South African Journal of Chemical Engineering最新文献

{"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}

{"title":"Optimization of cassava starch acetate synthesis using response surface methodology and microstructural evaluation for enhanced hydrophobic properties","authors":"Nanik Hendrawati,&nbsp;Uka Nawanti Islamiyah,&nbsp;Bramantyo Airlangga,&nbsp;Sumarno Sumarno","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100837","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100837","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cassava starch was successfully acetylated via a simplified and scalable process to enhance its hydrophobicity, targeting applications in biodegradable food packaging. Process optimization was carried out using single-factor experiments in combination with Response Surface Methodology (RSM), focusing on the effects of the acetic anhydride-to-starch (AAD/S) ratio, NaOH concentration, and acetic acid-to-acetic anhydride (AA/AAD) ratio. The optimized process yielded a high degree of substitution (DS = 1.69) at an AAD/S ratio of 3.73, an AA/AAD ratio of 0.455, and a NaOH concentration of 0.193 mL/g starch. Structural and functional characterization through FTIR, SEM, XRD, and TGA confirmed successful acetylation and indicated substantial modifications in morphology, crystallinity, and thermal behavior. The cassava starch acetate (CSA) obtained in this study has been proved to be a suitable base material for TPS films. The prepared TPS films exhibited smooth and even surfaces. The hydrophobic character increased, with water contact angles &gt;100°. The material had high flexibility, stretching at break from 10% to 500%, that depended on degree of substitution. These findings verify that the acetylation increased molecular mobility and compatibility in the starch matrix, thereby producing flexible and moisture-resistant films for biodegradable packaging items. Therefore, the optimized conditions of acetylation are an ecologic and high effective method for preparing cassava starch acetate with great potential in sustainable/biodegradable packaging material.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100837"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038955","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":"Metabolite profiling reveals the degradation pathways of Methylene Blue by Co-cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Daedalea dickinsii","authors":"Adi Setyo Purnomo ,&nbsp;Badzlin Nabilah ,&nbsp;Oppie Wahyu Wulandari ,&nbsp;Hamdan Dwi Rizqi ,&nbsp;Surya Rosa Putra ,&nbsp;Alya Awinatul Rohmah ,&nbsp;Ichiro Kamei","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100835","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100835","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Methylene Blue (MB) is a thiazine-based synthetic dye widely used in industrial applications and is recognized for its high stability and potential toxicity to human health. Biological treatment using fungi has attracted attention as an environmentally friendly approach for dye removal; however, single-microorganism systems often exhibit limited biodecolorization efficiency. Previous studies have shown that the brown-rot fungus (BRF) <em>Daedalea dickinsii</em> is capable of MB biodecolorization and biodegradation, although its performance still requires improvement. In this study, the effect of <em>Pseudomonas aeruginosa</em> addition on MB biodecolorization by <em>D. dickinsii</em> was investigated in a Potato Dextrose Broth (PDB) medium under static conditions at 30 °C for 7 days. The results demonstrated that the addition of <em>P. aeruginosa</em> significantly enhanced MB biodecolorization, with the highest removal efficiency of 62.3% obtained at 10 mL bacterial inoculum, compared to only 16.5% achieved by the single fungal culture. Furthermore, several MB degradation metabolites were identified, including C₈H₁₂N₂ (<em>m/z</em> = 137), Azure B (<em>m/z</em> = 270), C₈H₁₁N (<em>m/z</em> = 120), C₂₀H₂₅N₃O₅S₂⁺ (<em>m/z</em> = 418), C₆H₈N₂O₃S (<em>m/z</em> = 188), and C₈H₁₄N₂O₄S (<em>m/z</em> = 217), enabling the proposal of a possible MB biodegradation pathway. The novelty of this study lies in the integration of a fungal–bacterial co-culture system with metabolite-based analysis to provide mechanistic insight into MB biodegradation beyond color removal. These findings highlight the potential of fungal–bacterial synergism as an environmentally friendly approach for dye-contaminated wastewater treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100835"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146038957","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":"Green-synthesized Co-doped ZnO/cellulose hydrogel nanocomposites for high-efficiency photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue","authors":"Lovedonia K. Kganyakgo ,&nbsp;Edwin Makhado ,&nbsp;Mpitloane J. Hato ,&nbsp;Wilson M. Seleka ,&nbsp;Sadanand Pandey ,&nbsp;Daniel Masekela","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100862","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100862","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The development of sustainable, highly efficient photocatalysts for wastewater treatment remains a significant scientific and technical challenge. Here, we present a cobalt-doped zinc oxide/cellulose hydrogel nanocomposite (Co-ZnO HNC), produced from sawdust cellulose, which serves as a multifunctional and sustainable photocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue. Cobalt-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles were uniformly integrated into a cellulose hydrogel matrix via radical polymerization, resulting in a hierarchically