South African Journal of Chemical Engineering最新文献

{"title":"Synergistic analysis with neural network-based optimization of MHD hybrid nanofluid flow over a nonlinear stretching/shrinking cylinder in porous medium","authors":"Maria Batool,&nbsp;Qammar Rubbab,&nbsp;Noreen Sher Akbar,&nbsp;Muhammad Asif Farooq","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100938","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100938","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In this study, we model the magnetohydrodynamic hybrid nanofluid flow over a nonlinear stretching/shrinking cylinder embedded in porous media to improve the modeling of complex thermal and mass transport systems in bioconvective environments for applications in microfluidic devices, lab-on-chip platforms, and microbial fuel cells. A data-driven approach is proposed that uses Artificial Neural Networks based on the Levenberg–Marquardt Algorithm (ANN-LMA) in conjunction with Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) to develop hybrid nanofluid models with different combinations of nanoparticles (<em>Ag, Cu, TiO</em>₂, and <em>Al</em>₂<em>O</em>₃ in water) in the presence of gyrotactic microorganisms. Training data is produced by solving the governing boundary layer equations using the bvp4c solver in MATLAB. ANN-LMA is trained across multiple physical conditions, while PINNs incorporate the governing equations into the loss function, resulting in physics-conformal predictions. Results show that velocity decreases with magnetic parameter <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>M</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>, Reynolds number <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mi>R</mi><mi>e</mi></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>, and nanoparticle volume fraction <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>ϕ</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>, while permeability parameter <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>K</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span> increases flow. Temperature increases with <span><math><mi>M</mi></math></span>, thermal radiation <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mi>N</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>, heat generation <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mi>Q</mi><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>, and φ, but decreases with <em>Re</em> and Prandtl number <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mi>P</mi><mi>r</mi></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span>. All nanoparticles tested enhanced thermal performance, with silver <span><math><mrow><mo>(</mo><mrow><mi>A</mi><mi>g</mi></mrow><mo>)</mo></mrow></math></span> nanoparticles showing the greatest enhancement. Both models agree well with numerical results (<span><math><mrow><msup><mrow><mi>R</mi></mrow><mn>2</mn></msup><mo>&gt;</mo><mn>0.998</mn></mrow></math></span>) and are stable and robust. This work considers hybrid nanofluid bioconvection over a stretching/shrinking cylinder, whereas most previous works have considered single, binary, or ternary nanofluids, or are limited to flat plate configurations. The cylindrical stretching/shrinking geometry directly represents the outer surface of cylindrical lithium-ion batteries (18,650, 21,700, and 4680 cells), where coolant flow over the battery casing determines thermal management efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"57 ","pages":"Article 100938"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148539548","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating process hazard management education in pilot plants through a HIRA-based methodology: A case study","authors":"Daniel Felipe Borda López,&nbsp;Iván Darío Gil Chaves,&nbsp;Mario Andrés Noriega Valencia","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100926","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100926","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pilot Plants are essential in chemical engineering education, serving as a vital link between academic theory and industrial application. These facilities offer students hands-on experience but also represent serious safety risks, often without a structured approach to hazard management. This study presents a practical and affordable methodology, adapted from OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) and based on Hazard Identification and Risk Management (HIRA), to improve safety in the Pilot Plant at the <em>Universidad Nacional de Colombia.</em></div><div>The approach involved a two-phase workshop with faculty/staff and students to evaluate hazard perception, rank risks by impact and frequency, and analyze equipment subunits through a weighted scoring system. The results made it possible to build a comprehensive risk heatmap of the building and identify crucial areas that require attention. In particular, the highest risk zone was found in the Distillation Columns area (Continuous, Extractive, Reactive, Batch with a Hazard Category 5), leading to early alerts and guiding resource usage for risk mitigation.</div><div>The methodology showed high reproducibility among experienced personnel and helped highlight differences in risk perception between faculty/staff and students. By integrating this tool into training, laboratories can significantly reduce hazards while strengthening safety awareness in future engineers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"57 ","pages":"Article 100926"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148553815","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Black soldier fly larvae for abattoir waste valorisation in LMICs: performance constraints, safety risks and system level considerations","authors":"Laurah Gutu,&nbsp;David Ikumi,&nbsp;Moses Basitere","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100940","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100940","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Abattoirs in low and middle income countries generate nutrient dense residues that are difficult to manage and contribute disproportionately to local pollution loads. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) offer a promising onsite treatment option, but existing evidence shows highly inconsistent performance and uncertain safety outcomes. Reported waste reduction and biomass conversion efficiencies vary widely because high-protein and high-lipid rich substrates frequently inhibit larval feeding, necessitating careful dilution or characteristic amendments. Chemical and biological risks remain insufficiently characterised: heavy metals, veterinary pharmaceuticals, pesticides, disinfectants and zoonotic pathogens show variable degradation or accumulation in larvae and frass, and few studies trace these hazards across downstream feed or soil pathways. Regulatory environments further complicate adoption, high-income regions restrict animal by products in insect feed, while many low and middle income countries lack standards for allowable substrates, contaminant thresholds or product certification. This review synthesises the fragmented evidence base and identifies the critical research and governance gaps that currently limit safe deployment of BSFL for abattoir waste. Priorities include reviewing contaminant monitoring frameworks available, defining safety limits for larvae and frass in abattoir substrate valorisation, and analysing pilot scale trials that reflect the operational realities of low and middle income country abattoirs. With these safeguards in place, BSFL systems may serve as a complementary pathway within integrated abattoir waste management strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"57 ","pages":"Article 100940"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148539609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Alginate-based PVA–bentonite hydrogel beads immobilizing fungal–bacterial mixed culture for rapid methylene blue removal","authors":"Alya Awinatul Rohmah,&nbsp;Adi Setyo Purnomo,&nbsp;Asranudin,&nbsp;Widiya Nur Safitri,&nbsp;Liyana Labiba Zulfa,&nbsp;Stella Jovita,&nbsp;Nuhaa Faaizatunnisa,&nbsp;Badzlin Nabilah,&nbsp;Taufiq Rinda Alkas,&nbsp;Herdayanto Sulistyo Putro","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100925","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100925","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Functional biomacromolecule-based hydrogels developed for environmental applications are of growing interest due to their biocompatibility and structural tunability. However, limited studies have investigated alginate-based hydrogel systems immobilizing fungal–bacterial mixed culture for methylene blue (MB) removal. Therefore, this study aimed to fabricate and evaluate alginate-based polyvinyl alcohol–bentonite hydrogel beads as a biomacromolecular matrix for immobilizing a fungal–bacterial mixed culture (<em>Aspergillus oryzae</em> and <em>Bacillus subtilis</em>). Structural and functional characteristics of beads were analyzed using SEM, FTIR, and XRD, confirming successful integration of alginate with reinforcing components. The immobilized bead system (B-AOBS) achieved 95.29% MB removal (50 mg/L) within 24 h under static conditions, which significantly higher than by free cells of <em>B. subtilis</em> and <em>A. oryzae</em>, reaching only 33.81% and 40.08%, respectively. In addition, downscaled system using 2.5 g of B-AOBS achieved 97.01% MB removal under agitation, showing slightly higher performance than empty beads (B-APB). Adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model, suggesting possible involvement of chemisorption-related interactions. Meanwhile, equilibrium data were best fitted by the Langmuir isotherm with a maximum adsorption capacity of 1.776 mg/g, suggesting monolayer adsorption on homogeneous active sites. In addition, B-AOBS maintained high removal efficiency at pH 5.5 and 30 °C, achieving 98.57% within 120 min incubation time. Furthermore, the hydrogel retained substantial activity after four reuse cycles. These results demonstrate that the engineered alginate biomacromolecule hydrogel provided a stable and reusable platform for microbial immobilization and represented a promising material for dye-contaminated wastewater treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"57 ","pages":"Article 100925"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148539555","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Enhancement of the properties of Bijoypur clay for the elimination of dye from aqueous solution","authors":"Snahasish Bhowmik,&nbsp;Md. Rakib Hassan,&nbsp;Farhana Yasmin,&nbsp;Tirtha Sarker,&nbsp;Mohammad Nahidul Islam,&nbsp;Mithun Sarker,&nbsp;Md. Mahmudul Hassan Mondol","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100907","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100907","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of low-cost natural sources and an easy operational method is essential for the preparation of adsorbents. In this study, the adsorbent was prepared from natural clay (found in Bijoypur, Bangladesh) using an acid modification. The modification was validated using X-ray diffraction, BET surface area analyzer, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope, and apparent Zeta potential. The prepared adsorbent showed a BET specific area of 52.73 m²/g with a total pore volume of 0.14 cm³/g. Then, modified clay was investigated as an adsorbent to eliminate Malachite Green (MG) from water. The adsorbent showed a maximum adsorption capacity of 340.63 mg/g at stock solution pH 7 using a 20 mg of adsorbent dosage at 100 mg/L dye concentration, which is high among the reported results so far. The remarkable performance of modified clay in MG removal is due to the OH functionality and metal ions, which might be effectively generated in it. Therefore, the modified clay could be suggested as an adsorbent, which was used as an adsorbent support earlier.