Chemical Engineering Research & Design最新文献

{"title":"Distributionally robust scheduling of integrated electricity–natural gas systems incorporating dynamic gas flow under renewable uncertainty: A feasibility-enhanced convex reformulation approach","authors":"Shengyuan Wei,&nbsp;Shangfei Song,&nbsp;Bingyuan Hong,&nbsp;Xiangying Shan,&nbsp;Bohui Shi,&nbsp;Jing Gong","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.022","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.022","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Global sustainability goals are expediting energy decarbonization, thereby increasing the penetration of inherently uncertain renewable generation. This paradigm shift imposes stringent flexibility requirements for operational risk mitigation, rendering integrated electricity–natural gas systems (IENGS) pivotal. However, few IENGS scheduling frameworks jointly account for renewable uncertainty and dynamic gas flow, while prevailing treatments of the associated nonconvexities may lead to non-negligible feasibility gaps. Accordingly, this study formulates a distributionally robust IENGS scheduling model that incorporates both renewable uncertainty and dynamic gas flow. Renewable uncertainty is addressed through distributionally robust chance constraints (DRCCs) with a linear decision rule. To solve the nonconvex formulation while improving solution feasibility with respect to the original gas-flow equations and ensuring DRCC satisfaction at the prescribed confidence level, a two-loop iterative optimization framework is developed. The inner loop employs sequentially tightened convexification to obtain solutions with acceptable residuals, whereas the outer loop verifies DRCC satisfaction and generates feasibility cuts to eliminate noncompliant solutions. Numerical experiments demonstrate that the proposed approach yields near-feasible schedules, with the mean and maximum relative residuals of the nonconvex momentum conservation equations remaining below 0.25% and 2.5%, respectively. The results further reveal a distinct economy–robustness trade-off and highlight the indispensable role of the natural gas system in enhancing IENGS flexibility. Specifically, higher confidence levels require coordinated bidirectional flexibility from gas-fired generators across the full scheduling horizon, yielding affine responses with broader temporal coverage and greater uniformity across renewable sources. Meanwhile, higher line pack levels are maintained to buffer against uncertainty and enhance operational resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"233 ","pages":"Pages 730-763"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148845754","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influences of channel geometry and fluid properties on overlap dynamics and interfacial stability for two immiscible fluid streams collision","authors":"Ajmain Mahtab,&nbsp;Tahmid Jawad,&nbsp;Ahsanul Kabir Shuvo,&nbsp;Dewan Hasan Ahmed","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.051","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.051","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Multiphase overlap flow in open channels is a fundamental process that governs stability, mixing, and mass transfer in various fluid systems. This study investigates the influence of channel geometry, fluid properties, and Reynolds numbers on the formation and stability of overlap zones during immiscible fluid collision. Unlike previous studies that qualitatively outlined two-phase regimes, this work quantitatively characterizes the internal morphology of immiscible overlap flow and demonstrates how geometry, inertia, and interfacial forces collectively influence the transition from stable, stratified interfaces to dynamically corrugated structures. The novelty lies in extending established interfacial descriptors to capture the balance among inertia, viscosity, and surface tension within the overlap region, offering a broader understanding of overlap dynamics compared with previous droplet or coalescence studies. Three channel geometries, like half-circular, trapezoidal, and asymmetrical, were modeled using a transient Volume of Fluid approach in ANSYS Fluent, with water as the primary fluid stream and mineral oil, butanol, and PDMS as secondary fluid streams under varying Reynolds numbers. The results reveal that both geometry and flow conditions strongly control the transition between stable and deformable overlap regimes. In the asymmetrical channel with viscous PDMS at lower Reynolds numbers, the interface remained thick and continuous, exhibiting the lowest corrugation index (<em>CI</em> ≈ 0.70), a minimal interface-length-to-penetration ratio (≈ 0.35), and a surface-tension-dominated regime (overlap Weber number <em>We</em>_ol ≈ 0.64), all indicative of weak interfacial interaction and stable overlap behavior. As inertial effects increased, the interface transitioned to wavy and corrugated morphologies, enhancing surface renewal and emulsification. This is reflected in the steep drop of the Dispersed Layer Index from (<em>DLI</em> ≈ 0.0782) to (<em>DLI</em> ≈ 0.01) with increasing Reynolds number. Collectively, these results provide a framework for designing adaptable multiphase systems relevant to coating, purification, drug encapsulation, and bio-compatible material processing.