Processes最新文献

{"title":"The Recent Advancement of Graphene-Based Cathode Material for Rechargeable Zinc–Air Batteries","authors":"Abrham Sendek Belete, Ababay Ketema Worku, Delele Worku Ayele, Addisu Alemayehu Assegie, Minbale Admas Teshager","doi":"10.3390/pr12081684","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081684","url":null,"abstract":"Graphene-based materials (GBMs) are a prospective material of choice for rechargeable battery electrodes because of their unique set of qualities, which include tunable interlayer channels, high specific surface area, and strong electrical conductivity characteristics. The market for commercial rechargeable batteries is now dominated by lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). One of the primary factors impeding the development of new energy vehicles and large-scale energy storage applications is the safety of LIBs. Zinc-based rechargeable batteries have emerged as a viable substitute for rechargeable batteries due to their affordability, safety, and improved performance. This review article explores recent developments in the synthesis and advancement of GBMs for rechargeable zinc–air batteries (ZABs) and common graphene-based electrocatalyst types. An outlook on the difficulties and probable future paths of this extremely promising field of study is provided at the end.","PeriodicalId":20597,"journal":{"name":"Processes","volume":"22 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932429","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Acmella oleracea Metabolite Extraction Using Natural Deep Eutectic Solvents","authors":"Claudia Maxim, Alexandra Cristina Blaga, Ramona-Elena Tataru-Farmus, Daniela Suteu","doi":"10.3390/pr12081686","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081686","url":null,"abstract":"For plant metabolite extraction, natural deep eutectic solvents (NADESs) have many benefits over conventional solvents and ionic liquids. These advantages include high solubility and extraction ability, a low melting point (<100 °C), low toxicity, environmental friendliness, recyclability, and better biodegradability. This study analyses a natural deep eutectic solvent for Acmella oleracea (A. oleracea) metabolite extraction, considering the following process parameters: temperature, component ratio in the eutectic solvent, water addition, solid/liquid ratio, and extraction duration. NADESs were synthesised using a simple heating method, and the synthesis of the NADESs was verified by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). In terms of total polyphenol content (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC), the betaine/propanediol ratio in a NADES of 1:3 and S/L = 1:5 yielded the highest efficiency. A value of 8.37 mg GAE/mL was obtained for TPC by ultrasound-assisted extraction with 40% water addition, 25 °C extraction temperature, and 60 min contact time. The best result in terms of TFC was 14.50 mg QE/mL obtained through ultrasound-assisted extraction with 0% water added, 25 °C extraction temperature, and 60 min contact time.","PeriodicalId":20597,"journal":{"name":"Processes","volume":"26 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932430","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fracture Evolution during CO2 Fracturing in Unconventional Formations: A Simulation Study Using the Phase Field Method","authors":"Bing Yang, Qianqian Ren, Hai Huang, Haizhu Wang, Yong Zheng, Liangbin Dou, Yanlong He, Wentong Zhang, Haoyu Chen, Ruihong Qiao","doi":"10.3390/pr12081682","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081682","url":null,"abstract":"With the introduction of China’s “dual carbon” goals, CO2 is increasingly valued as a resource and is being utilized in unconventional oil and gas development. Its application in fracturing operations shows promising prospects, enabling efficient extraction of oil and gas while facilitating carbon sequestration. The process of reservoir stimulation using CO2 fracturing is complex, involving coupled phenomena such as temperature variations, fluid behavior, and rock mechanics. Currently, numerous scholars have conducted fracturing experiments to explore the mechanisms of supercritical CO2 (SC-CO2)-induced fractures in relatively deep formations. However, there is relatively limited numerical simulation research on the coupling processes involved in CO2 fracturing. Some simulation studies have simplified reservoir and operational parameters, indicating a need for further exploration into the multi-field coupling mechanisms of CO2 fracturing. In this study, a coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical fracturing model considering the CO2 properties and heat transfer characteristics was developed using the phase field method. The multi-field coupling characteristics of hydraulic fracturing with water and SC-CO2 are compared, and the effects of different geological parameters (such as in situ stress) and engineering parameters (such as the injection rate) on fracturing performance in tight reservoirs were investigated. The simulation results validate the conclusion that CO2, especially in its supercritical state, effectively