. 48(2), 105-108, 2013 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjsir.v48i2.15740