The application of heterogeneous catalysts to industrial processes is a key factor in the synthesis of nearly all chemicals currently produced, however billions of pounds are lost every year due to unplanned reactor shutdowns and catalyst replacement as a result of catalytic deactivation processes. Poisoning of heterogeneous catalysts by sulfur compounds is a particularly prominent class of deactivation processes, affecting a wide range of catalytic materials and catalytic reactions, including the industrially-prominent Haber-Bosch process for the synthesis of ammonia and steam reforming of methane for the synthesis of hydrogen. However, while the effects of sulfur adsorption on catalytic behaviour are often unmistakably apparent, the fundamental interactions leading to these effects are not yet well understood. The work presented in this thesis uses a combination of models systems, novel and traditional characterization techniques, and methods of modifying catalyst geometric and electronic structure to approach the topic of sulfur poisoning from a fundamental perspective. Particular focus is placed on using selective decoration of active sites to develop a system of model hydrogenation reactions to relate changes in catalytic behaviour to changes in geometric and electronic structure. Application of these model reactions to investigate the sensitivities of palladium- and ruthenium-based catalytic systems to modification by sulfur shows contrasting effects for the two metals. While both systems exhibit similar geometric effects of modification, the palladium-based catalysts are far more sensitive than the ruthenium-based catalysts to modification of electronic structure. Additionally, controlled variation in particle size for the palladium-based catalysts demonstrates that catalytic behaviour is dominated by electronic structure for small nanoparticles and geometric structure for large nanoparticles. This leads small nanoparticles to show increased sensitivity to electronic modification effects resulting from sulfur adsorption. Ultimately, the research presented within this thesis provides a basis for the intelligent design of heterogeneous catalysts for improving tolerance for sulfur poisoning, and for utilizing the effects of sulfur modification to optimize catalytic activity and selectivity for the synthesis of fine chemicals.

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O vapor dágua está presente na exaustão veicular em quantidades significativas e, nas condições de operação do catalisador automotivo, essa espécie pode promover uma série de fenômenos térmicos que podem reduzir a vida útil do sistema. Dentro desse contexto, essa dissertação tem como objetivo estudar os efeitos da desativação hidrotérmica nas propriedades físico-químicas e estruturais, e no desempenho de três catalisadores automotivos comerciais à base de Pd/Rh, designados A, C e E. Esses sistemas foram submetidos a tratamento térmico a 1000C por 12 horas, sob três tipos de correntes gasosas, com a seguinte composição: N2, 14% H2O/N2 e 18% H2O/N2. A caracterização dos catalisadores consistiu das seguintes técnicas: FRX, ICP-OES, ATG-ATD, fisissorção de N2, TPD-H2 e TPR. A partir dos resultados obtidos para as amostras envelhecidas, foram constatados vários fenômenos característicos da degradação térmica, como sinterização da alumina e do óxido misto CeO2-ZrO2, transições de fases cristalina na alumina e segregação de fases no óxido misto. A avaliação da atividade catalítica foi realizada com base na reação de redução do NO pelo CO, e nas reações de oxidação do CO e do C3H8. Para os catalisadores C e E, os envelhecimentos acarretaram em perda de atividade, e os resultados da avaliação catalítica apresentaram uma boa correlação com as propriedades texturais e a redutibilidade desses catalisadores. Em contrapartida, para o catalisador A, os tratamentos térmicos o ativaram para todas as reações. Apesar de os três sistemas terem apresentado boa atividade frente à redução do NO pelo CO, foi observada, para todas as amostras, a formação indesejável de N2O em quantidades significativas, indicando que eles foram pouco seletivos na faixa de temperatura analisada / Water vapor is present in vehicular exhaust in significant amounts and may promote a series of thermal phenomena in the operating conditions of the automotive catalyst, reducing its lifetime. Thus, this dissertation aims to study the effects of hydrothermal deactivation in physicochemical and structural properties, and in catalytic performance of three Pd/Rh-based commercial automotive catalysts nominated A, C and E. These systems were subjected to heat treatment at 1000 C for 12 hours under three types of gas streams with the following composition: N2, 14% H2O/N2 and 18% H2O/N2. The catalysts characterization consisted of the following techniques: XRF, ICP-OES, TGA-DTA, N2 physisorption, TPD-H2 and TPR. The results obtained for the aged samples showed various phenomena characteristic of thermal degradation like sintering of alumina and CeO2-ZrO2 mixed oxide, alumina phase transitions and mixed oxide demixing. The evaluation of the catalytic activity was based on the reduction of NO by CO and the oxidation of CO and C3H8. For catalysts C and E, the aging process resulted in loss of activity, and results of the catalytic evaluation showed a good correlation with the textural properties and reducibility of these catalysts. On the other hand, the heat treatments activated catalyst A for all reactions. Although the three systems showed good activity in the reduction of NO by CO, the undesirable formation of N2O in significant amounts was observed for all samples, indicating that they lacked selectivity in the examined temperature range