reduces reservoir breakdown pressures and induces relatively complex fractures compared with water fracturing. During CO2 injection, heat transfer between the fluid and rock creates a thermal transition zone near the wellbore, beyond which the reservoir temperature remains relatively unchanged. Larger temperature differentials between the injected CO2 fluid and the formation result in more complicated fracture patterns due to thermal stress effects. With a CO2 injection, the displacement field of the formation deviated asymmetrically and changed abruptly when the fracture formed. As the in situ stress difference increased, the morphology of the SC-CO2-induced fractures tended to become simpler, and conversely, the fracture presented a complicated distribution. Furthermore, with an increasing injection rate of CO2, the fractures exhibited a greater width and extended over longer distances, which are more conducive to reservoir volumetric enhancement. The findings of this study validate the authenticity of previous experimental results, and it analyzed fracture evolution through the multi-field coupling process of CO2 fracturing, thereby enhancing theoretical understanding and laying a foundational basis for the application of this technology.","PeriodicalId":20597,"journal":{"name":"Processes","volume":"3 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932428","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Progress, Challenges, and Strategies for China’s Natural Gas Industry Under Carbon-Neutrality Goals","authors":"Hongfeng Tang, Yuanjiang Yu, Qinping Sun","doi":"10.3390/pr12081683","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081683","url":null,"abstract":"In recent years, the Chinese government has introduced a series of energy-saving, emission-reducing, and environmentally protective policies. These policies have gradually decreased the proportion of high carbon-emitting energy consumption, such as coal, in China’s energy structure. The proportion of natural gas consumption as a clean energy source has been increasing year by year. In the future, with the deepening decarbonization of the energy structure, the applied scope of natural gas utilization will expand, increasing demand. Therefore, this study first evaluated the development of China’s natural gas industry from the perspectives of development evolution, technological applications, and industry achievements. Secondly, based on the current situation of conventional and unconventional natural gas development, both resources and technological potential were analyzed. By taking several typical projects in the natural gas industry as examples, medium- and long-term prospects for natural gas development were planned and predicted. Building on this analysis, we employed the SWOT method to examine the development prospects of China’s natural gas industry and propose development goals. Finally, based on top-level design considerations and previous research analysis, suggestions and measures were proposed for technology implementation, regional layout, industrial chain collaboration, and support policies. These recommendations aim to provide planning support and management references for the development of China’s natural gas industry.","PeriodicalId":20597,"journal":{"name":"Processes","volume":"56 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932427","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mechanical Characteristics and Miniaturization Design of the Electromagnetic Valve Used in Drilling Robots","authors":"Jianguo Zhao, Lin Luo, Yun Zhuo, Minghua Wang, Chao He, Chunliang Zhang, Gang Xie","doi":"10.3390/pr12081685","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081685","url":null,"abstract":"The maximum radial size of the conventional three-bit four-way electromagnetic cartridge valve is greater than the largest containable size of the fluid control valve used for downhole robots. This paper proposes two kinds of solutions to reduce the radial dimension of the three-bit four-way electromagnetic insertion valve: one is to reduce the radial arrangement of the coil and increase the axial arrangement of the coil, and the other is to reduce the diameter of the moving iron core to reduce the winding radius of the coil. Using the theoretical model established in the following text, a simulation experiment was conducted. The results show that the movement of the valve spool is basically completed within 30 ms. Then, a matching experiment on the electromagnetic insertion valve was designed and conducted. The experimental results show that the opening time of the solenoid valve on the left coil is about 52 ms, and the opening time of the solenoid valve on the right coil is about 44 ms. The reaction time of the valve spool is suitable for the practical application of the solenoid valve. The significance of this paper is the reduced radial size of the three-bit four-way electromagnetic insertion valve. These improvements have reduced the size of downhole drilling robots, which facilitates the application of downhole drilling robots in narrower environments.","PeriodicalId":20597,"journal":{"name":"Processes","volume":"2 