structured composite with improved surface functionality and light absorption efficiency. Morphological and structural analyses confirmed the formation of crystalline, cobalt-doped ZnO (Co-ZnO) with an average crystal size of approximately 6.2 nm, homogeneously distributed within the hydrogel matrix. Optical analyses revealed a significant redshift, attributable to bandgap modulation and enhanced charge separation. The photocatalytic activity was thoroughly investigated under UV light by varying pH, catalyst quantity, and dye concentration. Under optimal conditions, the Co-ZnO<img>HNC achieved a metal oxide degradation of 97.9% after 120 min, surpassing both pure ZnO and undoped hydrogel alternatives. This improved performance is attributed to the synergistic interactions between the Co-induced defect states and the porous structure of the hydrogel. These interactions facilitate charge transport, inhibit electron-hole recombination, and enable mass transport. The study illustrates a sustainable approach to converting lignocellulose waste into high-performance photocatalysts and highlights the significant potential of cellulose-based metal oxide hydrogel composites for advanced wastewater treatment processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100862"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147709746","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":"Multi-layer neural network computation with numerical simulation of catalysis-induced 3D tetra-hybrid nanofluid flow over oil rig solar panel sheets under magneto-radiative conditions","authors":"Noreen Sher Akbar ,&nbsp;Muhammad Wajahat Anjum ,&nbsp;Salman Akhtar ,&nbsp;F. Maiz ,&nbsp;Muhammad Bilal Habib ,&nbsp;Zaib Jahan ,&nbsp;Taseer Muhammad","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100861","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100861","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The current research examines the integrated influence of thermal radiation and heat transfer on incompressible three-dimensional boundary layer flow of tetra-hybrid nanofluids in the presence of a transverse magnetic field. The underlying non-linear partial differential equations are formulated to reflect the simultaneous heat transfer and flow dynamics associated with radiative phenomena, magnetic effects, and nanoparticle interactions. The Levenberg–Marquardt optimization methodology serves to train a Multilayer Artificial Neural Network (MANN) that offers excellent precision along with successful convergence leading to consistent outcomes. An Adams-Bashforth based computational scheme is further employed for validation, establishing a standard for comparison. Based on present investigation, Tetra-hybrid nanoparticles considerably boost thermal conductivity and improve heat transfer performance in comparison to conventional nanofluids. The applied magnetic field regulates flow dynamics and controls the thickness of the boundary layer. It further affects velocity gradients while radiation has an immense effect on the temperature field. The reliability of the proposed hybrid model has been established by a good fit between ANN predictions and numerical outcomes. The study integrates artificial intelligence and numerical methods to provide superior thermal management and energy utilization that combine tetra-hybrid nanofluids with magnetic and radiative effects in an innovative manner.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100861"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147612172","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":"Predictive analysis of flow profiles of Ag-Au/blood hybrid nanofluid using ANN with bvp4c for the combined impact of dissipative heat and convective condition","authors":"S.R. Mishra ,&nbsp;S. Jena ,&nbsp;Zehba Raizah ,&nbsp;P.K. Pattnaik ,&nbsp;Subhajit Panda ,&nbsp;Anwar Saeed ,&nbsp;Gabriella Bognár","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100864","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100864","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The predictive simulation of hybrid nanofluid shows increasingly significant in biomedical and energy transport systems due to their superior heat transfer properties. Particularly, blood-based hybrid nanofluids with metallic nanoparticles have shown remarkable potential in targeted drug delivery, therapeutic cooling, hyperthermia treatment, etc. The present model focuses on the predictive analysis of Ag-Au/blood hybrid nanofluid via a permeable substrate affected by transverse magnetization and dissipative heat impact. Furthermore, the convective thermal boundary condition with incorporating thermal radiation enriches the thermophysical efficiency of the hybrid configuration, thereby promoting superior heat transfer performance. The implementation of Joule and Darcy dissipation intensifies the temperature gradient within the system. The mathematical model formulated for the interaction of proposed assumptions is transformed into their standard dimensionless form by utilizing similarity rules and subsequently handled by using bvp4c numerical algorithm with a predictive design of data-driven neural architecture simultaneously. The model is developed and trained using the computed data to forecast both the comparative representations of velocity and thermal outlines are provided to demonstrate the impact of distinct flow-controlling parameters on the system’s behavior. The ANN employs a Levenberg backpropagation algorithm achieving high prediction accuracy with minimal mean square error. The ANN model, precisely predicted the axial, transverse, and temperature profiles with very low validation errors of 1.0947×10⁻⁷, 