Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Microwave-assisted Synthesis of Acridine-1,8(2H,5H)-diones via a One-pot, Three Component Reaction162669110.30492/ijcce.2017.26691ENAhmad Poursattar MarjaniDepartment of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Urmia University, Urmia, I.R. IRANJabbar KhalafyDepartment of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Urmia University, Urmia, I.R. IRANMohyeddin ChitanDepartment of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Urmia University, Urmia, I.R. IRANSahar MahmoodiDepartment of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Urmia University, Urmia, I.R. IRANJournal Article20160313<em>A new and improved protocol for the synthesis, in good to excellent yields, of acridine-1,8(2H,5H)-diones is described, involving a one-pot, three component reaction of dimedone, arylglyoxals, and ammonium acetate in water under microwave irradiation.</em><br /> Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Kinetic Study of Reaction between Allyl Compounds of Mg and Ethylene: Computational Investigation7152669210.30492/ijcce.2017.26692ENElahe RajaeianDepartment of Chemistry Faculty of Science, East Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University,
P.O Bax 33955-163 Tehran, I.R. IRANAvat (Arman) TaherpourDepartment of Organic Chemistry, Razi University, P.O. Box 67149-67346 Kermanshah, I.R. IRANJournal Article20160716<em>The reactions of </em><em>propenyl magnesium halides</em><em> with ethylene were studied using ab initio calculations.</em> <em>The structure of the transition state and the ground state were evaluated and obtained the structural properties, theoretical thermodynamic and kinetic data i.e. rate constants of the reactions. The methods used for calculations are RHF, B3LYP and MP2 with 6-31G* basis set.</em> <em>The comparison of the thermodynamic and kinetic data of the reactions showed that the chemical affinity of reactants increases by increasing the bond length of Mg-X in three methods. Also </em><em>the results showed reactions would accelerate as increasing size of the halogen, by lowering or raising</em><em> the HOMO or LUMO energies and decreasing the HOMO-LUMO energy gap.</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Peroxynitric Acid: A Convenient Oxygen Source for Oxidation of Organic Compounds Catalyzed by Polyimide-Supported Manganese (III) Tetrakis(4-methoxylphenyl)porphyrin Acetate17282669310.30492/ijcce.2017.26693ENGholamreza KarimipourDepartment of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Yasouj University, P.O. box 75918-74831Yasouj, IRANZahra RafieeDepartment of Chemistry, Yasouj University, P.O. Box 75918-74831, I.R. IRANMassomeh BahramianDepartment of Chemistry, Yasouj University, P.O. Box 75918-74831, I.R. IRANJournal Article20141206<em>In this work, a polyimide (PI) containing triazole units was synthesized using 3,5-diamino-1,2,4-triazole and pyromellitic dianhydride in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone. This polymer was used as the support of manganese (III) tetrakis(4-methoxylphenyl)porphyrin acetate to attain a heterogeneous catalyst; namely Mn(T4-OMePP)OAc@PI. The synthesized PI and Mn(T4-OMePP)OAc@PI were characterized by different spectroscopic and analytical techniques. The resulted catalyst was applied for epoxidation of alkenes and dehydrogenation of Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridines (1,4-DHP) by peroxynitric acid (PNA; HOONO<sub>2</sub>) as a convenient new oxygen source. In association with HOONO<sub>2</sub>, Mn(T4-OMePP)OAc@PI was stable and proved to be an efficient, reusable and selective catalyst for epoxidation of alkenes (36-96% yield) and dehydrogenation of Hantzsch 1,4-DHP’s ( 94-100% yield).</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Photocatalytic Degradation of Endocrine Disruptor Compounds in Water over Immobilized TiO2 Photocatalysts29382669410.30492/ijcce.2017.26694ENK ZatloukalováInstitute of Environmental Technology and Faculty of Metallurgy and Material Engineering,
VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15/2172, 708 33 Ostrava – Poruba, Czech RepublicL. ObalováInstitute of Environmental Technology and Faculty of Metallurgy and Material Engineering,
VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15/2172, 708 33 Ostrava – Poruba, Czech RepublicKamila KočiInstitute of Environmental Technology and Faculty of Metallurgy and Material Engineering,
