Second-Law Analysis of a Double-Effect Evaporator with Thermal Vapor Compression

In this paper, we present a steady-state analysis of a double-effect evaporator with thermal vapor compression (MED-TVC) installed in the Tunisian Chemical Group (GCT) factory. A thermodynamic model including mass and energy balances of the system is developed and integrated in a Matlab program. The model resolution yields to the determination of the operating parameters of the plant and the Gain Output Rate (GOR) was found to be roughly equal to 5. In a second step, the simulation results served to conduct a second law analysis of the unit. The performance criterion used in this analysis is the second law efficiency, i.e., the ratio of the least theoretical work of separation to the actual work input to the plant. The second law efficiency was found to be 2.4%. The distribution of the irreversibility between the different components of the plant was, in addition, assessed. As a conclusion, it was established that the most irreversibility occurs in the thermo-compressor which contributes with more than 50% to the global imperfection and which presents an exergy efficiency of less than 77%. The remaining irreversibility comes from the three exchangers (the two evaporators and the condenser) with an average contribution of 16%. As it is very difficult to introduce modifications into an existing unit, we assume that the importance of the results is not limited to the studied unit. They serve, rather, as an aid to the future design of a MED-TVC plant.

Study on Composite Design Suitable for High Hardness and Strong Abrasive Formation

PDC (Polycrystalline Diamond Compact bit) composite is the most important cutting element of petroleum bit, which performance directly affects the service effect and service life of the bit. During the drilling process, the cutter will produce a large amount of friction heat when cutting the rock, resulting in a sharp increase in the internal temperature of the cutter. When the temperature reaches a certain value, thermal wear and tear are very easy to occur, which will not only cause diamond delamination but also reduce the wear resistance of the cutter. Under the action of impact load, impact failure is more likely to occur, which greatly reduces the service life of the cutter and the rock-breaking efficiency of the drill bit. Therefore, this paper studies the composite interface suitable for high-temperature drilling through the changes of cutting tooth temperature field and stress field with different interface shapes, which shows that the non-planar interface is more suitable for improving the cutting tooth life of composite under the action of comprehensive stress field.

Energetic Analysis in a Spray Drying Process

The present work aims in evaluate the installation of an equipment of spray drying, by psychrometry technique, analyse the power sources consumption and relates with the productivity of the equipment, by energy auditory. This work consists in comparing the evaporation capacity of a 750 kg/h of water spray dryer and the amount of water that comes from atmospheric air, where the equipment consumes 160 kWh and 80 kg of LGP/h. Therefore, this work demonstrates that to project a spray dryer it must be analysed these water mass values in atmospheric air and be contemplated a dehumidifier in order to prevent so significant and different losses in different periods of the same day.