H. Rezaei; S. Ovaysi; M. Rahimi
Abstract
The objective of the investigation was to mathematically correlate the behavior of a supersonic superheated steam flow inside a Laval nozzle, against the decision parameters. The decision parameters are the inlet temperature ranging from 374.3 K to 504.3 K and the inlet pressure from 40050.14 Pa to 133375.7 ...
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The objective of the investigation was to mathematically correlate the behavior of a supersonic superheated steam flow inside a Laval nozzle, against the decision parameters. The decision parameters are the inlet temperature ranging from 374.3 K to 504.3 K and the inlet pressure from 40050.14 Pa to 133375.7 Pa. Indeed, the outlet temperature, outlet pressure as well as the Mach number are mathematically correlated against the decision parameters. The numerical approach based on the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is selected to study the behavior of the supersonic superheated steam flow inside the nozzle. By examining the different temperature and pressure conditions of the inlet fluid, it was found that the closest distance from the starting point of condensation to the throat is at the highest pressure and lowest temperature. Conversely, the farthest distance from the starting point of condensation to the throat is at the lowest pressure and highest temperature. In addition, three mathematical correlations were developed. Due to the high accuracy of the mathematical correlations, the efficiency of the predictor models in predicting the outputs was proved.
M.H. Akbari; M. Rahimi; H.R. Karami
Abstract
Decreasing pressure losses in microtubes is an important subject, especially when increase in flow capacity is required. In the same pumping power, decreasing the pressure drops is coincides with increasing the fluid flow rate passing through a microtube. The current study aims to examine how the water ...
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Decreasing pressure losses in microtubes is an important subject, especially when increase in flow capacity is required. In the same pumping power, decreasing the pressure drops is coincides with increasing the fluid flow rate passing through a microtube. The current study aims to examine how the water pressure drop across a microtube can be affected by the addition of small concentrations of different drag-reducing polymeric agents. A kind of laminarization behaviour was found by the addition of the selected polymer to the turbulent flow. The effect of concentration of drag-reducing agent (DRA) on observed viscosity and drag values are reported. Moreover, the effects of different types of drag-reducing agents on friction factor are obtained at the best concentration in the range of examined concentrations. Under this condition amount of drag reduction percentage and increase in capacity of the flow were respectively 33% and 36%. The obtained results show that more drag reduction occurs at a higher flow rate for 20ppm of high molecular weight polyacrylamide.
N. Heidari; M. Rahimi; N. Azimi
Abstract
Wind energy is used to rotate a magnetic turbine in order to remove heat from the surface of a photovoltaic (PV) panel. A three-bladed turbine, which rotates with wind energy, has rotational motion underneath the studied PV panel in order to move Magnetic Nano-Particles (MNPs). In addition, effects of ...
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Wind energy is used to rotate a magnetic turbine in order to remove heat from the surface of a photovoltaic (PV) panel. A three-bladed turbine, which rotates with wind energy, has rotational motion underneath the studied PV panel in order to move Magnetic Nano-Particles (MNPs). In addition, effects of the magnetic field strength (B=450-830 mT), rotational velocity of the magnetic turbine (ω), and the concentration of MNPs (ϕ) on the heat removal from the PV panel area were investigated. Results showed that heat removal from PV panel was intensified by motion of pinned MNPs in the ferrofluid via the exerted external force of magnetic field. Concurrent application of available magnetic field along with ferrofluid led to 7.6-24 % temperature reduction for a PV panel. Furthermore, the produced electrical energy of the PV panel was augmented between 2.55-3.13 W depending on ϕ, ω, and B. Moreover, the impact of ω on cooling performance was also investigated, and a significant enhancement to generated power was observed. Eventually, the maximum amount of the produced power (3.13 W), maximum power enhancement percentage (32.63 %), and thermal efficiency (24 %) were achieved for B=830 mT, ω=50 cycles/min, and ϕ=0.05 (w/v).
Separation Technology,
F. Hosseini; M. Rahimi; O. jafari
Volume 15, Issue 4 , November 2018, , Pages 48-62
Abstract
In this work, extraction of propionic acid from the aqueous phase to the organic phase (1-octanol) was performed in T-junction microchannels and effects of channel diameter and fluid flow rate on the mass transfer characteristics were investigated. The two-phase flow patterns in studied microchannels ...