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"233 ","pages":"Pages 860-881"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148936180","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"H2 co-feeding within oxygen permeable membrane reactor boosts OPDH selectivity: Modeling local chemical equilibrium coupled with chemical reaction kinetics","authors":"Hongyan Xiao,&nbsp;Xuehua Ruan,&nbsp;Kaimin Zhang,&nbsp;Shengyan Meng,&nbsp;Shijie Yang,&nbsp;Yi Liu,&nbsp;Xuefeng Zhu,&nbsp;Gaohong He","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.030","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.030","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Oxidative propane dehydrogenation (OPDH) represents a promising alternative route for propylene production but remains challenged by selectivity loss due to propylene over-oxidation. Herein, we propose H₂ co-feeding in an oxygen permeable membrane reactor (OPMR) to maintain high propylene selectivity while enhancing propane conversion. The mechanisms of H₂ include: (i) continuously diluting propylene to suppress kinetics; (ii) selectively oxidizing H₂ to consume excess oxygen; and (iii) synergistically mitigating over-oxidation with a uniform oxygen supply. This work develops a multi-mechanism coupled model integrating oxygen transport, local chemical equilibrium for H₂ selective oxidation, and detailed propane dehydrogenation kinetics. The model combines the conventional oxygen transport framework with the local chemical equilibrium of H₂ selective oxidation to describe the coupled transport and reaction processes in the OPMR. The model’s accuracy and applicability are validated by experiments at various oxygen addition rates under industrial H₂ co-feeding conditions. Under optimized operating conditions, the proposed OPMR achieves a propylene selectivity of 91.05%, comparable to the industrial selectivity benchmark of 91.02%, together with a propane conversion of 37.46%, exceeding the industrial conversion benchmark by 1.81 %age points. This integrated strategy effectively balances over-oxidation suppression with enhanced reaction efficiency, providing an efficient and economically viable pathway toward the industrial implementation of OPDH.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"233 ","pages":"Pages 800-811"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148952573","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Peroxymonosulfate activation by manganese ferrite/activated carbon for levofloxacin degradation in batch and continuous-flow systems: Performance and mechanistic insights","authors":"Jiayi Chang,&nbsp;Jiaxin Cui,&nbsp;Ming Ge","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.041","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.041","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) using ferrite-carbon composites has emerged as a promising strategy for removing antibiotic pollutants from water. However, current studies employing this technology have largely been limited to batch operation modes. In this study, the powdery manganese ferrite/activated carbon (MnFe₂O₄/AC) composite catalyst was first synthesized by a simple co-precipitation method and then tightly immobilized onto a hydrophilic PTFE membrane to obtain the catalytic membrane (MnFe₂O₄/AC@PTFE). In the batch reactor, the optimal powdery MnFe₂O₄/AC catalyst achieved 91.26% degradation of levofloxacin (LVF) within 60 min via PMS activation, outperforming MnFe₂O₄ and recently reported heterogeneous catalysts. Besides activating PMS, AC enhances LVF adsorption and improves the charge transfer performance of MnFe₂O₄, thereby promoting electron transfer from the adsorbed LVF to the activated PMS. Despite a slight loss in catalytic activity during recycling, the performance of powdery MnFe₂O₄/AC could be restored by a simple calcination treatment. In a continuous-flow reactor, the MnFe₂O₄/AC@PTFE catalytic membrane enabled over 80% LVF removal through PMS activation within 210 min, and could be efficiently reused. LVF degradation proceeds via both non-radical and radical oxidation pathways, with ¹O₂ is the main ROS in batch operation, whereas SO₄^•<img> radicals dominate in continuous operation. The MnFe₂O₄/AC-PMS oxidative system exhibits high efficacy in reducing the ecological toxicity of LVF in water. This work develops a new PMS catalyst capable of efficiently degrading LVF in wastewater under both batch and continuous-flow conditions, providing a practical and technically feasible approach for antibiotic pollution control.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"233 ","pages":"Pages 615-632"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148845757","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An Ergun-based model for estimating pressure drop buildup from fines deposition during hydrotreating of bitumen-derived gas oil","authors":"Simon Kwao,&nbsp;Sundaramurthy Vedachalam,&nbsp;Ajay K. Dalai,&nbsp;John Adjaye","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.062","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.062","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydrotreating of bitumen-derived gas oils is essential for producing clean fuels, but the process is challenged by fines deposition, which leads to progressive pressure drop buildup and premature reactor shutdown. Pressure drop correlations can serve as valuable tools for anticipating such buildups. However, existing correlations, including the Ergun equation and its two-phase extensions, do not account for the hydrodynamic effects of fines deposition, thereby limiting their applicability. In this study, an Ergun-based model was developed to predict pressure drop during fines deposition. The model integrates a two-phase multiplier with a time-dependent fines deposition multiplier, both expressed as functions of operating conditions and packing properties. Model coefficients were estimated via non-linear regression using experimental data spanning temperatures of 350–390 °C, gas velocities of 0.03–0.10 m/s, packing sizes of 2.1–2.7 mm and fines sizes of 0.2–20 µm. The integrated model demonstrated strong predictive capability across the examined range of conditions. Sensitivity analysis revealed that fines size had the strongest individual influence on pressure drop buildup, whereas gas velocity and temperature dominated when interaction effects were considered. The resulting framework provides a predictive tool for estimating pressure drop during fines deposition and offers valuable insights for mitigation strategies when processing fines-laden oil feeds.