9.4038×10⁻¹¹, and 2.0535×10⁻⁸, respectively. The gradient values of 1.4505, 9.227×10⁻⁸, and 9.8642×10⁻⁸ demonstrate fast convergence and strong model stability. The ANN outputs closely align with the numerical results (R ≈ 1), confirming the model’s high accuracy and robustness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100864"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147612176","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":"Oleic acid-modified zinc oxide incorporated compatibilized PLA/LLDPE nanocomposites: physical, mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties","authors":"Ahmad Hafizullah Ritonga ,&nbsp;Barita Aritonang ,&nbsp;Debi Meilani ,&nbsp;Herlina Herlina ,&nbsp;Vivi Sisca ,&nbsp;Gusliani Eka Putri ,&nbsp;Juliandi Siregar ,&nbsp;Enzo Wiranta Battra Siahaan","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100869","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100869","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing demand for safe and environmentally friendly packaging materials has driven the development of biodegradable PLA-based polymers; however, the limited mechanical strength and thermal stability of PLA restrict their broader application. This study investigates the incorporation of oleic acid–modified zinc oxide nanoparticles (O-ZnO NPs) into compatibilized PLA/LLDPE nanocomposites to improve their physical, mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties. O-ZnO NPs were synthesized via surface modification of ZnO with oleic acid (OA), resulting in improved compatibility with the polymer matrix while preserving the intrinsic crystalline structure of ZnO. Compatibilized PLA/LLDPE/O-ZnO (cPLO) nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending PLA and LLDPE in the presence of LLDPE-g-OA (LO) compatibilizer, followed by the incorporation of O-ZnO NPs at various loadings. The results demonstrate that the incorporation of O-ZnO NPs significantly enhances the nanocomposite's performance by strengthening the interfacial interactions between the immiscible PLA and LLDPE phases. Mechanical testing showed an increase in Young’s modulus from 438 MPa to 493 MPa, accompanied by an improvement in elongation at break from 43% to 54%, indicating simultaneous enhancement of stiffness and ductility. Thermal analysis revealed improved thermal stability, which is attributed to restricted polymer chain mobility and more efficient stress transfer at the filler–matrix interface. Morphological observations confirmed a more homogeneous nanoparticle dispersion and reduced phase separation within the polymer matrix. The incorporation of O-ZnO NPs reduced water absorption to 0.682% and increased biodegradation from 14.5% to 15.8% after 90 days of soil burial, indicating improved hydrophobicity while maintaining environmental degradability. The nanocomposites also exhibited antibacterial activity against <em>Staphylococcus aureus</em>, with inhibition zones exceeding 8 mm. O-ZnO NPs effectively improve interfacial compatibility in compatibilized PLA/LLDPE blends, resulting in balanced mechanical reinforcement and multifunctional properties suitable for semi-biodegradable packaging applications.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100869"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147709817","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":"Thermal performance of hybrid nanofluid mixed convective flow in a horizontal channel equipped with dimpled surfaces and rotating solid cylinder subjected to magnetic field: Sensitivity analysis","authors":"Mohammad Mokaddes Ali ,&nbsp;Rowsanara Akhter ,&nbsp;M.A. Alim","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100838","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100838","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Efficient heat transfer mechanism in channel flows is essential for thermal management in applications heat exchangers, compact thermal systems, electronic cooling, automotive cooling, aerospace designing and chemical processing, etc. In order to improve the thermal performance relative to the conventional methods, this study presents a novel numerical investigation of mixed convective hybrid nanofluid flow in a horizontal channel equipped with heated dimpled surfaces and a centrally located rotating solid cylinder under magnetic field effects, integrating geometrical enhancement, active flow modulation, entropy generation, and sensitivity analysis within a unified framework. In addition, 3D numerical analysis is incorporated to provide deeper physical insight of the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics. The problem is formulated incorporating conservation equations of mass, momentum and energy for hybrid nanofluid transport, which is numerically solved using finite element method. Statistical evaluation is performed using response surface method. The findings reveal that fluid motion is accelerated effectively by the rotating cylinder, which increases further with the decrease in magnetic field strength and hybrid nanoparticle concentration in base fluid. Moreover, cylinder rotation speed significantly intensifies three-dimensional flow mixing, leading to enhanced convective heat transfer, while axial and spanwise fluid motion are suppressed with magnetic damping. A maximum heat-transfer enhancement of 35.83% is recorded at high rotation speed of the cylinder compared to the stationary case without magnetic field influence, whereas an increase in magnetic field strength suppresses thermal transport, reducing heat transfer enhancement by 13.39%. The inclusion of hybrid nanofliud significantly improves thermal performance, resulting in up to 46.37% heat transfer