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In this work, extraction of propionic acid from the aqueous phase to the organic phase (1-octanol) was performed in T-junction microchannels and effects of channel diameter and fluid flow rate on the mass transfer characteristics were investigated. The two-phase flow patterns in studied microchannels with 0.4 and 0.8 mm diameters were observed. Weber number and surface-to-volume ratio were calculated for evaluating flow patterns. Moreover, the effect of volumetric flow rates on the extraction efficiency, volumetric mass transfer coefficient, and pressure drop was examined. Results showed that the pressure drop in the microchannel with 0.4 mm diameter is 2-2.7 times higher than that in the microchannel with 0.8 mm diameter. In both microchannels, with increase in flow rate, the extraction efficiency first increases and then decreases. In addition, at high flow rates (2.4, 4.5 and 6 mL/min), the extraction efficiency in the microchannel with 0.8 mm diameter increased up to the range of 7-14.9 % compared with that in the microchannel with 0.4 mm diameter.
Separation Technology,
M. Yasemi; M. Rahimi; A. Heydarinasab; M. Ardjmand
Volume 15, Issue 3 , September 2018, , Pages 15-33
Abstract
In this study, extraction of tannic acid using microchannel was investigated. Affective parameters were optimized. Different solvents including buthanol, ethylacetate and n-hexane as organic phase, methanol, propanol, ethanol and water as aqueous phase investigated. Microchannels with different confluence ...
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In this study, extraction of tannic acid using microchannel was investigated. Affective parameters were optimized. Different solvents including buthanol, ethylacetate and n-hexane as organic phase, methanol, propanol, ethanol and water as aqueous phase investigated. Microchannels with different confluence angles and diameters were examined. Microchannels with different confluence angles and diameters were examined. The effects of pH, temperature, and volumetric flow ratio and contact time of the two phases were investigated. The response surface methodology was used to optimize extraction yield of tannin from Quercus leaves in the employed microchannels. Based on this optimization, maximum yield was achieved at pH=2, temperature=33.1℃, volumetric flow ratio =1.2 and contact time of 25.35s. Results show that extraction-using microchannel has many advantages over traditional methods, including shorter time and higher economic efficiency. Moreover, microchannel provides smaller volume of fluids resulting in lower solvent consumption, lower waste production, shorter analytical times, smaller space requirements, and lower energy consumption.
Reaction Engineering, Kinetics and Catalysts,
F. Mohammadi; M. Rahimi; A. Parvareh; M. Feyzi
Volume 15, Issue 1 , February 2018, , Pages 102-114
Abstract
In the present study, Choline hydroxide (ChOH) as an ionic liquid catalyst was used for transesterification of soybean oil into biodiesel in a microchannel reactor. The effects of three variables i.e. reaction temperature, catalyst dosage and total flow rate on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) content ...
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In the present study, Choline hydroxide (ChOH) as an ionic liquid catalyst was used for transesterification of soybean oil into biodiesel in a microchannel reactor. The effects of three variables i.e. reaction temperature, catalyst dosage and total flow rate on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) content (wt. %) were optimized using Box–Behnken experimental design. In order to predict the FAME content a quadratic polynomial model was obtained. The optimal conditions from the model were reaction temperature of 53.53 °C, catalyst dosage of 2.6 wt. % and total flow rate of 11.82 mL/min. At these conditions, the predicted FAME content was 96.45 wt.% and the experimental FAME content was obtained 97.6 wt. %. The proximity of the experimental results and predicted values showed that the regression model issignificant. Using the ionic liquid catalyst in the studied microreactor for transesterification leads to diminish the reaction time to the order of seconds compared to conventional batch systems. In addition, the reusability of ChOH catalyst was investigated. The results revealed that the catalyst had perfect utility after several runs without much loss in the activity.
Separation Technology,
Mo. H. Almasvandi; M. Rahimi
Volume 14, Issue 4 , December 2017, , Pages 17-31
Abstract
This paper reports the results of experimentally removing ammonia from synthetically prepared ammonia solution using a micro scale mixing loop air stripper. Effects of various operational parameters (such as: pH, air flow rate, wastewater flow rate and initial ammonia concentration) were evaluated. By ...
