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In this paper, a feasibility study about possibility of installing and utilizing a secondary three-phase separator before entrance of natural gas through dehydration's tower in an Iranian's natural gas dehydration plant is carried out. The required calculations are made by taking into account present plant operational data and simulate it by using AspenOne software package that consists of Aspen Plus and Aspen Hysys. In this simulation, the Peng-Robinson equation of state is employed. Results reveal a maximum 4% increment in producing NGL from Natural gas with assuming 10% pressure drop under adiabatic conditions of flowing gas is obtainable. Water removal rate is also increased up to 10 liters per hour. Additionally, Other important parameters such as NGL production reduction due to changes in the gas well characterizations over time and changes in heating value of natural gas is investigated. In conclusion, by using economical evaluation and calculating the internal rate of return (IRR) equal to 4.5% for this project, possibility of performing this project by considering all of involved parameters is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal degradation behavior of multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) nanocomposites, with different nanotubes contents (0.5, 1.5 and 3.5 wt%) prepared via in-situ polymerization technique have been investigated using thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA). TGA spectra revealed that these nanocomposites had enhanced thermal stability and no significant mass loss (<0.4 wt%) occurred up to 350°C. Thermal degradation of these UHMWPE/MWCNT nanocomposites was investigated in terms of parameters such as the onset temperature of degradation (T10), the decomposition temperature at 50% wt loss (T50), the degradation temperature of maximum rate of the weight loss (Tm), and the residual yields (WR) from TGA. The degradation activation energies (E) of virgin UHMWPE and its nanocomposites were estimated using the Friedman, the Ozawa, Flynn, and Wall (OFW), and the Kissinger's methods. Results indicated that the degradation activation energy for the virgin UHMWPE was 281.3 kJ/mol. The activation energy increased with increasing nanotube loading up to 1.5 wt% indicating that MWCNTs had a stabilizing effect on the degradation of the matrix. However, loadings of 3.5 wt% of nanotube or more could slightly decrease the activation energy. The decrease in the activation energy for degradation of nanocomposites with higher MWCNT concentrations might be attributed to the catalytic effects of nanotubes and polymerization catalyst residues. The “model fitting” method indicated a mechanism of n th-order auto-catalysis from the form of the conversion curves for UHMWPE/MWCNTs nanocomposites prepared via in-situ polymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several measures, including crude oil recovery improvement and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) conversion into valuable chemicals, have been considered to decrease the greenhouse effect and ensure a sustainable low-carbon future. The Knoevenagel condensation and CO 2 fixation have been introduced as two principal solutions to these challenges. In the present study for the first time, bio-metal-organic frameworks (MOF)(Cu)/graphene oxide (GO) nanocomposites have been used as catalytic agents for these two reactions. In view of the attendance of amine groups, biological MOFs with NH 2 functional groups as Lewis base sites protruding on the channels' internal surface were used. The bio-MOF(Cu)/20%GO performs efficaciously in CO 2 fixation, leading to more than 99.9% conversion with TON = 525 via a solvent-free reaction under a 1 bar CO 2 atmosphere. It has been shown that these frameworks are highly catalytic due to the Lewis basic sites, i.e., NH 2 , pyrimidine, and C═O groups. Besides, the Lewis base active sites exert synergistic effects and render bio-MOF(Cu)/10%GO nanostructures as highly efficient catalysts, significantly accelerating Knoevenagel condensation reactions of aldehydes and malononitrile as substrates, thanks to the high TOF (1327 h -1 ) and acceptable reusability. Bio-MOFs can be stabilized in reactions using GO with oxygen-containing functional groups that contribute as efficient substitutes, leading to an expeditious reaction speed and facilitating substrate absorption.