enhancement. Response surface analysis identifies that the optimal thermal enhancement occurs simultaneously at high rotational speed and hybrid nanoparticle volume fraction. Sensitivity results indicate a strong positive dependence of heat transfer rate of hybrid nanoparticle loading and cylinder rotation, with magnetic field strength exerting a negative influence. In addition, the analysis of entropy generation and Bejan number provide the information on the most significant sources of irreversibility, which could be utilized to optimize the thermal processes. The 3D results confirm and extend 2D findings by providing in-depth physical insight and improving the applicability of the model to the realistic engineering systems. This study offers a new understanding of the interaction of dimpled geometry, hybrid nanofluid, and rotating flow modulation under uniform magnetic field, which provides a new configuration to the design of improved thermal systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100838"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146189634","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":"Study of sol-gel derived silver nanoparticle (AgNPs): X-ray computed crystal growth mechanism and thermal analysis","authors":"Md. Ashraful Alam ,&nbsp;Raton Kumar Bishwas ,&nbsp;Sabrina Mostofa ,&nbsp;Shanawaz Ahmed ,&nbsp;Fariha Zannat ,&nbsp;Shirin Akter Jahan","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100839","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.100839","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Highly crystalline (57.96 %) and thermally stable silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are incorporated through a unique, simple route involving precursor breakdown which is facilitated by the chelating agent trisodium citrate dihydrate, a key novelty of this research. XRD confirms the prominent 83 % crystalline phase with a cubic FCC unit cell [lattice parameter, <em>a</em>=<em>b</em>=<em>c</em>= 4.0902 Å; α=β=γ= 90 °]. The predominant crystal planes (111), (200), (220), (311), (222) where the lattice volume of 68.427 ų and crystal strain of 0.34 % were identified. The crystal structural symmetry observed in the (111) plane exhibits the preferred orientation revealed in the VESTA software. The average crystallite size is 31.56 nm and UV–visible spectroscopy shows the absorption peak of AgNPs going towards the short wavelength of 423.0 nm for the nano size which TEM reveals in average size in nanometers 26.67. Thermal analysis study (TGA and DSC) results showed that the materials are thermally stable up to 130 °C, a glass transition at 195 °C, the melting temperature of the cubic AgNPs is at 960 °C and a melting enthalpy of 29.56 kJ/g was calculated for their outstanding thermal stability and high crystallinity. The synthesized AgNPs calibrated activation energy calculated in TGA-DSC at 15.02 kJ/mole that signify the performance of NPs. Among the four media, ethanol media showed excellent stability, offering the highest zeta potential 103.50 to -58.25 mV. TEM conforms to the particle size 18.17 nm and the phase predominant revealed that (111), (200), (220) planes are uniformly in crystal growth at (111) [0.23552 nm] by SAED. EDS confirmed the purity of AgNPs at 93.0 %.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100839"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079460","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":"Innovative side rectifier integration in distillation columns for improved ethanol extractive dehydration: performance and energy optimization","authors":"Adel Beig Babaei ,&nbsp;Sahar Zokaeiyan ,&nbsp;Arash Dara ,&nbsp;Kiarash Beig Babaei","doi":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.01.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.sajce.2026.01.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study presents a novel integration of a side rectifier in an extractive distillation process for ethanol dehydration, aiming to enhance both separation efficiency and energy performance. The new configuration, combining a distillation column with a side rectifier, is compared to the traditional two-column system, focusing on ethanol purity, energy consumption, and operational efficiency. The process uses two solvents: glycerol and Glycellin, a newly developed low-transition-temperature solvent. Simulation results, based on Aspen Plus with NRTL thermodynamic modeling, highlight the impact of key variables such as reflux ratio, solvent/feed ratio, and side-draw position on system performance. Sensitivity analysis revealed that the reflux ratio significantly influences energy efficiency, with optimal conditions yielding higher purity and reduced energy consumption in the new configuration. Notably, the system incorporating Glycellin showed superior performance, reducing energy consumption by 10–20% compared to the traditional two-column system. The energy consumption for the proposed configuration with Glycellin was 2931 kW, compared to 3450 kW for the conventional system. Additionally, the new design lowered the reboiler duty, offering a more sustainable and cost-effective solution for ethanol dehydration. The results underscore the potential of the side rectifier configuration, particularly with Glycellin, in advancing ethanol production processes by offering improved separation, reduced energy demands, and lower operational costs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21926,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Chemical Engineering","volume":"56 ","pages":"Article 100832"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146079545","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}