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O vapor dágua está presente na exaustão veicular em quantidades significativas e, nas condições de operação do catalisador automotivo, essa espécie pode promover uma série de fenômenos térmicos que podem reduzir a vida útil do sistema. Dentro desse contexto, essa dissertação tem como objetivo estudar os efeitos da desativação hidrotérmica nas propriedades físico-químicas e estruturais, e no desempenho de três catalisadores automotivos comerciais à base de Pd/Rh, designados A, C e E. Esses sistemas foram submetidos a tratamento térmico a 1000C por 12 horas, sob três tipos de correntes gasosas, com a seguinte composição: N2, 14% H2O/N2 e 18% H2O/N2. A caracterização dos catalisadores consistiu das seguintes técnicas: FRX, ICP-OES, ATG-ATD, fisissorção de N2, TPD-H2 e TPR. A partir dos resultados obtidos para as amostras envelhecidas, foram constatados vários fenômenos característicos da degradação térmica, como sinterização da alumina e do óxido misto CeO2-ZrO2, transições de fases cristalina na alumina e segregação de fases no óxido misto. A avaliação da atividade catalítica foi realizada com base na reação de redução do NO pelo CO, e nas reações de oxidação do CO e do C3H8. Para os catalisadores C e E, os envelhecimentos acarretaram em perda de atividade, e os resultados da avaliação catalítica apresentaram uma boa correlação com as propriedades texturais e a redutibilidade desses catalisadores. Em contrapartida, para o catalisador A, os tratamentos térmicos o ativaram para todas as reações. Apesar de os três sistemas terem apresentado boa atividade frente à redução do NO pelo CO, foi observada, para todas as amostras, a formação indesejável de N2O em quantidades significativas, indicando que eles foram pouco seletivos na faixa de temperatura analisada / Water vapor is present in vehicular exhaust in significant amounts and may promote a series of thermal phenomena in the operating conditions of the automotive catalyst, reducing its lifetime. Thus, this dissertation aims to study the effects of hydrothermal deactivation in physicochemical and structural properties, and in catalytic performance of three Pd/Rh-based commercial automotive catalysts nominated A, C and E. These systems were subjected to heat treatment at 1000 C for 12 hours under three types of gas streams with the following composition: N2, 14% H2O/N2 and 18% H2O/N2. The catalysts characterization consisted of the following techniques: XRF, ICP-OES, TGA-DTA, N2 physisorption, TPD-H2 and TPR. The results obtained for the aged samples showed various phenomena characteristic of thermal degradation like sintering of alumina and CeO2-ZrO2 mixed oxide, alumina phase transitions and mixed oxide demixing. The evaluation of the catalytic activity was based on the reduction of NO by CO and the oxidation of CO and C3H8. For catalysts C and E, the aging process resulted in loss of activity, and results of the catalytic evaluation showed a good correlation with the textural properties and reducibility of these catalysts. On the other hand, the heat treatments activated catalyst A for all reactions. Although the three systems showed good activity in the reduction of NO by CO, the undesirable formation of N2O in significant amounts was observed for all samples, indicating that they lacked selectivity in the examined temperature range