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932431","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Simulation of Sodium Bicarbonate Purification via the Sodium Sulfate Carbonation Route","authors":"João Vitor Petrauskas, Sergio Henrique Bernardo Faria, Wardleison Martins Moreira, Lucas Bonfim-Rocha","doi":"10.3390/pr12081687","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081687","url":null,"abstract":"The present work sought to study the mother water of the process and point out alternatives so that the water present in this solution can be recovered and the possibility of recycling it can be analyzed. The following alternatives were adopted: the evaporation of water without reaching the saturation point of the mother water and evaporation beyond the saturation point. For the first case, flash distillation was used to remove unwanted components, followed by an evaporation process. The second case was studied employing salt crystallization, for which crystallizers were used. This study was conducted with Aspen Plus® v12 software, which can represent the desired route, in addition to having data and tools that are suitable for the process modeling and simulation. For the evaporation without crystallization, it was noticed that it was possible to remove 23.89% of the water from the mother water. For the crystallization case, it was found that the mother water solution had dissolved ammonium sulfate for crystallization; however, it was necessary to first precipitate sodium sulfate. In the crystallization of sodium sulfate, it was possible to remove 85.62% of vapor from the mother water solution, containing water, ammonia, and carbon dioxide, thus inferring the possibility of recycling this current to the process. This study shows that it is not appropriate to insert evaporation equipment without thinking about the precipitation of by-products since there would be an increase in the price of the route, with little raw material for reuse.","PeriodicalId":20597,"journal":{"name":"Processes","volume":"100 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932496","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Encapsulation of Pink Pepper Essential Oil (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) in Albumin and Low-Methoxyl Amidated Pectin Cryogels","authors":"Ana María Chaux-Gutiérrez, Ezequiel José Pérez-Monterroza, Marília Gonçalves Cattelan, Vânia Regina Nicoletti, Márcia Regina de Moura","doi":"10.3390/pr12081681","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081681","url":null,"abstract":"This study evaluated cryogels from albumin (ALB) and albumin–pectin (ALB:PEC) as carriers for pink pepper (Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi) essential oil. Cryogels were evaluated through infrared spectrophotometry, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry. The bioactivity of the cryogels was analyzed by measuring their encapsulation efficiency (EE%), the antimicrobial activity of the encapsulated oil against S. aureus, E. coli, and B. cereus using the agar diffusion method; total phenolic content and antioxidant activity were analyzed by UV-vis spectrophotometry. The EE% varied between 59.61% and 77.41%. The cryogel with only ALB had the highest total phenolic content with 2.802 mg GAE/g, while the cryogel with the 30:70 ratio (ALB:PEC) presented a value of 0.822 mg GAE/g. A higher proportion of PEC resulted in a more significant inhibitory activity against S. aureus, reaching an inhibition zone of 18.67 mm. The cryogels with ALB and 70:30 ratio (ALB:PEC) presented fusion endotherms at 137.16 °C and 134.15 °C, respectively, and semicrystalline structures. The interaction between ALB and PEC increased with their concentration, as evidenced by the decreased intensity of the O-H stretching peak, leading to lower encapsulation efficiency. The cryogels obtained can be considered a suitable matrix for encapsulating pink pepper oil.","PeriodicalId":20597,"journal":{"name":"Processes","volume":"8 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932426","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Studies of TLC-Chromatographic Quantification of Astaxanthin in Dietary Supplements and Its Antioxidant Activity","authors":"Iwona Dymek, Joanna Żandarek, Małgorzata Starek, Monika Dąbrowska","doi":"10.3390/pr12081680","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081680","url":null,"abstract":"Astaxanthin is a red carotenoid pigment known for its strong antioxidant and immune-supporting properties, which are higher than other carotenoids. The aim of this study was the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of dietary supplements containing astaxanthin. First, optimal conditions for conducting analyses using the TLC technique with densitometric detection were developed. The mobile phase consisting of methanol: ethyl acetate: 1,4-dioxane (1:3:6 v/v/v) was selected, while the stationary phase consisted of Silica gel 60 F254. Densitometric detection was performed at 460 nm. Next, the validation process of the developed method was carried out according to the guidelines of the International Conference on Harmonization (ICH). The range of