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"233 ","pages":"Pages 911-921"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148936178","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dynamic modeling and coordinated control of an anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer under fluctuating load conditions","authors":"Zhiying Bao,&nbsp;Na Shen,&nbsp;Zhaosheng Yu,&nbsp;Cheng Chen,&nbsp;Minghui Shang,&nbsp;Xiaoqian Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.042","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.042","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) systems exhibit nonlinear electrochemical behavior and delayed dynamic response under fluctuating load conditions, which complicate stable and efficient operation. In this study, a nonlinear simulation model of an AEM electrolyzer is established by considering activation, ohmic, and concentration overpotentials, enabling the simulation and analysis of voltage responses under different operating conditions. On this basis, a control-oriented reduced-order prediction model is further developed to describe the dominant dynamic relationship among current response, temperature-dependent ohmic impedance variation, and ohmic overpotential. A model predictive control (MPC)-PID control framework is then constructed to handle operating constraints and improve dynamic performance under load disturbances. The proposed method is evaluated under step-load, continuously varying load, and model-uncertainty conditions, and is compared with conservative PI, aggressive PID, and standalone MPC strategies. The results show that, under step disturbance, the MPC-PID strategy achieves a settling time of 0.552 s and a root mean square error of 0.0791 A/cm². Compared with the aggressive PID strategy, the overshoot is reduced from 14.377% to 7.245%, and the constraint violation index decreases from 0.396 to 0.0408. Sensitivity tests further indicate that the proposed strategy maintains stable convergence under ohmic-impedance parameter mismatch, feedback-measurement perturbation, and equivalent thermal disturbance. The study demonstrates that the proposed dynamic modeling and coordinated control approach is effective for improving the operating stability of AEM electrolyzers under variable power input and offers a useful reference for the dynamic operation and control design of renewable-powered hydrogen production systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"233 ","pages":"Pages 824-835"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148936169","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Astrochemical engineering – an opportunity for chemical engineering","authors":"Jens Friedland","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.046","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.046","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Astrochemical Engineering is without any doubt a new subdiscipline in Chemical Engineering and focuses on transforming materials in space environments (spacecrafts, stations on planets, moons and celestial bodies). Chemical processes in space will have different conditions and thus adjustment of established terrestrial processes or the development of new processes is needed. Besides the obvious differences between the conditions on Earth and in space, the question arises if Astrochemical Engineering can contribute to the development of the core discipline. Therefore, specific challenges from the methodological point of view are analyzed in this contribution in the light of first-of-a-kind projects for process development on Earth and beyond Earth. Comparable challenges are identified in the context of paradigms, namely circularity, sustainability, and as a result of first-of-a-kind projects with the attributes uncertainty and complexity. The methodological challenges have the potential to drive development in the core discipline, and as well have outreach in the interdisciplinary field of Astrochemical Engineering. As a countermeasure to uncertainty and complexity, this paper presents a holistic approach in symbiosis with Systems Engineering to enhance process tolerance and flexibility. It identifies anticipated fields where this methodology yields benefits for both Chemical Engineering applications, on Earth and beyond Earth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"233 ","pages":"Pages 848-859"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148936168","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"State-of-the-art approaches for overcoming the polarization effect and membrane fouling in membrane distillation: From the perspective of configuration optimizations","authors":"Jing Huang,&nbsp;Yang Huang,&nbsp;Chuanshuai Dong","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.028","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.028","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Although membrane distillation has gained widespread application in treating saline water or seawater, it is plagued by pronounced polarization effects (namely temperature and concentration polarization) and fouling. Such drawbacks substantially diminish permeate flux and may ultimately curtail membrane durability. In addition to the manipulation of the membrane materials, the optimization of the operating configurations or flow channels is another effective approach addressing the issues above. Substantial research has been dedicated to mitigating polarization effects and fouling through the optimization of operating configurations. Thus, this study aims at summarizing state-of-the-art investigations on the optimization of the operating configurations, such as the flow promoter, two-phase flow, and ultrasound vibration. The observed mitigation