Optimisation of solvent replacement procedures according to economic and environmental criteria in pharmaceutical industry

During pharmaceutical syntheses, the reaction solvent has often to be switched off from one reaction step to the following one. Because of the standard industrial practices, solvent replacement generally constitutes a slow and high solvent-consuming operation. In this paper, a specific methodology, based on a batch processes optimisation framework, is proposed for the optimisation of solvent replacement procedures. Optimisation may be performed at different levels according to economic and environmental criteria and satisfying safety and waste treatment constraints. In fact, the proposed methodology allows both to design new procedures of solvent replacement and to improve existing industrial processes. Two industrial applications are detailed to emphasize the benefits related to this methodology. In each case, the proposed methodology leads to the suitable recipe from comparison of traditional and empirical replacement procedures generally used in the pharmaceutical industry

Lucía Miranda, mito de la cautiva blanca en el Río de la Plata, desde el siglo XVI hasta el siglo XX

La història de Lucía Miranda, la dona que la literatura argentina transformaria en el model de la captiva blanca en mans indígenes, apareix per primera vegada a Argentina. Historia del Descubrimiento y Conquista del Río de la Plata, escrit cap a 1612 per Ruy Díaz de Guzmán. Serà després tema de novel·les històriques, com les de Eduarda Mansilla i Rosa Guerra al segle XIX. El relat original hauria d'incloure's en els documents referits a l'expedició de Sebastián Gaboto al Riu de la Plata (1526-1529) i, específicament, a la destrucció del fort Sancti Spíritus; no obstant això, en els documents consultats del segle XVI, referits a aquests fets, el mite no apareix. Proposo analitzar aquests documents inicials, ignorats per la crítica literària, per indagar les operacions retòric-ideològiques que es troben en la gènesi textual del mite de Lucía Miranda i constatar la persistència d'una matriu de sentit associada a la dona i la colonialitat que perdura en el temps, en les successives reescriptures de la història.Lucía Miranda’s story, the woman who Argentine literature would transform into the stereotype of the white captive into indigenous hands, appears for the first time in Argentina. Historia del Descubrimiento y Conquista del Río de la Plata, written around 1612 by Ruy Díaz de Guzmán. It would later be the subject of historical novels, as the Eduarda Mansilla’s and Rosa Guerra’s in the 19th century. The original story must be included in the documents referring the Sebastián Gaboto expedition to Río de la Plata (1526-1529) and, specifically, the destruction of Sancti Spíritus fort; however the myth does not appear in consulted documents from the 16th century that talk about those facts. I propose to analyze these initial documents, ignored by literary studies, to analyze the rhetorical-ideological operations in the textual genesis of Lucía Miranda’s myth and to verify the persistence of a sense associated with femininity and coloniality that lasts in time, in the successive rewritings of history.La historia de Lucía Miranda, la mujer que la literatura argentina transformaría en el modelo de la cautiva blanca en manos indígenas, aparece por primera vez en Argentina. Historia del Descubrimiento y Conquista del Río de la Plata, escrito hacia 1612 por Ruy Díaz de Guzmán. Será luego tema de novelas históricas, como las de Eduarda Mansilla y Rosa Guerra en el siglo XIX. El relato original debería incluirse en los documentos referidos a la expedición de Sebastián Gaboto al Río de la Plata (1526-1529) y, específicamente, a la destrucción del fuerte Sancti Spíritus; sin embargo, en los documentos consultados del siglo XVI, referidos a esos hechos, el mito no aparece. Propongo analizar estos documentos iniciales, ignorados por la crítica literaria, para indagar las operaciones retórico-ideológicas que se encuentran en la génesis textual del mito de Lucía Miranda y constatar la persistencia de una matriz de sentido asociada a la mujer y la colonialidad que perdura en el tiempo, en las sucesivas reescrituras de la historia

Las TIC en la enseñanza: Un estudio de casos desde el enfoque biográfico-narrativo

