Conceptual design of unit operations to separate aromatic hydrocarbons from naphtha using ionic liquids. COSMO-based process simulations with multi-component “real” mixture feed

Process Simulation and Optimization on Ionic Liquids

Ionic liquids (ILs) are promising alternative compounds that enable the development of technologies based on their unique properties as solvents or catalysts. These technologies require integrated product and process designs to select ILs with optimal process performances at an industrial scale to promote cost-effective and sustainable technologies. The digital era and multiscale research methodologies have changed the paradigm from experiment-oriented to hybrid experimental-computational developments guided by process engineering. This Review summarizes the relevant contributions (>300 research papers) of process simulations to advance IL-based technology developments by guiding experimental research efforts and enhancing industrial transferability. Robust simulation methodologies, mostly based on predictive COSMO-SAC/RS and UNIFAC models in Aspen Plus software, were applied to analyze key IL applications: physical and chemical CO2 capture, CO2 conversion, gas separation, liquid-liquid extraction, extractive distillation, refrigeration cycles, and biorefinery. The contributions concern the IL selection criteria, operational unit design, equipment sizing, technoeconomic and environmental analyses, and process optimization to promote the competitiveness of the proposed IL-based technologies. Process simulation revealed that multiscale research strategies enable advancement in the technological development of IL applications by focusing research efforts to overcome the limitations and exploit the excellent properties of ILs.

Simultaneous Extraction of Sulfur and Nitrogen Compounds from Model Diesel Fuel Using Neoteric Green Solvents

Removal of nitrogen and sulfur compounds from diesel fuel is essential to comply with the increasing stringent regulations. The extraction capability of two deep eutectic solvents, namely, tetrabutylphosphoniumbromide/ethylene glycol, TBPBr/EG, with molar ratio 1:2, and tetrabutylammoniumbromide/ethylene glycol, TBABr/EG, with molar ratio 1:2, in simultaneously extracting basic nitrogen, nonbasic nitrogen, and sulfur compounds represented by pyridine, indoline, and dibenzothiophene (DBT) from n-hexadecane, was investigated. Two pseudo-ternary phase diagrams of (TBPBr/EG + (pyridine + indoline + DBT) + n-hexadecane) and (TBABr/EG + (pyridine + indoline + DBT) + n-hexadecane) were predicted via a conductor-like screening model for real solvents (COSMO-RS) and experimentally validated at 298.15 K and 1 atm. Both solvents showed zero cross-contamination, indicating the suitability of all solvents as extraction solvents. The tie lines obtained for both COSMO-RS and experiments were in agreement and had root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) values of less than 5% for both systems. Selectivity and distribution ratio calculated indicates the suitability of both solvents in extracting sulfur and nitrogen compounds from hexadecane. Two new parameters, namely, extraction efficiency, α, and extraction affinity, β, were introduced to ease the performance comparison of both solvents. TBPBr/EG shows a slightly better performance than TBABr/EG. Other than that, the presence of multiple solutes shows low effects on the performance of these solvents.

Process Evaluation of Fluorinated Ionic Liquids as F-Gas Absorbents

The environmental impact of fluorinated gases (F-gases) necessitates the development of green technologies to mitigate them. Fluorinated ionic liquids (FIL/ILs) emerged as an alternative absorbent due to their unique and exceptional properties. In this work, a COSMO-based/Aspen Plus methodology was used to evaluate the performance of FIL/ILs as absorbents in the process scale of two F-gases: 1,1,1,2-tetrafluoroethane (R-134a) and difluoromethane (R-32). Results of the absorption column in equilibrium mode revealed that the behavior of FIL/ILs is similar under the same conditions, reaching higher efficiencies in the case of absorbing R-134a at a high F-gas partial pressure. Rate-based calculations in packing column demonstrated a kinetic control with highly viscous FIL/ILs, revealing higher performance differences between FIL/IL absorbents. The regeneration stage was also evaluated in near-industrial conditions. Operating conditions of the absorption column were optimized with a column of height 10 m and diameter ranging from 1.1 to 1.2 m at 10 bar total pressure, reaching 90% F gas recovery with an L/G range of 6-10. Finally, preliminary economic analysis revealed operating costs to recover 90% of F-gas of 70 $/ton (R-134a) and 130 $/ton (R-32) with the FIL/IL that revealed the best behavior, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium triflate.

Ternary liquid–liquid equilibrium data for n-Hexane-Benzene-DES (choline chloride/ethylene glycol, choline chloride/glycerol, choline chloride/urea) at 303 K and 101.3 kPa

In this study, deep eutectic solvents (DESs) were prepared using choline chloride as hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) and ethylene glycol (EG) or glycerol (GLY) or urea (U) as hydrogen bond donor (HBD) and were evaluated as solvents in the extraction of benzene from n-hexane. Six of such solvents were prepared using different molar ratios of HBA: HBD and code named DES1, DES2, DES3, DES4, DES5 and DES6. Liquid–liquid equilibria (LLE) data for the ternary systems of n-hexane-benzene-DESs were measured at 303 K and 101.3 kPa. Solubility data and mutual solubilities between n-hexane and DES were measured using the traditional cloud point method. The tie lines were obtained using titration and refractive index measurements on both phases (n-hexane phase and DES-phases). The ternary systems exhibit type-1 phase behavior. The Othmer-Tobias and Hands equations were applied to examine the reliability of the LLE data. The tie-line data were correlated using the nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL) and universal quasichemical (UNIQUAC) thermodynamic models, and their corresponding binary interaction parameters were determined. The results show that the maximum separation factors were 31.24, 462.00, 15.24, 37.83, 174.60 and 126.00 for DES1, DES2, DES3, DES4, DES5 and DES6, respectively. The glycerol based DES (DES2 and DES5) show the highest separation factors and thus considered the most suitable for separating benzene from hexane. The regression coefficient for both Othmer-Tobias and Hand equations are higher than 0.99 for all DESs, indicating the reliability and consistency of the data. Both NRTL and UNIQUAC models adequately capture the experimental data.

Design and synthesis of alverine-based ionic liquids to improve drug water solubility

Alverine [3-phenyl-N-(3-phenylpropyl)-N-ethylpropan-1-amine] is a widely known smooth muscle relaxant used to relieve cramps or spasms of the stomach and intestines.

Effect of dielectric constant on estimation of properties of ionic liquids: an analysis of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide

Influence of dielectric constant values in estimation of thermodynamical properties (vapor pressure, vaporization enthalpy, density and viscosity) of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ionic liquids with COSMO-RS.