Complex Flows In Industrial Processes

Despite the fact that fluid dynamics and filtration through porous media and mathematics, there are classical research areas in engineering, physics, are still many industrial processes that require the study of new mathemat ical models for flows of particular complexity, due to the peculiar properties of the systems involved. The aim of this book is to provide a number of examples showing how frequently such situations arise in various branches of industrial technology. The selection of the subjects was motivated not only by their industrial rel evance and mathematical interest. What I had in mind was a collection of problems having a really distinctive character, thus bringing some fresh air into one of the oldest and most revered domains of applied mathematics. The incredible richness of nonstandard flow problems in industrial appli cations has always been, and still is, a constant surprise to me. Therefore I tried to offer a very large spectrum of subjects, with special attention devoted to those problems in which the modeling phase is far from being obvious, and the mathematical content is absolutely nontrivial. With such a view to diversity, topics have been selected from a variety of sources (such as glass industry, polymers science, coffee brewing, fuels pipelining), and contributors from different backgrounds (mathematics, physics, chemical engineering) have been included. Consequently, the mathematical nature of the problems formulated spans over a large range, so that their theoret ical investigation and numerical computation require a variety of different techniques.

"The book is an essential resource and reference for the analysis and modeling of problems in fluid dynamics and filtration. All researchers, practitioners, and professionals in fluid dynamics, chemical process engineering, materials engineering, and applied math will find the book a useful presentation of current methods and applications."--Jacket.

This brief reviews concepts of inter-relationship in modern industrial processes, biological and social systems. Specifically ideas of connectivity and causality within and between elements of a complex system are treated; these ideas are of great importance in analysing and influencing mechanisms, structural properties and their dynamic behaviour, especially for fault diagnosis and hazard analysis. Fault detection and isolation for industrial processes being concerned with root causes and fault propagation, the brief shows that, process connectivity and causality information can be captured in two ways: · from process knowledge: structural modeling based on first-principles structural models can be merged with adjacency/reachability matrices or topology models obtained from process flow-sheets described in standard formats; and · from process data: cross-correlation analysis, Granger causality and its extensions, frequency domain methods, information-theoretical methods, and Bayesian networks can be used to identify pair-wise relationships and network topology. These methods rely on the notion of information fusion whereby process operating data is combined with qualitative process knowledge, to give a holistic picture of the system.

This is the first book that reviews problems in different fluid mechanics disciplines that led to the concept of canopy, or penetrable roughness. Despite their diversity, many flows may be theoretically united by means of introducing distributed sinks and/or sources of momentum and heat and mass. These and other flows in engineering and environmental situations over surfaces with many obstacles are reviewed in terms of general concepts of fluid mechanics.

Composed of papers presented at the 10th conference on Multiphase flow this book presents the latest research on the subject. The research included in this volume focuses on using synergies between experimental and computational techniques to gain a better understanding of all classes of multiphase and complex flow.

This book is devoted to the presentation of some flow problems in porous media having relevant industrial applications. The main topics covered are: the manufacturing of composite materials, the espresso coffee brewing process, the filtration of liquids through diapers, various questions about flow problems in oil reservoirs and the theory of homogenization. The aim is to show that filtration problems arising in very practical industrial context exhibit interesting and highly nontrivial mathematical aspects. Thus the style of the book is mathematically rigorous, but specifically oriented towards applications, so that it is intended for both applied mathematicians and researchers in various areas of technological interest. The reader is required to have a good knowledge of the classical theory of PDE and basic functional analysis.

The 9th book from this successful conference series, on Computational & Experimental Methods in Multiphase & Complex Flow, presents the latest research in one of the most challenging, yet most universally applicable areas of technology. Multiphase flows are found in all areas of technology and the range of related problems of interest is vast, including astrophysics, biology, geophysics, atmospheric process, and many areas of engineering. Recently multiphase fluid dynamics have generated a great deal of attention, leading to many notable advances in experimental, analytical and numerical studies. It is perhaps, however, work on numerical solutions which is the most noticeable owing to the continuing improvements in computer software tools. Progress in numerical methods has permitted the solution of many practical problems, helping to improve our understanding of the physics involved. The presented papers illustrate the close interaction between numerical modellers and researchers working to gradually resolve the many outstanding issues in our understanding of multiphase flow. They cover such topics as: Multiphase flow simulation; Bubble and drop dynamics; Interface behaviour; Experimental measurements; Energy applications; Compressible flows; Flow in porous media; Turbulent flow; Image processing; Heat transfer; Atomization; Hydromagnetics; Plasma; Fluidised beds; Cavitation; Multiphase chemical reactions.

Discover the cutting-edge in multiphase flows used in the process industries In Multiphase Flows for Process Industries: Fundamentals and Applications, a team of accomplished chemical engineers delivers an insightful and complete treatment of the state-of-the-art in commonly encountered multiphase flows in the process industries. After discussing the theoretical background, experimental methods, and computational methods applicable to multiphase flows, the authors explore specific examples from the process industries. The book covers a wide range of multiphase flows, including gas-solid fluidized beds and flows with phase change. It also provides direction on how to use current advances in the field to realize efficient and optimized processes. Filling the gap between theory and practice, this unique reference also includes: A thorough introduction to multiphase flows and the process industry Practical discussions of flow regimes, lower order models and correlations, and the chronological development of mathematical models for multiphase flows Comprehensive explorations of experimental methods for characterizing multiphase flows, including flow imaging and visualization In-depth examinations of computational models for simulating multiphase flows Perfect for chemical and process engineers, Multiphase Flows for Process Industries: Fundamentals and Applications is required reading for graduate and doctoral students in the engineering sciences, as well as professionals in the chemical industry.

Polymers are substances made of macromolecules formed by thousands of atoms organized in one (homopolymers) or more (copolymers) groups that repeat themselves to form linear or branched chains, or lattice structures. The concept of polymer traces back to the years 1920's and is one of the most significant ideas of last century. It has given great impulse to indus try but also to fundamental research, including life sciences. Macromolecules are made of sm all molecules known as monomers. The process that brings monomers into polymers is known as polymerization. A fundamental contri bution to the industrial production of polymers, particularly polypropylene and polyethylene, is due to the Nobel prize winners Giulio Natta and Karl Ziegler. The ideas of Ziegler and Natta date back to 1954, and the process has been improved continuously over the years, particularly concerning the design and shaping of the catalysts. Chapter 1 (due to A. Fasano ) is devoted to a review of some results concerning the modelling of the Ziegler- Natta polymerization. The specific ex am pie is the production of polypropilene. The process is extremely complex and all studies with relevant mathematical contents are fairly recent, and several problems are still open.

The book documents 25 papers collected from the Special Issue “Advances in Condition Monitoring, Optimization and Control for Complex Industrial Processes”, highlighting recent research trends in complex industrial processes. The book aims to stimulate the research field and be of benefit to readers from both academic institutes and industrial sectors.