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    28 May 2026, Volume 26 Issue 5
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    Contents
    Cover and Contents
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  0. 
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    Review
    Research progress and intelligent trend of slag foaming prediction
    Xinggan ZHANG Yujie LIU Mengting SHANG Haichuan WANG Yunjin XIA Guilin SUN
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  453-465.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225250
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    Slag foaming is a key phenomenon in electric arc furnace (EAF) steelmaking, which improves thermal efficiency, suppressing metal splashing, and stabilizing the refining process. Accurate prediction and control of slag foaming are essential for achieving green and efficient steelmaking. This review aims to provide a systematic overview of the research progress on slag foaming prediction, clarifying the applicability, advantages, and limitations of different predictive methods to support intelligent control of foamy slags. Following the framework of "influencing factors-prediction methods-development trends", this review summarizes the coupling effects of multiple variables such as basicity, viscosity, surface tension, suspended particles, gas parameters, and temperature on foam formation and stability. Furthermore, it compares five major prediction approaches, including empirical formulas, dimensionless modeling, thermodynamic calculations, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, and machine learning models, and analyzes their core concepts, merits, and constraints. The results indicate that single models often struggle to balance real-time capability and accuracy, particularly under multi-variable coupling and complex operating conditions. Therefore, a hybrid prediction framework combining mechanism-based and data-driven models is proposed, emphasizing the importance of physical constraints, multi-scale coupling, and multi-source data fusion. This integrated approach is expected to advance slag foaming prediction from "computable" to "controllable and adjustable", offering methodological insights for the development of green and intelligent EAF steelmaking.
    Research progress on CO2 hydrogenation to aromatics
    Jie ZHANG Zixuan GONG Maoming GONG Hui WANG
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  466-477.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225241
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    Amid the global pursuit of carbon neutrality, the catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into high-value-added aromatics represents a critical frontier in sustainable chemistry. This process offers the dual benefit of mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while establishing a non-petroleum route for the production of indispensable platform chemicals. However, the practical realization of CO2 conversion is hindered by formidable challenges originating from the thermodynamic stability of CO2 and the kinetic challenges in C-C bond formation. This review provides a critical and comprehensive analysis of recent progress on CO2 hydrogenation to aromatics, focusing on the development of catalyst design, reaction kinetics, and reactor engineering, with the goal of accelerating industrial application. The two dominant reaction pathways, i.e., the methanol-intermediate and the olefin-intermediate routes, are summarized and progress in the design of efficient multifunctional catalysts for each pathway is given. A key point in bifunctional catalyst development is the challenge of balancing the synergy and separation of hydrogenation sites and acidic aromatization active sites. Synergy is crucial for driving the reaction equilibrium forward by rapidly consuming intermediates, whereas separation, often achieved through sophisticated architectures like core-shell structures, is vital for preventing deactivation, such as the migration of alkaline promoters into the zeolite (the aromatization component). Also, this review analyzes the kinetic modeling progress proposed for this complex, multi-step reaction system. For the initial CO2 conversion step, the authors highlighted the evolution of kinetic models, particularly the ongoing efforts to accurately quantify the critical water inhibition effect in methanol synthesis. For the subsequent aromatization stage, this review critically compares two distinct modeling strategies: the use of lumping models, which simplify the reaction network for robust engineering simulations, and the single-event microkinetic (SEMK) models, which offer profound mechanistic insights by considering elementary reaction steps. Furthermore, it is pointed out that these kinetic models serve as indispensable inputs for computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, which guide the design, optimization, and scale-up of industrial reactors. These simulations can address practical engineering challenges such as thermal management to control hotspots and fluid dynamics to mitigate excessive pressure drop. By systematically bridging the conceptual gap from atomic-level catalyst design to macro-scale reactor optimization, this review provides theoretical guidance aimed at accelerating the engineering scale-up of this vital carbon utilization technology.