Aquesta recerca posa el focus en l'ús educatiu i apropiació de les TIC a partir de la distribució gratuïta d'un ordinador a cada nen uruguaià (Pla CEIBAL), proposant una indagació des d'una mirada crítica sobre com els docents, en tant subjectes-autors en les seves pràctiques d'ensenyament, les han resistit, articulat, o inclòs apropiat. Es procura explicitar la riquesa de l'experiència docent actualment desaprofitada, no visible, ignorada, que es produeix en la intimitat de les aules.Com enfocament específic de recerca educativa es desenvoluparà des d’un enfocament biogràfic narratiu Bolívar (2001) a partir d'entrevistes narratives. La identitat narrativa que defineix als mestres es va formant en la mesura que es construeix i reconstrueix el relat.This research focuses on the educational use and acquisition of ICT, started by the free distribution of one computer to each Uruguayan child (CEIBAL Plan), which showed the need for a critical study of how teachers, subjects-authors of teaching practices, have acquired, articulated and included or rejected them. It is our aim, to show clearly how rich teaching experience is being ignored and wasted inside the classroom.The narrative biographic approach will be used as a research method to take into consideration the narrative interviews. The narrative identity that defines the teachers, is being formed along the construction and re- construction of the narration.Esta investigación pone el foco en el uso educativo y apropiación de las TIC a partir de la distribución gratuita de una computadora a cada niño uruguayo (Plan CEIBAL) proponiendo una indagación desde una mirada crítica acerca de cómo los docentes, en tanto sujetos-autores en sus prácticas de enseñanza, las han resistido, articulado, incluido o apropiado. Se procura explicitar la riqueza de la experiencia docente actualmente desperdiciada, no visible, ignorada, que se produce en la intimidad de las aulas.Como enfoque específico de investigación educacional se desarrollará desde el un enfoque biográfico narrativo Bolívar (2001) a partir de entrevistas narrativas. La identidad narrativa que define a los maestros, se va formando en la medida que se construye y reconstruye el relato

Dynamic Behaviour of a Continuous Heat Exchanger/Reactor after Flow Failure

The intensified technologies offer new prospects for the development of hazardous chemical syntheses in safer conditions: the idea is to reduce the reaction volume by increasing the thermal performances and preferring the continuous mode to the batch one. In particular, the Open Plate Reactor (OPR) type “reactor/ exchanger” also including a modular block structure, matches these characteristics perfectly. The aim of this paper is to study the OPR behaviour during a normal operation, that is to say, after a stoppage of the circulation of the cooling fluid. So, an experiment was carried out, taking the oxidation of sodium thiosulfate with hydrogen peroxide as an example. The results obtained, in particular with regard to the evolution of the temperature profiles of the reaction medium as a function of time along the apparatus, are compared with those predicted by a dynamic simulator of the OPR. So, the average heat transfer coefficient regarding the “utility” fluid is evaluated in conductive and natural convection modes, and then integrated in the simulator. The conclusion of this study is that, during a cooling failure, a heat transfer by natural convection would be added to the conduction, which contributes to the intrinsically safer character of the apparatus

The maison europeenne des procedes innovants (MEPI),an example of piloting and industrial demonstration facility for the green process engineering

Abstract. Economical, energy savings and environmental challenges require an actual technological breakthrough in process engineering, aiming with productivity, product quality, safety and reliability objectives. This explains the present growth of interest in innovative technologies (intensified devices for reaction, mixing and separation) and methods (multifunctionality, hybrid separation, batch to continuous methodology, new media …), the whole being recognized as Process Intensification. Up to now, a few of innovations has been successfully industrialized, probably due to the lack of experience and retrofitting in front of a breakthrough that always represents a technical and financial risk. There is now clearly a need for industrial demonstrations of successful PI experiments avoiding the questions of confidentiality. Consequently, a piloting and demonstration facility has been created in Toulouse in order to accelerate the implementation of PI technology in industry and the development of the Green Process Engineering. The idea is to build a data bank of success stories. The principle of this industrial technical platform lies on the association of 3 types of partners: university, equipment providers and industrial end-users

Silicon carbide equipments for process intensification of silicon reactions.

Bluestar Silicones, one of the worldwide leaders in silicones chemistry, proposes a R&D project, aiming to design new equipment for the transposition of batch to continuous processes. The safety and environmental issues linked to this type of chemicals, and the productivity targets as well require innovative technologies characterized by a fair corrosion resistance and high heat and mass transfer performances. A preliminary prototype of heat exchanger reactor made of silicon carbide plates has been developed by the LGC in collaboration with a SME specialist of SiC, Boostec. It has allowed the pilot feasibility with some reactions of industrial interest for a Bluestar Silicones to be highlighted. Now, it is necessary to pursue this effort and beyond the feasibility step to go on up to the design of an industrial reactor. This project corresponds to a programme of innovative process development in order to design cleaner, safer and less consuming devices

Measurement-based Run-to-run Optimization of a Batch Reaction-distillation System