of polarization effects and membrane fouling stems largely from intensified near-surface flow turbulence and increased shear stress, both of which are promoted by the optimized operating configurations. This review provides an in-depth insight and valuable guidance to the improvement in the membrane distillation in perspective of operating configurations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"233 ","pages":"Pages 764-783"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148855260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"System-level design and thermal operability assessment of an onboard NH3 cracking process for NH3–H2 fuelled aeroengines","authors":"Siyu Guo,&nbsp;Sida Chai,&nbsp;Haiyang Jiang,&nbsp;Ziheng Zhao,&nbsp;Qiushi Hua,&nbsp;Mehmet Mercangöz","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.031","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.031","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><span><math><msub><mrow><mi>NH</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> has the potential to be used as a chemical storage medium for <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> as a carbon-free aviation fuel. This study develops and evaluates a compact onboard <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>NH</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> cracking process that integrates a multitubular catalytic membrane reactor with a heat-exchanger network (HEN) to enable autothermal steady-state operation. Liquid <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>NH</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> is pressurised to approx. 30 bar, vaporised, and heated to approx. 673 K prior to decomposition. The membrane reactor is modelled in Aspen HYSYS using a segmented plug-flow/separation representation to capture reaction and <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> permeation. Sensible heat from <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> and nitrogen product streams is recovered within the HEN to reduce pretreatment duty, while heat for <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>NH</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> evaporation and the endothermic cracking reaction is supplied by controlled combustion of a small fraction of produced <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> and unreacted <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>NH</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>. Results indicate the system could achieve <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>NH</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> conversion above 90% in both take-off and cruising scenarios. Approximately 55% of the pretreatment thermal demand is met through internal heat recovery, with this fraction remaining constant across both operating cases. Under the take-off assumptions, the system processes up to approx. 10,300 <span><math><mrow><mi>k</mi><mi>g</mi><mo>.</mo><msup><mrow><mi>h</mi></mrow><mrow><mo>−</mo><mn>1</mn></mrow></msup></mrow></math></span> of <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>NH</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></math></span>. The study proposes a conceptual onboard <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>H</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> production process via <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>NH</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> decomposition, demonstrating process scalability across two examined cases and providing a preliminary quantitative basis for further development of onboard <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>NH</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>3</mn></mrow></msub></math></span> cracking systems for aviation.<span><span>¹</span></span></div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"233 ","pages":"Pages 882-897"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148952519","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phase transformation and acid leaching kinetics of Na2CO3-activated low-rank coal for gallium recovery","authors":"Luodan Xiang,&nbsp;Ting’an Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.040","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cherd.2026.08.040","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As a critical metal for high-tech industries, gallium faces growing supply demand. Low-rank coal, as an abundant carbonaceous resource with associated gallium, is a promising secondary resource, but direct gallium recovery is restricted by its stable aluminosilicate lattice and high carbon content. This work develops an integrated Na₂CO₃ activation–HCl leaching process for efficient gallium recovery from low-rank coal. Na₂CO₃ activation transforms refractory kaolinite into acid-soluble nepheline (NaAlSiO₄), breaking the lattice confinement of gallium and markedly enhancing its release during leaching. Under optimal conditions, a decarburization efficiency of 65.3% is achieved, and the final gallium leaching efficiency reaches 73.9%, higher than the 34.0% obtained from direct roasting coal. The leaching follows a shrinking core model with staged rate-limiting behavior: the initial stage is dominated by external diffusion, while the overall process is governed by mixed diffusion-reaction control, with an apparent activation energy of 21.86 kJ/mol and a pre-exponential factor of 1.99 min⁻¹ . This study provides an effective phase regulation strategy for low-rank coal valorization and critical metal supply.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":10019,"journal":{"name":"Chemical Engineering Research & Design","volume":"233 ","pages":"Pages 812-823"},"PeriodicalIF":4.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148952522","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}