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"57 ","pages":"Article 100907"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148539549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ultrasound-assisted extraction using natural deep eutectic solvent of secondary metabolites from Tagetes erecta flowers irradiated with UVC light","authors":"Oscar Antonio-Gutiérrez,&nbsp;Edgar García-Sánchez,&nbsp;Rodolfo Solano,&nbsp;Luicita Lagunez-Rivera","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.11.021","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.11.021","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Secondary metabolites (SM) obtained from plants are of industrial interest<em>. Tagetes erecta</em> flowers were irradiated with UVC light to evaluate their effect on SM. Subsequently, the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) implementing natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) was performed. Two UVC doses (0.2 and 0.4 J/m²) were tested, with 0.4 J/m² resulting in the highest total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents. Seven different NADES were analyzed for their implementation with UAE. Amplitude (20 and 30 %), temperature (40 and 60℃), time (15 and 60 min) and water content in NADES (0 and 50 %) were the conditions under evaluation. Glucose:Choline Chloride:Water (GL:CC:W) provided the highest TPC values for <em>T. erecta</em>. The optimal extraction conditions were 20 % amplitude, 40℃, 60 min and 50 % water content. Finally, the antibacterial activity of extracts was evaluated and Glucose:Lactic acid (GL:LA) was the NADES with the greatest effect. Our results confirm the promising potential of NADES not only as non-polluting solvents but also as other possible applications such as their antibacterial activity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"57 ","pages":"Article 100805"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148553716","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrating UV photo-Fenton catalysis processes with crystalline spinel NiFe₂O₄ nanostructures for sustainable removal of antibiotics from aqueous medium with mechanistic, kinetic, and environmental insights","authors":"Md. Shahinoor Islam,&nbsp;Ummela Sharmin,&nbsp;Rayhan Bin Masud,&nbsp;Md. Tarikul Islam,&nbsp;Debanjan Sarker,&nbsp;Hridoy Roy,&nbsp;Md. Mahmudur Rahman,&nbsp;Iftheker Ahmed Khan","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100928","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100928","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The widespread use of antibiotics in aquatic environments poses significant ecological and public health risks due to their long-term presence, harmful effects, and their role in the evolution of antibiotic resistance. Nickel ferrite (NiFe₂O₄) nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized and used as heterogeneous catalysts in a UV-assisted photo-Fenton method to degrade sulfamethoxazole (SFX) and metronidazole (MTZ) from aqueous solutions. XRD, SEM-EDS, and FTIR investigations showed the presence of a crystalline spinel phase having an average crystallite size of 19.91 nm, a porous surface shape, and a homogeneous distribution of Ni, Fe, and O. Degradation studies were conducted with antibiotic concentrations ranging from 10–50 ppm under varied Fe²⁺ (0.02–0.04 mM), H₂O₂ (0.1–0.2 mM), catalyst dosages (0.002–0.006 g/L), and pH (3–5). Under optimal circumstances of pH 3–4, 0.004–0.006 g/L catalyst, and higher oxidant doses, both antibiotics were consistently degraded by &gt;90% within 120 min. At 10 ppm, SFX and MTZ were degraded by 94.2% and 93.2%, respectively. The degradation followed apparent pseudo-first-order kinetics with observed rate constants (k_obs) of 2.4 × 10⁻² min⁻¹ for SFX and 2.2 × 10⁻² min⁻¹ for MTZ. This behavior is consistent with the Langmuir-Hinshelwood model, which simplifies to pseudo-first-order kinetics at low pollutant concentrations in heterogeneous photocatalytic systems. The calculated Electrical Energy per Order (EE/O) was approximately 4.0 × 10³ kWh/m³/order for SFX and 4.27 × 10³ kWh/m³/order for MTZ under optimized conditions. Mechanistic analysis suggested that hydroxyl radicals (•OH) are the dominant reactive species, generated through Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ redox cycling and UV-assisted catalytic processes. The NiFe₂O₄-supported photo-Fenton system significantly outperformed the traditional and advanced oxidation processes at low catalyst loadings, demonstrating the potential of NiFe₂O₄ NPs as a sustainable and scalable approach for antibiotic degradation in wastewater.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"57 ","pages":"Article 100928"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148553714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of the quality of briquettes produced from shea cake and shells in Northern Ghana","authors":"Abdul-Nasir abubakari,&nbsp;Wilhemina Asare,&nbsp;Zarouk Abubakari Imoro","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100929","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100929","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shea cake and shea nut shells are major yet underutilized residues from the shea butter industry in northern Ghana, representing a locally abundant biomass resource that could be upgraded into cleaner solid fuels. This study aimed to systematically assess the physicochemical, mechanical, and combustion quality of briquettes produced from shea cake and shells. The research was conducted in the Tamale Metropolis and Sagnarigu Municipality. Composite samples were