    Research Paper
    Measurement and correlation of rheological property of molten plastics and their blends
    Shaoping MA Ying HAN Shuang WU Yafeng XIAO Zhongtian DONG Zhihui WANG Qinghua ZHANG Chao YANG
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  478-485.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225225
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    The non-Newtonian rheological properties of plastic melts are key factors in regulating plastic processing, molding and recycling processes, ensuring processing stability and product performance, and are the research focus in the field of plastic processing. The rheological basic data of commonly used plastics and their blend systems at present still need to be supplemented and improved. For this purpose, this study adopted a combined approach of experimental testing and theoretical modeling to investigate the rheological behaviors of four types of plastics, namely polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS), as well as three binary blend systems of PE/ABS, PP/ABS, and PS/ABS. Rheological tests were conducted using a rheometer within the shear rate range of 0.1 s-1 to 100 s-1 and the temperature range of 180℃ to 250℃. The results indicated that the flow behavior index n of all samples was less than 1, and the apparent viscosity decreased significantly with the increase in shear rate, showing a clear shear thinning effect. Meanwhile, the consistency coefficient K changed with temperature in accordance with the Arrhenius relationship, and the melt viscosity decreased with the increase in temperature. This study quantitatively characterized the relationship between the mass fraction m (0.5<m≤1) of the main component in the binary blend systems and the melt viscosity. Based on the experimental data, a component correction term was introduced into the traditional power-law model to construct a constitutive equation that can simultaneously describe the effects of shear rate, temperature, and component fraction on melt viscosity. The average relative error between the model predictions and experimental values was only 5.90%. The rheological basic data and the modified constitutive equation obtained in this study can provide important theoretical support and data reference for the optimization of process parameters in fields such as waste plastic recycling and injection molding.
    Study on net cross-zone flow characteristics of composite tridimensional rotational flow sieve tray
    Ping HUO Yue MA Hongkai WANG Meng TANG
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  486-494.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225222
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    To address persistent issues such as unclear application ranges and difficulties in structural optimization of composite tridimensional rotational flow sieve tray (CTRST)—primarily due to poorly understanding of gas-liquid cross-zone distribution mechanisms, experimental investigations were carried out to examine gas-liquid cross-zone distribution and flow loss mechanisms in both the packing and swirl zones of the CTRST. A key parameter, the net cross-zone flow proportion, was introduced for both gas and liquid phases to accurately quantify inter-zone flow conditions. The results revealed that, under the tested conditions, the net liquid cross-zone flow proportion varied between -0.325 and -0.370, with the net flow direction moving from the swirl zone to the packing zone. Conversely, the net gas flow ratio ranged from 0.022 to 0.310, showing a net flow from the packing zone to the swirl zone. By employing the net cross-zone flow loss ratio, the loss mechanisms during gas-liquid cross-zone transfer were further analyzed. It was observed that liquid spray density and gas kinetic energy factor had only a minor influence on the net inter-zone liquid phase loss flow rate percentage, suggesting that resistance to liquid phase exchange between zones was relatively low. In contrast, the gas phase loss flow rate ratio varied significantly from -0.047 to -0.319, indicating considerable resistance to gas phase interaction across zones. This ratio initially increased and then decreased with higher liquid spray density, reaching a peak at 92.26 m3/(m2?h). Additionally, it showed a gradual increase with higher gas kinetic energy factor. Based on these findings, a predictive model for the net cross-zone mass transfer rate was developed, which effectively correlated the influence of operational parameters with flow loss intensity. This model offers valuable theoretical support for further exploration of the gas-liquid cross-zone mass transfer distribution mechanism in CTRST systems, thereby aiding in the optimization of tray design and operational guidelines.
    Numerical simulation of lean fuel combustion characteristics of CH4/H2/CO2
    Yamei LAN Hailong CHENG Wulang YI
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  495-505.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225215
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    CO2 dilution is a well-recognized effective strategy for combustion control. Against the backdrop of global energy structure transformation and carbon neutrality goals, developing efficient, clean, and low-carbon combustion technologies is crucial. However, the high proportion of CO2 in flue gas recirculation or the use of low-calorific-value fuels rich in CO2 can complicate the temperature field and NOx generation paths in combustion chambers, especially under lean fuel conditions. This study aimed to explore the detailed dilution effect of CO2 on the combustion of CH4 and H2, and thus numerically analyzed the combustion characteristics of jet diffusion flames. The numerical simulation was conducted under specific conditions: CO2 mixing ratio ranging from 0% to 40%, ambient temperature of 300 K, pressure of 101 325 Pa, and equivalence ratios between 0.4 and 0.9. A new triangular nozzle burner was adopted, along with the standard k-ε turbulence model and non-premixed combustion model for calculations, and grid independence verification was performed to ensure result reliability. The results showed that CO2 blending reduced the peak flame temperature, flame height, and average furnace temperature (from higher values to 1344 K at 40% CO2 mixing ratio). It inhibited the forward reactions of CO combining with O and OH, reducing O2 consumption, and achieved a maximum NOx reduction rate of 95.5% compared to pure methane combustion. In contrast, H2 enrichment increased the flame temperature, accelerated the combustion reaction, and formed a more compact flame structure. When CO2 was added to the CH4/H2 mixture, it still effectively reduced NOx emissions, though the reduction effect weakened slightly with higher CO2 blending ratios. So CO2 dilution was an effective method to achieve ultra-low NOx emissions in industrial boilers, especially suitable for hydrogen-rich natural gas combustion. Controlling CO2 blending below 30% balanced NOx reduction and combustion stability. The CH4/H2/CO2 ternary mixing strategy enabled coordinated regulation of the temperature field and pollutant emissions, providing a technical pathway for the industrial application of hydrogen-rich fuels.