linearity tested was 0.0026–0.0100 µg/spot, and the determined LOD and LOQ values were 0.85 and 2.57 ng/μL, respectively. The variation coefficient at the level of 4.75% proves good precision. The percentage of recovery was in the range of 95.25–104.94%. The obtained results confirmed the good accuracy of the method. Subsequently, quantitative analyses of the preparations were carried out. Analysis of dietary supplements showed significant deviations from the declared astaxanthin content. Astaxanthin solutions were stable in alkaline environments and when exposed to light and oxidizing substances; however, the substance degraded in acidic environments. The performed antioxidant capacity tests confirmed the high antioxidant activity of astaxanthin.","PeriodicalId":20597,"journal":{"name":"Processes","volume":"74 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932434","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of Biochar-Amended Composts on Selected Enzyme Activities in Soils","authors":"Faraj Zaid, Nasruddeen Al-Awwal, John Yang, Stephen H. Anderson, Bouzeriba T. B. Alsunuse","doi":"10.3390/pr12081678","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081678","url":null,"abstract":"This study examines the effect of biochar as an agricultural soil supplement on soil quality indicators, specifically enzyme activity in Missouri regions. While the benefits of biochar on soil bulk density, soil organic carbon, and infiltration have been established, its effect on soil enzyme activity has remained underexplored in this region. A three-year field investigation was conducted with six treatments (compost, biochar, compost + biochar, biochar + compost tea, fescue, and control) to evaluate the effects on enzymes such as β-glucosidase (BG), acid and alkaline phosphatases (ACP-ALP), arylsulfatase (ARS), dehydrogenases (DG), arylamidase (AMD), cellulase (CLS), and urease (URS). Furthermore, soil pH, organic matter (OM), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were determined. The results showed that compost and biochar treatments considerably increased soil enzyme activity compared to other treatments, with nitrogen application further increasing enzyme activity. Soil pH, OM, and CEC were all important determinants in determining enzyme activity, with BG demonstrating strong positive associations with ACP and AMD (99.5%). This study shows that compost and biochar amendments significantly improve soil physicochemical and biological properties, thereby enhancing soil health and assisting farmers’ sustainable soil management practices.","PeriodicalId":20597,"journal":{"name":"Processes","volume":"35 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932432","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Mathematical Model of the Migration of the CO2-Multicomponent Gases in the Inorganic Nanopores of Shale","authors":"Xiangji Dou, Hong Li, Sujin Hong, Mingguo Peng, Yanfeng He, Kun Qian, Luyao Guo, Borui Ma","doi":"10.3390/pr12081679","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.3390/pr12081679","url":null,"abstract":"Nanopores in shale reservoirs refer to extremely small pores within the shale rock, categorised into inorganic and organic nanopores. Due to the differences in the hydrophilicity of the pore walls, the gas migration mechanisms vary significantly between inorganic and organic nanopores. By considering the impact of irreducible water and the variations in effective migration pathways caused by pore pressure and by superimposing the weights of different migration mechanisms, a mathematical model for the migration of CO2-multicomponent gases in inorganic nanopores of shale reservoirs has been established. The aim is to accurately clarify the migration laws of multi-component gases in shale inorganic nanopores. Additionally, this paper analyses the contributions of different migration mechanisms and studies the effects of various factors, such as pore pressure, pore size, component ratios, stress deformation, and water film thickness, on the apparent permeability of the multi-component gases in shale inorganic nanopores. The research results show that at high pressure and large pore size (pore pressure greater than 10 MPa, pore size greater than 4 nm), slippage flow dominates, while at low pressure and small pore size (pore pressure less than 10 MPa, pore size less than 4 nm), Knudsen diffusion dominates. With the increase of the stress deformation coefficient, the apparent permeability of gas gradually decreases. When the stress deformation coefficient is less than 0.05 MPa−1, the component ratio significantly impacts bulk apparent permeability. However, when the coefficient exceeds 0.05 MPa−1, this influence becomes negligible. The research results provide a theoretical basis and technical support for accurately predicting shale gas productivity, enhancing shale gas recovery, and improving CO2 storage efficiency.","PeriodicalId":20597,"journal":{"name":"Processes","volume":"18 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.5,"publicationDate":"2024-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141932433","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}