prepared from residues collected across 10 processing centres (≈330 kg shells and 270 kg cake), and briquettes were produced using a full factorial design (2 × 3 with three replicates; 18 products) varying feedstock type (cake only, shell only, and shell+cake) and binder system (paper, clay, and paper+clay) at 10%, 20%, and 30% binder levels. Materials were sun-dried, milled to 2.5 mm, compressed at 1500 psi into cylindrical briquettes, and air-dried for three weeks. Paper-bound briquettes exhibited very high to high flammability, with the highest HHV (notably 90% shell and 10% paper at 19.5 MJ/kg), and the lowest ash content (3.5–4.0%), supporting efficient domestic cooking. In contrast, clay-rich briquettes achieved greater compaction and the longest burn times (up to 60 min) but reduced HHV and increased ash, favouring sustained heating applications. This indicates that optimised, standardised production can enable shea-waste briquetting as a practical circular-economy pathway to expand renewable household and small-scale industrial energy options in shea-producing communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"57 ","pages":"Article 100929"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3,"publicationDate":"2026-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148539552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of the effect Hydroxyapatite formation from Precipitate Calcium Carbonate of thorn shell waste (Murex trapa) with carbonation method","authors":"Luluk Edahwati ,&nbsp;Mohammad Tauviqirrahman ,&nbsp;Sutiyono ,&nbsp;Ferdiyan Tri Prayoga ,&nbsp;Syasmitha Lucky Aprillianty ,&nbsp;Indah Nur Fauziyyah","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.11.016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2025.11.016","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Hydroxyapatite is a biomaterial that exhibits similarities to the inorganic mineral constituents present in bones and teeth. Consequently, its significance in the field of orthopedic medicine is substantial. The bioactive nature of hydroxyapatite is very possible as a place for the growth of new bone tissue. This research utilizes the CaO content contained in the shells of thorn clams where the CaO content is 91.08 %. This shell waste can often be found on the Kenjeran coast, Surabaya, East Java, thus the use of thorny clam (Murex trapa) shells is very easy to obtain as a raw material for the formation of hydroxyapatite. The PCC process uses CO₂ gas flow with a flow rate of 1 ml/s up to pH 8. Assessment of the research to be carried out on the formation of hydroxyapatite uses a range of pH 5, 9 and 13 and the molar ratio of Ca/P is 1.27; 1.67 and 2.07. From the process, hydroxyapatite was obtained with the highest yield of 96 % under pH 9 conditions with a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.67. FTIR analysis conducted on hydroxyapatite with a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.67 detected the presence of functional groups PO₄^3-, OH-, and CO₃^2-. SEM-EDX analysis performed on hydroxyapatite at pH 9 with a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.67 showed that the crystal structure of hydroxyapatite tends to be spherical and agglomerated.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100800"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146189633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Hot-season rise of reflux drum temperature in an atmospheric crude distillation unit: Field impacts on overhead corrosion, flare loading, and loss prevention","authors":"Ahmed Qasim ,&nbsp;Thamer Malik ,&nbsp;Ghassan Addai ,&nbsp;Shahd Ammar Hatem ,&nbsp;Hameed Hussein Alwan","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100836","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100836","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This field study quantifies how reflux drum temperature governs the overhead risk posture of an atmospheric crude distillation unit during hot-season operation, with explicit attention to corrosion, flare loading, and economic loss. During a single summer campaign at Al-Diwaniyah Refinery, the drum temperature was stepped from 50 to 70 °C and, at each set point, off gas, light naphtha, and boot water were sampled under steady operation. Hotter drum operation reduced partial condenser driving force and shifted the overhead phase split toward vapor, increasing header pressure from 0.57 to 0.82 barg and standard off gas flows from 320 to 360 and from 35 to 50 Nm³/h to the furnace and the flare, respectively. Concomitantly, off gas became heavier: C₁–C₃ fraction contracted from 56.71 to 41.41 mol %, whereas C₄ rose from 25.53 to 36.72 mol % and C₅₊ increased from 5.71 to 15.94 mol %. From a loss prevention perspective, this C4–C5+ enrichment, together with the higher flare rate, indicates increased diversion of gasoline-range material to the gas header and flare (avoidable hydrocarbon loss) and higher propensity for flare smoke if assist is not adjusted. Light naphtha specification drifted unfavorably (IBP from 32 to 40 °C; EP from 120 to 140 °C) with a modest increase in sulfur (from 300 to 312 ppm), tightening blending margins and risking reprocessing. Overhead corrosion risk increased, as boot water chemistry degraded (pH from 6.4 to 6.0; chloride from 10 to 14 ppm; dissolved iron from 0.15 to 0.44 ppm). These field resolved trends define a practical operating window that favors cooler drum targets (approximately 55–60 °C), recovery of condenser effectiveness, and temperature-compensated neutralizer control to stabilize aqueous chemistry while minimizing avoidable flaring. The results provide actionable guidance for balancing product quality, energy use, environmental performance, and corrosion risk in hot-climate refining.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100836"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}