Measurement-based optimization schemes have been developed to deal with uncertainty and process variations. One of the methods therein, labeled NCO tracking, relies on appropriate parameterization of the input profiles and adjusts the corresponding input parameters using measurements so as to satisfy the necessary conditions of optimality (NCO). The applicability of NCO-tracking schemes has been demonstrated on several academic-size examples. The goal of this paper is to show that it can be applied with similar ease to more complex real-life systems. Run-to-run optimization of a batch reaction-separation system with propylene glycol is used for illustration

Dynamic models for start-up operations of batch distillation columns with experimental validation

The simulation of batch distillation columns during start-up operations is a very challenging modelling problem because of the complex dynamic behaviour. Only few rigorous models for distillation columns start-up are available in literature and generally required a lot of parameters related to tray or pack geometry. On an industrial viewpoint, such a complexity penalizes the achievement of a fast and reliable estimate of start-up periods. In this paper, two “simple” mathematical models are proposed for the simulation of the dynamic behaviour during start-up operations from an empty cold state. These mathematical models are based on a rigorous tray-by-tray description of the column described by conservation laws, liquid–vapour equilibrium relationships and equations representative of hydrodynamics. The models calibration and validation are studied through experiments carried out on a batch distillation pilot plant, with perforated trays, supplied by a water methanol mixture. The proposed models are shown by comparison between simulation and experimental studies to provide accurate and reliable representations of the dynamic behaviour of batch distillation column start-ups, in spite of the few parameters entailed

Optimisation of operating conditions in batch for more sustainable continuous process transposition

Implementation of exothermic and fast reactions requires a perfect temperature control to avoid thermal runaway and in most cases to limit by-products production. In order to fit with the heat removal capacity of common devices, expensive strategies are currently used to slow down this kind of reactions in order to avoid a strong temperature increase such as reactants dilution. Within the concept of process intensification, industries could move towards more sustainable process by reducing technology constraints to the benefit of chemistry. For that purpose, a two-step methodology is implemented. The first step consists in the optimisation of the operating conditions only based on stoichio-chemical scheme and kinetic laws. This is carried out by adjusting temperature profile and feeding rate strategy in a batch operation. Then a design for a continuous process is proposed, trying to approach the optimal batch operating conditions. This methodology is applied to the linear alkylbenzene sulfonation

Las TIC en la enseñanza : un estudio de casos desde el enfoque biográfico-narrativo

Esta investigación pone el foco en el uso educativo y en la apropiación de las TIC a partir de la distribución gratuita de una computadora para cada niño uruguayo (Plan Ceibal). Se realiza una indagación, desde una mirada crítica, acerca de cómo los docentes, en tanto sujetos autores en sus prácticas de enseñanza, se han resistido a ellas, las han articulado, las han incluido en el aula o se las han apropiado. Se procura explicitar la riqueza de la experiencia docente, actualmente desperdiciada, no visible, ignorada, que se produce en la intimidad de las aulas. Como enfoque específico de investigación educacional, se desarrollará un enfoque biográfico- narrativo (Bolívar, 2001) a partir de entrevistas. La identidad narrativa que define a los maestros se va formando en la medida en que se construye y se reconstruye el relato.Aquesta recerca posa el focus en l'ús educatiu i l'apropiació de les TIC a partir de la distribució gratuïta d'un ordinador per a cada nen uruguaià (Pla CEIBAL). S'hi proposa una indagació, des d'una mirada crítica, sobre com els docents, en tant que subjectes autors en les seves pràctiques d'ensenyament, s'hi han resistit, les han articulades, les han incloses a l'aula o se n'han apropiat. Es procura explicitar-hi la riquesa de l'experiència docent, actualment desaprofitada, no visible, ignorada, que es produeix en la intimitat de les classes. Com a enfocament específic de recerca educativa, l'article es desenvoluparà mitjançant un enfocament biograficonarratiu (Bolívar, 2001) a partir d'entrevistes. La identitat narrativa que defineix els mestres es va formant en la mesura que el relat es va construint i reconstruint.This research focuses on the educational use and acquisition of ICT, started by the free distribution of one computer to each Uruguayan child (CEIBAL plan), which showed the need for a critical study of how teachers, subjects authors of teaching practices, have acquired, articulated and included or rejected them. It is our aim, to show clearly how rich teaching experience is being ignored and wasted inside the classroom. The narrative biographic approach will be used as a research method to take into consideration the narrative interviews. The narrative identity that defines the teachers, is being formed along the construction and re-construction of the narration