VŠB - Technical University of Ostrava, 17. listopadu 15/2172, 708 33 Ostrava – Poruba, Czech RepublicL. ČapekDepartment of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 95, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech RepublicZ. MatějDepartment of Condensed Matter Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University in Prague, Ke Karlovu 5, Prague 2 121 16, Czech RepublicH. ŠnajdhaufováInstitute of Chemical Process Fundamentals CAS, Rozvojová 135, Prague, Czech RepublicJ. RyczkowskiFaculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (UMCS), Pl. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 5, 20-031 Lublin, POLANDG. SłowikFaculty of Chemistry, Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (UMCS), Pl. M. Curie-Skłodowskiej 5, 20-031 Lublin, POLANDJournal Article20151106<em>Recently, the fate of endocrine disruptors in environmentally relevant samples has attracted considerable attention. Semiconductor photocatalysis may offer an appealing methodology to treat such contaminants. In this respect, the simultaneous degradation of synthetic hormones employing UV irradiation and TiO<sub>2</sub> as the photocatalyst were investigated. Our interest was focused on designing a photocatalytic reactor and finding a way to immobilize a powder photocatalyst by water-glass. The nanofiber powder photocatalyst NnF Ceram TiO<sub>2</sub> was chosen as powder photocatalysts based on TiO<sub>2</sub>. The material was characterized by N<sub>2</sub> adsorption/desorption, XRD, UV-Vis spectrometry, and TEM. The reaction kinetics of hormone decomposition corresponds to a first-order reaction rate. It was shown that progesterone and all types of estradiols were decomposed most effortlessly in the presence of NnF Ceram TiO<sub>2</sub> photocatalysts. On the other hand, the lowest conversion was reached for estrone and estriol. The photocatalysts based on TiO<sub>2</sub> immobilized by water-glass seems to be promising for photocatalytic water purification.</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Effects of Thymolphthalein on Thermo-Oxidative Stability of High Density Polyethylene in Melt and Solid States39482669510.30492/ijcce.2017.26695ENReza JahanmardiDepartment of Polymer Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, I.R. IRANParisa PourattarDepartment of Polymer Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, I.R. IRANHoda SoleimaniDepartment of Polymer Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University,
Tehran, I.R. IRANNazanin ShohaniDepartment of Polymer Engineering, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, I.R. IRANJournal Article20151010<em>The present work aimed to evaluate capability of a new molecular structure to stabilize polyethylene against thermal oxidation. Hence, effects of 3,3-bis(4-hydroxy-2-methyl-5-propan-2-ylphenyl)-2-benzofuran-1-one (thymolphthalein) on thermo-oxidative stability of high density polyethylene (HDPE) in both solid and melt states were investigated and compared with those of SONGNOX 1010, a commercially used phenolic antioxidant for the polymer. Oven ageing experiments at 90 </em>°C <em>followed by Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy showed that</em> <em>thymolphthalein at concentrations of 0.1-1.0 wt% improves thermo-oxidative stability of the polymer strongly in the solid state so that its stabilization efficiency is comparable to that of SONGNOX 1010. Furthermore, measurements of Oxidation Onset Temperature (OOT) and Oxidative Induction Time (OIT) of the polymer samples revealed that thymolphthalein modifies thermo-oxidative stability of the polymer in the melt state remarkably. So that, an increase in </em><em>OOT value of the polymer as large as 36<sup> ○</sup>C was obtained by addition of 0.1 wt% of thymolphthalein.</em><em>It was also confirmed that thymolphthalein does not interfere with the stabilization action of the phenolic</em><em>antioxidant in the polymer neither in melt nor in solid state. Finally, a mechanism for the stabilization</em><em> action of thymolphthalein in the polymer was proposed.</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Study on TiO2 Nanoparticles Distribution in Electrospun Polysulfone/TiO2 Composite Nanofiber49532669610.30492/ijcce.2017.26696ENDavood AlmasiYoung Researchers and Elite Club, Kermanshah Branch, Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah, I.R. IRANKaveh AbbasiDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Eslamabad-E-Gharb Branch, Islamic Azad University, Eslamabad-E-Gharb, Kermanshah, I.R. IRANNaznin SultanaFaculty of Biosciences and Medical Engineering and Advanced Membrane Technology Research Centre, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, MALAYSIAWoei Jye LauAdvanced Membrane Technology Research Centre (AMTEC), University Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Skudai, Johor, MALAYSIAJournal Article20160225<em>Composite nanofibers composed of an organic polymer and inorganic nanomaterials have huge potential to be used in different industrial applications. However, the main concern on the use of composite nanofibers is the