    Effect of the number of clogged bottom-blowing elements on the flow characteristics of liquid steel in converter
    Hao WU Xueting JIANG Guanghong ZHANG Bingzheng XIAO Haichuan WANG Aijun DENG
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  506-517.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225141
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    This study established a three-dimensional transient gas-liquid two-phase flow model based on a 150-tonne converter to investigate the influence of the number of clogged bottom-blowing elements on the stirring efficiency of the molten pool. The numerical simulation results were further validated against actual converter operating conditions. The findings revealed that the primary reason for the deteriorated flow characteristics in the molten pool under multiple clogged tuyeres was the overall reduction in stirring energy input from the bottom-blowing gas. Specifically for this converter system, when the number of clogged tuyeres reached three, the numerically simulated mixing time increased from 150.6 s to 219.3 s, a significant increase of 45.62%. This numerical result was in good agreement with water model experiments, indicating that prompt furnace bottom maintenance and tuyere replacement should be considered under such circumstances. At the same bottom-blowing intensity, the effective stirring area of a single inner-ring tuyere was 0.919 m2, while that of a single outer-ring tuyere was 1.651 m2. The combined effective area achieved through the synergy of inner and outer ring tuyeres was 2.940 m2, which was 14.4% greater than the sum of their individual areas. Clogging disrupted this synergistic stirring effect. A single clogged tuyere had a negligible impact on the distribution of dead zones. However, when tuyeres in both the inner and outer rings were clogged, dead zones became more numerous and concentrated. With 3 and 4 clogged tuyeres, the dead zone volume reached 3.703 and 5.946 m3, accounting for 17.31% and 27.79% of the total molten pool volume, respectively. An industrial plant trial was conducted based on the numerical simulation scheme showed that key performance indicators deteriorated as the number of clogged tuyeres increased. With three clogged tuyeres, the average end-point oxygen content reached 0.0669wt%, which was 22.1% higher than that under non-clogged conditions. Concurrently, the total iron content in the slag reached 19.44%, a 24.5% increase compared to the non-clogged baseline.
    Effect of tempering temperature on precipitates, microstructure, and mechanical properties of quenched Cu-Cr-Ni ultra-high strength weathering steel
    Tingting YU Yongcheng MIAO Ke ZHANG Jinghui LI Mingya ZHANG Yong LI Zhong HUANG Hongbo PAN
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  518-526.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225162
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    In this study, a quenched Cu-Cr-Ni high-strength weathering steel was investigated. The effects of tempering temperature on its microstructure, strength-toughness balance, and precipitates were examined via optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), combined with tensile tests, low-temperature impact tests, and other characterization methods. The results showed that as the tempering temperature increased from 500℃ to 600℃, the microstructure of the experimental steel transformed from lath-shaped tempered sorbite to non-lath morphology. The fraction of rod-like cementite decreased, while that of spheroidized cementite increased, and the size of MC (M=Ti, Nb, V, Mo) precipitates became smaller. Consequently, the yield strength and tensile strength decreased from 935 MPa and 958 MPa to 866 MPa and 888 MPa, respectively, whereas the impact energy at -40℃ and total elongation increased continuously, reaching their maximum values of 280 J and 5.0% at 600℃. When tempered at 550℃, the experimental steel exhibited a yield strength of 895 MPa, a tensile strength of 921 MPa, an elongation of 4.3%, and an impact energy of 271 J at -40℃, demonstrating an comparatively good combination of strength and toughness. This improvement is mainly attributed to the spheroidization of cementite and the uniformly dispersed fine MC precipitates, which alleviate stress concentration. In addition, the tempering-induced softening of the acicular ferrite (α) matrix contributes to the enhanced toughness.