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This paper reports the results of experimentally removing ammonia from synthetically prepared ammonia solution using a micro scale mixing loop air stripper. Effects of various operational parameters (such as: pH, air flow rate, wastewater flow rate and initial ammonia concentration) were evaluated. By increasing the pH from 10 to 12.25 the amount of KLa increased from 0.26 to 0.73 hr-1. A considerable enhancement, about 150%, can be found for KLa by changing the air flow rate from 280 to 700 mL/min under fixed condition. The wastewater flow rate can also the value of KLa from 0.22 to 0.59 hr-1. The values of KLa increased only about 20% by changing the initial concentration of ammonia in the range between 50 and 500 mg/L. The results showed that improving in air stripping using microchannel was successfully carried out with enhancing overall volumetric mass transfer coefficient (KLa) and providing higher mass transfer capabilities compared with other types of strippers, even for lower amounts of used air. The enhancement of mass transfer is happened by efficient mixing induced by the employed microchannel. It has been demonstrated that wastewater flow rate and air flow rate have significant effects on KLa. The optimal stripping conditions and mathematical modeling for ammonia removal and the relation between the parameters were determined using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with Central Composite Design (CCD) method. The results demonstrate the advantages the proposed system over convention stripper types.
Reaction Engineering, Kinetics and Catalysts,
M. Basiri; M. Rahimi; H. Babaei Mohammadi
Volume 13, Issue 2 , April 2016, , Pages 22-32
Abstract
The ultrasound-assisted (UA) soybean oil methanolysis using KOH as a catalyst was studied at different reaction conditions in a microreactor. Box–Behnken experimental design, with three variables, was performed and the effects of three reaction variables i.e. reaction temperature, catalyst concentration ...
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The ultrasound-assisted (UA) soybean oil methanolysis using KOH as a catalyst was studied at different reaction conditions in a microreactor. Box–Behnken experimental design, with three variables, was performed and the effects of three reaction variables i.e. reaction temperature, catalyst concentration and the methanol-to-oil molar ratio on fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) yield were evaluated by method of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multiple regression. A quadratic polynomial model was obtained to predict the methyl ester yield. A yield of 97.1% for methyl ester was obtained at the deduced optimal conditions: reaction temperature of 47 °C, KOH catalyst concentration of 1.29% (w/w) and methanol-to-oil molar ratio of 6:1. Validation experiments confirmed the validity of the predicted model. At the optimal operation condition for the ultrasonic process, a higher yield of methyl esters was obtained in comparison with that of the non-ultrasonic layout. The results show that UA transesterification in microreactor minimizes the reaction time and temperature, alcohol-to-oil molar ratio as well as energy consumption.
Petroleum and Reservoir Engineering
A. Mohammadi Doust; M. Rahimi; M. Feyzi
Volume 13, Issue 1 , January 2016, , Pages 3-19
Abstract
In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD) was applied for investigation of the effects of ultrasonic waves, temperature and solvent concentration on viscosity reduction of residue fuel oil (RFO). Ultrasonic irradiation was employed at low frequency of 24 ...
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In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD) was applied for investigation of the effects of ultrasonic waves, temperature and solvent concentration on viscosity reduction of residue fuel oil (RFO). Ultrasonic irradiation was employed at low frequency of 24 kHz and power of 280 W. The results showed that the combination of ultrasonic waves and solvent injection caused to further reduce of viscosity. To obtain optimum conditions and significant parameters, the results were analyzed by CCD method. In this method, maximum viscosity reduction (133 cSt) was attained in ultrasonic irradiation for 5 min, temperature of 50 °C and acetonitrile volumetric concentration of 5 % by means of experimental and three dimensional response surface plots. The kinematic viscosity decreased from 494 cSt to 133 cSt at the optimum conditions. In addition, a multiple variables model was developed by RSM which the second-order effect of ultrasonic irradiation time was significant on viscosity reduction of FRO. Finally, a comparison between the RSM with artificial neural network (ANN) was applied. The results demonstrated that both models, , were powerful to predict of kinematic viscosity of RFO. The results demonstrated that both models, RSM and ANN, with R2 more than 0.99 were powerful to predict kinematic viscosity of RFO.