distribution properties of nanomaterials in the polymeric matrix. The effect of the capillary tip charge on the additive distribution in the electrospun nanofiber has been previously studied and can be found in the literature. In this study, focus is placed on the investigation of TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles (TiO<sub>2</sub> NPs) distribution in the polysulfone (PSF) nanofiber. X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) was conducted to measure the percentage of TiO<sub>2</sub> on the surface of the prepared PSF/TiO<sub>2</sub> composite nanofiber. The results showed that there was no TiO<sub>2</sub> NPs on the surface of the nanofiber for up to 10 nm in depth. TiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles were mainly found in the center of the nanofiber due to the accumulation of the hydrophobic PSF at the surface of the composite nanofiber. The findings of this work can provide better interpretation of the impact of the interfacial tension on the distribution of the inorganic nanomaterials in the electrospun nanofiber.</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Chitosan/Poly(Amide-Imide) Blend Films: Studies on Thermal and Mechanical Stability, Morphology and Biodegradability55702669710.30492/ijcce.2017.26697ENMahdiyeh GhasemiDepartment of Chemistry, Semnan University, Semnan, I.R. IRANElaheh KowsariDepartment of Chemistry, Amirkabir University of Technology, Tehran, IranAli AmoozadehDepartment of Chemistry, Semnan University, Semnan, I.R. IRANJournal Article20160405<em>A diacid monomer was synthesized by the condensation of L-tryptophan amino acid and pyromellitic dianhydride (PMDA). The diacid was utilized for the synthesis of three types of poly(amide-imide)s (PAIs) using three different kinds of diamines. The synthesized monomer and PAIs were characterized using FT-IR, <sup>1</sup>H-NMR and <sup>13</sup>C-NMR spectroscopies and the PAIs were also used for the fabrication of chitosan (CS)/PAI blend films. XRD patterns of the PAIs, CS and CS/PAI blend films were also studied. Thermal stability of PAIs, CS and CS/PAI samples were studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The blend samples showed a higher thermal stability compared to the CS film, especially at higher temperatures. Morphology of the CS and blend CS/PAI films were studied before and after the biodegradation by SEM. The mechanical stability studies showed that blend CS/PAI films had a proper mechanical strength and their young’s modulus increased compared to the pristine chitosan. The in vitro fungal colonization of</em><em>diacid monomer, PAIs, pure CS and blend CS/PAI samples </em><em>were performed using Aspergillus niger fungi. After biodegradation,</em><em> the pure CS showed the highest weight loss of 21.2 wt % among </em><em>the samples. The blend CS/PAI samples also showed higher weight losses compared to the pure PAIs.</em><br /> Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Preparation of Carbon Molecular Sieves from Pistachio Shell and Walnut Shell for Kinetic Separation of Carbon Monoxide, Hydrogen, and Methane71802669810.30492/ijcce.2017.26698ENZahra MousaviDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Islamic Azad University, Tehran North Branch, Tehran, I.R. IRANHamid Reza BozorgzadehGas Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), Tehran, I.R. IRANJournal Article20170801<em>In this study, two Carbon Molecular Sieves using Pistachio shell (CMS P) and </em><em>Walnut shell (CMS W) were prepared by a chemical vapor deposition method and used for pressure swing</em><em> adsorption and separation of CO/H<sub>2</sub> and CO/CH<sub>4</sub>. Adsorption isotherms of gases obtained for both CMS’s. The Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherm model was used for comparing pore volume of CMS’s. The obtained isotherms for both CMS were compared with Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms. It was observed that Freundlich equation can better correlate the experimental data. The adsorption capacity of each CMS and selectivity of them for separation of CO/H<sub>2</sub> and CO/CH<sub>4</sub> were obtained with the aid of kinetic studies. In comparison with CMS W, CMS P showed higher adsorption capacity values for gases, but lower selectivity for separation of them. Finally by fitting experimental data to a pseudo second-order equation, adsorption capacities at equilibrium <br />were obtained for abovementioned gases on both CMS’s.