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We address a recently introduced static dataflow model: the Static Dataflow with Access Patterns (SDF-AP) model. For this model we present (1) a generalization of an existing regular periodic scheduling scheme to regular 1-periodic scheduling for flexibility to achieve a smaller schedule period and additional room for optimization on communication storage; (2) a method based on Integer Linear Programming (ILP) to minimize communication buffers under periodic scheduling and user-specified throughput constraints. Experimental results on a set of test cases show that buffer sizes using this approach can be reduced dramatically when compared to the traditional SDF models. The optimal sizing result may serve as an important criterion to evaluate and fine-tune any heuristics-based buffer sizing approach for the SDF-AP model of computation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the introduction of "Higee" more than three decades ago, only a few commercial distillation applications have been reported. In this paper, the reasons for this situation are analyzed based on a comprehensive review of the relevant literature. Several important guidelines on rotor design have been proposed in order to develop a new rotating bed that could be commercialized for distillation. A novel kind of rotating bed, the rotating zigzag bed (RZB), has been proposed, which dispenses with a liquid distributor and an inside dynamic seal and is capable of easily achieving intermediate feed and simple multi-rotor configurations. These advantages facilitate the application of the RZB for commercial continuous distillation processes. Three examples of different common processes are given to illustrate its industrial application. Because the distillation process is used widely in the chemical process industries (CPI), the RZB has very broad prospects of application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]