    Hydrogen-bonded networks and N2O/N2 adsorption separation performance of pyridinecarboxylate guanidinium HOFs
    Lina JIA Shiyao CHEN Guoying ZHAO Changyu SUN
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  527-538.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.226111
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    Efficient capture of the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) is of great significance for mitigating climate change and resource recovery. In this study, two guanidinium-based hydrogen-bonded organic frameworks (HOFs) with pyridyl nitrogen site isomerism, namely G-5,5'-BPyDC and G-4,4'-BPyDC, were successfully constructed using 2,2'-bipyridine-5,5'-dicarboxylic acid and 2,2'-bipyridine-4,4'-dicarboxylic acid as ligands. The effects of ligand structure on the hydrogen-bonded network, pore environment, and N2O/N2 adsorption and separation performance were systematically investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Hirshfeld surface analysis, and gas adsorption experiments. The results showed that both frameworks were constructed via N-H…O hydrogen bonds. However, the asymmetric unit of G-5,5'-BPyDC contained two methanol molecule, and its free volume and surface area were larger than those of G-4,4'-BPyDC, while the latter exhibited a more compact molecular packing. Both materials exhibited an decomposition temperature above 290℃, showing good thermal stability. Hirshfeld surface analysis revealed that the total contribution of O-H/H-O and N-H/H-N hydrogen bonds in G-5,5'-BPyDC (32.0%) was higher than that in G-4,4'-BPyDC (29.7%). At 25℃ and 4.0 MPa, the N2O adsorption capacity of G-5,5'-BPyDC was 2.32 mmol/g, higher than that of G-4,4'-BPyDC (2.02 mmol/g). IAST calculations indicate that the selectivities of G-5,5'-BPyDC for N2O/N2 (50∶50 and 10∶90) mixtures reached 29.26 and 111.32, respectively, significantly superior to those of G-4,4'-BPyDC (6.61 and 17.03). In conclusion, pyridyl nitrogen site isomerism can effectively optimize N2O/N2 adsorption and separation performance by modulating the pore polarity and hydrogen-bonded network of the frameworks, providing a new strategy for isomer design.
    Preparation and oil-water separation performance of PVDF membranes co-modified with dopamine and polyvinyl alcohol
    Shulei PANG Haitao WU Han SUN Yanmao DONG
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  539-549.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225172
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    In the face of large amounts of oily wastewater generated by oil extraction and human activities, the development of efficient oil-water separation technology is an urgent requirement for ensuring ecological and environmental safety and the sustainable use of resources. Membrane separation technology has become one of the effective solutions for oily wastewater treatment due to its advantages of high efficiency and convenience. To improve the hydrophilic/oleophobic properties of hydrophobic separation membranes, this study employed polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hydrophobic membranes with good mechanical properties as the substrate. Through a biomimetic coating method, dopamine (DA) was first polymerized to form polydopamine (PDA) on the surface of PVDF membranes, which then reacted with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) to form a dense hydrophilic layer, thus preparing modified membranes with hydrophilic/oleophobic surface properties. The morphology and composition of the modified membranes were characterised by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The oil-water separation performance of the modified membranes was comprehensively evaluated by determining the water contact angle, underwater oil contact angle, emulsion flux, and oil rejection. The results showed that the modified membrane M3, prepared under the optimal process conditions, achieved a pure water flux of 4893.2±70.2 L/(m2?h), an emulsion flux of 2138.1±29.4 L/(m2?h) for toluene-in-water emulsion, and an oil rejection of 98.5%±0.1%. Simulated fouling and regeneration tests using bovine serum albumin (BSA) solution indicated that the flux recovery rate of the M3 membrane reached 92.0%, exhibiting good antifouling performance. Immersion tests in acid, alkali, and salt solutions demonstrated that the modified membrane possessed excellent chemical stability. The PVDF modified membranes designed and prepared in this study exhibits the advantages of simplicity, environmental friendliness, and high efficiency, demonstrating excellent application potential in the field of oil-water separation. This work provides a new approach for the research and preparation of oil-water separation membranes.