</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Study the Transport Properties of Anion and Cation Exchange Membranes toward Various Ions Using Chronopotentiometry81872669910.30492/ijcce.2017.26699ENAmir MansoorAshrafiMembrain Innovation Center, Pod Vinicí 87, 471 27 Stráž pod Ralskem, CZECH RepublicMustakeem MustakeemMembrain Innovation Center, Pod Vinicí 87, 471 27 Stráž pod Ralskem, CZECH RepublicNedela DavidMembrain Innovation Center, Pod Vinicí 87, 471 27 Stráž pod Ralskem, CZECH RepublicJournal Article20160204<em>The transport properties of various anion and cation exchange membranes </em><em>were studied in different electrolyte solutions using chronopotentiometry technique to get insight about</em><em> the influence of the counter ion on the transport properties of the membranes. The investigated samples include heterogeneous ion exchange membranes varying in the functionality of fixed charged groups, physical properties of the polymer and the preparation procedure. Chloride and nitrate were investigated as counter-ion in their sodium salts for anion exchange membranes while sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium were selected as counter-ion in their chloride salts </em><em>to study cation exchange membranes transport properties. First, the current – voltage curve of </em><em>an ion</em><em> exchange membrane in a given solution was recorded to obtain the limiting current, then a constant</em><em> current above the limiting current was used for chronopotentiometry measurement. In all the studied membranes the potential across the membrane remained constant for a time interval called the transition time </em><em>, when a constant current was applied. Then the potential increased rapidly to reach the steady state potential. The permselectivty and the transport number of a membrane were calculated using the corresponding transition time.</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Optimization of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Performance by Geometrical Changes891062670010.30492/ijcce.2017.26700ENNima AhmadiMechanical Engineering Department, Urmia University of Technology, Urmia, I.R. IRANSajad RezazadehMechanical Engineering Department, Urmia University of Technology, Urmia, I.R. IRANMehdi Asgharikia,Mechanical Engineering Department, Elm-o-Fan University of Technology, Urmia, I.R. IRANEhsan ShabahangniaMechanical Engineering Department, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Mashhad, I.R. IRANJournal Article20140912Three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics in house-code of a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) has been developed. The conservation equations are numerically solved using finite volume technique. One of the important goals of this research is the<em> investigation of the variation of bipolar plates width effect on the fuel cell performance compared </em>with the conventional model, which is highlighted in the results section with more details. Additionally, in the following, we investigated numerically and experimentally, the effect of posing the single prominence on the GDL layers in the middle of the gas channels. The result indicates the noticeable increase in current density at the same voltages, by comparing with the base model. Also, the optimum size of the prominences is obtained from experiments and simulations. To validate the<em> numerical procedure and experimental tests, the results compared with available experimental data </em><em>which show good agreement.</em><br /> Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Influence of Nanoparticles Phenomena on the Peristaltic Flow of Pseudoplastic Fluid in an Inclined Asymmetric Channel with Different Wave Forms1071242670110.30492/ijcce.2017.26701ENSafia AkramDepartment of Basic Sciences, MCS, National University of Sciences and technology, Islamabad, PakistanSohail NadeemDepartment of Mathematics, Quaid-i-Azam University 45320, Islamabad 44000, PAKISTANJournal Article20141208The influence of nanofluid with different wave forms in the presence of inclined asymmetric channel on peristaltic transport of a pseudoplastic fluid is examined. The governing equations for two dimensional and two directional flows of a pseudoplastic fluid along with nanofluid are modeled and then simplified under the assumptions of long wavelength and low Reynolds number approximation. The exact solutions for temperature and nano particle volume fraction are calculated. Series solution of the stream function and pressure gradient are carried out using perturbation technique. The flow quantities have been examined for various physical parameters of interest. It was found that the magnitude value of the velocity profile decreases with an increase in Q and Z<em> and increases in sinusoidal, multisinsoidal, trapezoidal and triangular waves. It was also observed that the size of the trapping bolus decreases with the decrease in the width of the channel d and increases with an increase in</em><em>x</em><em>.