2008 ConocoPhillips Energy Prize FinalistDr. Miguel Bagajewicz for the Acoustic Mass Pump |
This concept is aimed at developing an Acoustic Mass Pump for the separation of different mixtures, including propane-propylene and enantiomers, among others. The technique also may be competitive for more simple applications, such as alcohol-water, multi-component mixtures of hydrocarbons and desalination.
Preliminary calculations indicate that the technology is competitive in cost because of its reduced energy expenditure. The mechanism proposed is analogous to thermo-acoustic engines. It consists of a chamber in which an acoustic pressure wave is made resonate. The pressure wave induces temperature and density oscillations. A double membrane is placed on top, and inside the space between these membranes there is a fluid connected to two reservoirs. In one end, a rich reservoir contains a mixture rich in one of the components to separate. In the other end, a lean reservoir contains a mixture lean in the same component. Under certain conditions of concentration gradient and oscillation frequency, the pressure wave induces a flux of the key component from the lean reservoir to the rich reservoir, a flow against the concentration gradient. To maintain the concentration of both reservoirs constant, the feed solution is used. In addition, two product streams are obtained from each reservoir, thus maintaining steady-state conditions.
Refineries, petrochemical, pharmaceutical and other specialty-chemicals industries can benefit from this technology by placing within reach some separations that looked almost impossible. The broader impact is improved efficiency and both initial and operational cost reduction for the processing industry. The technology also can be a good separation technique for complex mixtures, such as hydrocarbons found in crude and refinery fractionation, which are highly energy intensive. |
| About the Finalist |
| Dr. Miguel Bagajewicz is the Sam Wilson professor of chemical engineering at the University of Oklahoma. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Argentina and a Master of Science and doctorate from the California Institute of Technology. He was a member of the staff of the National Research Council and an associate professor in Argentina. He also worked at Simulation Science in California, where he participated in the development of Datacon. He is the author of several publications on data reconciliation and gross error detection, as well as in instrumentation network design and upgrade. On this last subject, he is the author of the only book that reviews the field and presents the cost-optimal paradigm. He also has several publications in the area of heat integration, crude fractionation design (including patents), acoustics-based separations, water management in process plant, product design, and financial risk in engineering design and operations. |
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