    Simulation and optimization of pre-concentration extractive distillation for the separation of acetonitrile-n-propanol-water ternary azeotropic system
    Shoushi BO Meiyu WANG Ying LI Lanyi SUN
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  550-560.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225195
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    In the industrial wastewater treatment sector of chemical engineering, the separation of multicomponent azeotropic mixtures remains a persistent challenge. This complexity arises from the intricate phase equilibrium behavior of these systems, which involves minimum/maximum boiling azeotropes and liquid-liquid phase separation. Pharmaceutical wastewater, often contains a ternary mixture of acetonitrile, n-propanol, and water. This mixture exhibits significant non-ideality and multiple azeotropic points, including binary azeotropes for acetonitrile-water, n-propanol-water, and acetonitrile-n-propanol pairs, as well as a ternary azeotrope. Thus, developing an energy-efficient separation process is essential. To address this issue, this study conducted a comprehensive investigation encompassing thermodynamic modeling, solvent screening, process design, and multi-objective optimization. A reliable thermodynamic framework was established using an activity coefficient model, and its validity was confirmed through experimental data verification, thereby ensuring the reliability of subsequent process simulations. Based on systematic analysis of vapor-liquid equilibrium diagrams, ethylene glycol was finally identified as the optimal extractant due to its optimal selectivity. Three distinct separation processes were developed: a conventional three-column distillation sequence, a four-column pre-concentration extractive distillation configuration, and an innovative three-column integrated pre-concentration extractive distillation system incorporating a thermally coupled column. Quantitative process evaluation was performed through multi-objective optimization using the improved nondominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II), with optimization targets comprising total annualized cost (TAC), CO2 emissions (E_(CO_2 )), and thermodynamic efficiency (η), subject to stringent purity constraints (≥99.9wt% for product components and ≥99.99wt% for extractant recycle). Optimization results showed the superior performance of the integrated three-column configuration, achieving 41.2% lower in TAC, 50.4% fewer CO2 emissions, and 102% higher thermodynamic efficiency than conventional approaches. This integrated preconcentration-extractive distillation process is established as an industrially viable, energy-efficient solution for acetonitrile-n-propanol-water separation that aligns with green chemistry principles.
    Study on anti-poisoning property and mechanism of rare earth superlattice hydrogen storage alloys
    Tianmeng HE Yajie ZHANG Xiaoyi XUE He ZHANG Shubin ZHANG Jinpeng WANG Hao WANG Yanrong LIU
    The Chinese Journal of Process Engineering. 2026, 26(5):  561-570.  DOI: 10.12034/j.issn.1009-606X.225264
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    The preparation cost of high-purity hydrogen is high, and the development and utilization of low-cost industrial by-product hydrogen as an alternative gas source is considered an effective way to significantly reduce hydrogen storage costs. Industrial by-product hydrogen typically contains components such as H2S and CO, but the poisoning mechanisms of these gases on the superlattice hydrogen storage alloy during hydrogen absorption and desorption are not well understood. This study systematically investigates the poisoning effects and regeneration behavior of La0.65Mg1.32Ca1.03Ni9Y0.17 superlattice hydrogen storage alloy in 10-3 H2S and CO atmospheres. The experiment adopts a 10 poisoning cycles+1 regeneration mode, with a total of 20 poisoning cycles and 2 pure hydrogen regenerations. The results show that the hydrogen storage capacity of this alloy gradually decreases after 22 cycles in pure hydrogen, but it can be effectively restored after dehydrogenation at 473 K. In the presence of impurity gases, the hydrogen storage capacity retention rates after 10 poisoning cycles with H2S and CO are 3.56% and 2.71%, respectively; after 20 cycles, these values decrease to 3.68% and 1.73%, respectively. After dehydrogenation at 473 K, the retention rates are restored to 40.35% and 98.27%. This indicates that the severity of poisoning by impurity gases follows the order: CO>H2S, while the difficulty of regeneration follows the order: H2S>CO. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that after poisoning, the main phase of the alloy changes from AB3 to AB3H, but it recovers after high-temperature dehydrogenation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results show that after poisoning by H2S, CaS and CaSO4 are formed on the surface of the hydrogen storage alloy, indicating irreversible chemical adsorption. In contrast, after poisoning by CO, no new substances are formed on the alloy surface, indicating that the poisoning effect is due to reversible adsorption. This study clarifies the differentiated poisoning mechanisms of various impurity gases and provides theoretical support for the application of rare-earth superlattice hydrogen storage alloys in complex atmospheres.