</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Flow Pattern and Oil Holdup Prediction in Vertical Oil–Water Two–Phase Flow Using Pressure Fluctuation Signal1251412670210.30492/ijcce.2017.26702ENSadra AziziDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Yasouj University, P.O. Box 75914-353 Yasouj, I.R. IRANHajir KarimiDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Yasouj University, P.O. Box 75914-353 Yasouj, I.R. IRANParviz DarvishiDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Yasouj University, P.O. Box 75914-353 Yasouj, I.R. IRANJournal Article20140724<em>In this work, the feasibility of flow pattern and oil hold up the prediction for vertical upward oil–water two–phase flow using pressure fluctuation signals was experimentally investigated. Water </em><em>and diesel fuel were selected as immiscible liquids. Oil hold up was measured by Quick Closing Valve (QCV)</em><em> technique, and five flow patterns were identified using high-speed photography through a transparent test section with Inner Diameter (ID) of 0.0254 m. The observed flow patterns were Dispersed Oil in Water (D O/W), Dispersed Water in Oil (D W/O), Transition Flow (TF), Very Fine</em><em>Dispersed Oil in Water (VFD O/W) and a new flow pattern called Dispersed Oil Slug & Water in Water</em><em> (D OS& W/W). The pressure fluctuation signals were also measured by a static pressure sensor and decomposed at five levels using wavelet transform. Then, standard deviation values of decomposition levels were used as input parameters of a Probabilistic Neural Network (PNN) to train the network for predicting the flow patterns. In addition, some considered numerical values for actual flow patterns together with the signal energy value of each level were used as input parameters of a MultiLayer Perceptron (MLP) network to estimate the oil holdup. The results indicated good accuracy for recognition of the flow patterns (accuracy of 100% and 95.8% for training data and testing data, respectively) and oil holdup (AAPE=9.6%, R=0.984 for training data and AAPE=8.07%, R=0.99 for testing data).</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Adsorption Kinetics and Equilibrium Studies of Reactive Red 198 Dye by Cuttlefish Bone Powder1431512670310.30492/ijcce.2017.26703ENMahboobeh DehvariDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health,
Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, I.R. IRANMohammad Hassan EhrampoushDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health,
Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, I.R. IRANMohammad TaghiGhaneianDepartment of environmental health, faculty of public health, Shahid Sadoughi University of medical sciences, Yazd, I.R. IRANBehzad JamshidiDepartment of Environmental Health Engineering, Faculty of Public Health,
Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, I.R. IRANMasoumeh TabatabaeeDepartment of Chemistry, Yazd Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yazd, I.R. IRANJournal Article20140903<em>In this research, the removal of Reactive Red 198 dye (RR-198) by Cuttlefish bone powder was investigated. The adsorbent was prepared in laboratory conditions and ground </em><em>by ASTM standard sieves (60-100 mesh). The progress of the process is monitored spectrophotometrically</em><em> by measuring the absorbance of dye at 518 nm wavelength. In addition, the effects of process parameters such as adsorbent dose, pH, initial </em><em>dye concentration, and contact time have been investigated. The SEM micrographs and the XRD pattern showed that the cuttlefish bone has the clearly seen pores on its surface and a crystallized form. According to the results, by increasing adsorbent dose and retention time, dye removal efficiency was increased considerably.The adsorption isotherm for initial dye concentration (50 mg/L) was in good concordance with the Langmuir and Freundlich models. The adsorption kinetic studies revealed that the adsorption of RR198 dye complied with pseudo-second-order kinetic.</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Online Composition Prediction of a Debutanizer Column Using Artificial Neural Network1531742670410.30492/ijcce.2017.26704ENNasser Mohammed RamliChemical Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Bandar Seri Iskandar,
31750 Tronoh, Perak, MALAYSIAMohd AzlanHussainChemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya,50603 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIABadrul Mohamed JanChemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya,50603 Kuala Lumpur, MALAYSIABawadi AbdullahChemical Engineering Department, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar,