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / Neste trabalho, aluminas mesoporosas dopadas com CeO2, MgO, ZrO2 ou La2O3 demonstraram que a estrutura dos sÃlidos influenciou no comportamento de desativaÃÃo de catalisadores na reforma seca do metano. Os sÃlidos foram caracterizados atravÃs de difraÃÃo de raios-X, anÃlise quÃmica, espectroscopia Raman, reduÃÃo termoprogramada, anÃlises texturais e termogravimÃtrica, microscopia eletrÃnica de transmissÃo e alta resoluÃÃo, antes e apÃs os testes catalÃticos. NÃquel, platina ou rutÃnio foram dispersos sobre os suportes porosos CeO2-Al2O3, ZrO2-Al2O3, MgO-Al2O3 e La2O3-Al2O3, formando distintas fases. Os catalisadores contendo rutÃnio ou platina foram em geral mais ativos na reforma seca do metano quando comparados aqueles contendo nÃquel, devido a maior dispersÃo das espÃcies de PtOx ou Ruo dispersas sobre MgAl2O4 ou CeAlO3. A resistÃncia à degradaÃÃo fÃsica dos sÃlidos contendo platina ou rutÃnio conduziu a um efeito do promotor para a formaÃÃo de espÃcies de carbono lÃbeis. Sobre o catalisador Ru/MgO-Al2O3, as nanopartÃculas de Ruo dispersas em MgAl2O4 foram mais acessÃveis as molÃculas de metano e diÃxido de carbono, apesar de serem as fontes para a formaÃÃo de carbono amorfo, grafite e nanotubos de carbono. / Mesoporous alumina doped with CeO2, MgO, ZrO2 or La2O3 demonstrated that the solid structure influenced on the deactivation behaviour of the catalysts in dry reforming of methane. Solids were characterized by X-ray diffraction, chemical analysis, Raman spectroscopy, termoprogrammed reduction, textural and thermogravimetric analyses and transmission electron microscopy, before and after the catalytic test. Nickel, ruthenium or platinum dispersed on porous CeO2-Al2O3, ZrO2-Al2O3, MgO-Al2O3 and La2O3-Al2O3 resulted in the formation of distinct phases. Catalysts possessing ruthenium or platinum were more active than the nickel counterparts due to the better dispersion of PtOx or Ruo on MgAl2O4 and CeAlO3 phases. The elevated resistance of ruthenium or platinum against physical degradation led to a promoting effect to labile carbon formation. Over Ru/MgO-Al2O3 catalyst, Ruo nanoparticles dispersed on MgAl2O4 were almost certainly accessible to methane and carbon dioxide molecules and the source supporting for the formation of such amorphous reactive carbon, graphite and carbon nanotubes, as well.

