Abstract. Cultural differences play a very important role in matching computer interfaces to the expectations of users from different national and cultural backgrounds. But to date, there has been little systematic research as to the extent of such differences, and how to produce software that automatically takes into account these differences. We are studying these issues using a unique resource: Common Sense knowledge bases in different languages. Our research points out that this kind of knowledge can help computer systems to consider cultural differences. We describe our experiences with knowledge bases containing thousands of sentences describing people and everyday activities, collected from volunteer Web contributors in three different cultures: Brazil, Mexico and the USA, and software which automatically searches for cultural differences amongst the three cultures, alerting the user to potential differences.
Some aspects related to the design of reactive distillation columns with a reacting core are addressed in this paper. A set of transformed composition variables proposed in a previous paper is used to develop both the design equations and the reactive residue curve maps for quaternary reacting mixtures. Also, conventional residue curve maps are employed to achieve a better physical and conceptual insight into the relationships between the different constitutive parts of a column with a reacting core. Limitations in product specifications of entirely reactive distillation columns are explained by means of reactive residue curve maps, and a new feasibility criterion of a given separation for reactive columns with a reacting core is also developed on the basis of the two extreme operation conditions of a column. Finally, the behavior of column profiles for both high-conversion and low-conversion cases is analyzed and optimal product specifications are suggested to obtain high purity products. As we concluded in previous works, the inerts have a central role in both the design and synthesis of a reactive distillation column. All the concepts are applied to azeotrope-forming mixtures.
During the past decade, several authors worked in the development of methods to cope with
different steps of the design and synthesis of batch distillation systems. Among these methods,
the conceptual design is based both on the thermodynamic analysis of residue curve maps and
on the behavior of composition profiles in batch columns operating at limiting operating
conditions, i.e., infinite number of stages and total reflux. In this work, we apply the conceptual
design approach to design the recovery of 2-propanol from a mixture containing water by using
cyclohexane as entrainer. All the computations were performed through an integration of these
methods in a software tool for conceptual design.
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