31750 Tronoh, Perak, MALAYSIAJournal Article20140101<em>The current method for composition measurement of an industrial distillation column includes an offline method, which is slow, tedious and could lead to inaccurate results. Among advantages of using online composition designed are to overcome the long time delay introduced by laboratory sampling and provide better estimation, which is suitable for online monitoring purposes. This paper presents the use of an online dynamic neural network to simultaneously predict n-butane composition of the top and bottom products of an industrial debutanizer columns. Principal component and partial least square analysis are used to determine the important variables surrounding the column prior to implementing the neural network. It is due to the different types of data available for the plant, which requires proper screening in determining the right input variables to the dynamic model. Statistical analysis is used as a model adequacy test for the composition prediction of n-butane in the column. Simulation results demonstrated that the Artificial Neural Network (ANN) can reliably predict the online composition of n-butane of </em><em>the column. It is further confirmed by the statistical analysis with low Root Mean Square Error (RMSE)</em><em> value indicating better prediction.</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Simulation and Control of a Methanol-To-Olefins (MTO) Laboratory Fixed-Bed Reactor1751902670510.30492/ijcce.2017.26705ENAli FarziFaculty of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, I.R. IranMohammad Javad JomeaFaculty of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, I.R. IRANJournal Article20140530<em>In this research, modeling, simulation, and control of a methanol-to-olefins laboratory</em> fixed-bed reactor with electrical resistance furnace have been investigated in both steady-state and dynamic conditions. The reactor was modeled as a one-dimensional pseudo-homogeneous system. Then, the reactor was simulated at steady-state conditions and the effect of different parameters including inlet flow rate, inlet temperature and electrical resistance temperature on reactor performance was studied. Results showed that the most effective parameter is electrical resistance temperature. Thus, it was selected as manipulating variable for controlling product quality. In the next step, dynamic simulation of the process was performed and the effect of different disturbances on the dynamic behavior of the reactor was assessed. Finally, PID and Neural Network Model Predictive (NNMP) controllers were utilized for process control, and their performances were compared<em> to each other. The response of the control system to different disturbances and set point</em><em> changes showed that both PID and NNMP control systems can maintain the process at the desired conditions. PID controller had smaller rise time and no offset compared to NNMP controller while NNMP controller had smaller overshoot.</em>Iranian Institute of Research and Development in Chemical Industries (IRDCI)-ACECRIranian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering1021-998636220170501Upgradation of Recycled Pulp Using Endoglucanase Enzyme Produced by Pycnoporus sanguineus NFCCI-36281912012670610.30492/ijcce.2017.26706ENPiyush KumarVermaDepartment of Paper Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Saharanpur Campus, Saharanpur - 247 001, INDIANishi Kant BhardwajAvantha Centre for Industrial Research & Development, Paper Mill Campus, Yamuna Nagar - 135 001, INDIASurendra Pratap SinghDepartment of Paper Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Saharanpur Campus, Saharanpur - 247 001, INDIAJournal Article20150126<em>The importance of recycling and utilization of recycled fiber has recently been recognized because of concerns about environmental issues and economic aspects. In spite of several advantages offered by paper recycling such as wood savings through substitution of virgin pulp and reduction in chemical usage, recycled pulp also contains plenty of fines having high relative surface area and high amount of amorphous cellulose. These fines adsorb water to a large extent and dewatering rate is lower compared to virgin pulp. Selective hydrolysis of </em><em>these excess ultra-fines through eco-friendly cellulase enzymes can be utilized for enhancing the drainage</em><em> rate leading to increased paper production. The present study deals with the isolation, production, biochemical characterization of alkali stable endoglucanase enzyme from Pycnoporus sanguineus NFCCI-3628 and its potential application for the improvement of pulp drainage. The enzyme produced by the fungus was stable even in neutral to alkaline pH range 7-8. In the experiments carried out, significant improvement of ~9-14% in drain ability of pulp treated with endoglucanase enzyme was achieved along with better paper properties such as tensile index & smoothness.</em>