A desativação de um empreendimento mineiro é uma etapa importante do planejamento de uma mina e o seu estudo tem a finalidade de reduzir ou eliminar o passivo ambiental após o fechamento de uma mina. Para isto, são necessárias ações e programas desenvolvidos durante a vida da mina, com a participação de todos os interessados. É também relevante a previsão dos gastos com recuperação e desativação na fase de viabilidade econômica por meio de índices confiáveis. Foram avaliadas três empresas com áreas desativadas: uma desativada totalmente, a outra com frente de lavra desativada e a terceira paralisada. Ficou evidente, neste trabalho, a falta de roteiros e normas na legislação ambiental para a preparação da desativação no início de uma mina. Esta falta induz o empreendedor a só se preocupar com a desativação e a preparação de um plano quando o fechamento da mina é iminente; neste momento, as empresas estão descapitalizadas e os custos com a recuperação serão elevados. Foram propostos, modelo de Plano de Desativação, a ser preparado na etapa de planejamento da mina, e um índice econômico que relaciona os custos de recuperação aos custos de produção da mina na fase de viabilidade econômica. / One of the most important stages in the mine planning is the closure of a mine. This study has the aim to minimize or eliminate the well-known environmental damage left after the closure of the mine site. In order to carry out the process of mine closure, some procedures and programs should be conducted during the mine life cycle, involving people who are interested in environment problems. It is also important, the previous calculation of the environmental cost and all the cost relate to the closure of the mine itself during the mine project by using reliable cost index. In this research, three different mining companies having abandoned areas were evaluated: the first being closed-down completely, the second one having an abandoned mining face and the third one was thoroughly paralyzed. It was demonstrated in this case-study that there aren't any procedures or specifications for mines closure which could be considered in beginning of the mining project. This lack of regulation and procedures related to mining closure makes mining company managers or mining company owners only take into consideration a closure mining plan in the final stage of the production when the mine site needs to be closed as soon as possible. However, at that stage, most mining companies are with lack of working capital and the cost of environment protection is very expensive. As result of this research, a Closure Mine Model was proposed, which should be prepared in the very beginning of the mining planning stage. It was also proposed an economic index that is related to the cost of environment protection to the mining production cost in the stage of the economical feasibility studies.

Abstract The aim of this thesis project was to gain new knowledge on the effect of phosphorus on the catalytic activity and characteristics of automotive exhaust gas catalyst components. The simultaneous roles of phosphorus and calcium were also studied. The first test series of powdery catalyst samples contained Rh and oxide (Test series 1) and the second, Pt and oxide or ZSM-5 (Test series 2). The catalysts were analyzed when fresh and after two ageing and phosphorus poisoning procedures developed in this work. The procedures consisted of adding poison via impregnation in an aqueous solution (for Test series 1) and in the gaseous phase under hydrothermal conditions (for Test series 2). The poison compounds formed and the changes in the washcoat were studied by using physisorption analyses, SEM, TEM, XRD, and FTIR-ATR. The poison content of the samples was determined by ICP-OES and XRF. Laboratory-scale activity measurements were done to investigate the catalytic activity. Thermodynamic calculations were used to obtain information about ageing conditions and phosphorus compounds formed during ageing. Phosphorus decreased the catalytic activity and the characteristic surface areas of the catalysts. Addition of calcium to a phosphorus-poisoned catalyst was found to have even a regenerating effect on the catalysts' activity. The poisoning methods developed in this study resulted in the same phosphorus compounds as can be found in vehicle-aged catalysts. Phosphorus was identified as cerium, zirconium, aluminium, and titanium phosphates. Phosphorus was detected in zeolites, but phosphorus-containing compounds were not observed. Phosphorus poisoning takes place in the gas phase at high operating temperatures and with high oxygen and water contents. It was also shown that the role of phosphorus poisoning was more pronounced than the role of hydrothermal ageing alone. Phosphorus poisoning mainly affects the oxide components used in this study, not the noble metals. The results can be utilized in the development of catalytic materials and catalyst compositions that can better tolerate phosphorus poisoning under hydrothermal conditions. The results can also be applied in evaluating the effects of phosphorus on different catalyst compositions and in estimating the age of commercial catalysts.

Master 's thesis deals with design of a drivetrain of six cylinder inline engine with cylinder deactivation for heavy agricultural vehicles. In this thesis were devised various possibilities of crankshaft balancing, the best design solution of counterweight was based on optimization in software Catia. Further, the crankshaft was analysed for force and momentum loading and torsional vibration, based on which, the torsional vibration damper was designed. There were considered several options for cylinder deactivation, which were analysed for finest run of engine and the best thermal distribution. Based on these criteria, the best option was to deactivate 2nd and 5th cylinder. The crankshaft was analysed for the fatigue failure by finite element method. The fatigue failure is the most dangerous case for the crankshaft, the resulting safety factor for this limit state is 3,05.

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