Abstract: Systems and methods for optimization-based travel itinerary planning utilizing a multiattribute travel booking platform are described herein. The system has a database, a scheduler, a parser, and a processor. The database stores a travel lexicon having attribute names, a travel taxonomy having look-up tables, and user preferences for a user related to travel attributes. The scheduler instantiates the travel attributes in terms of the travel lexicon and indexes them, searches for feasible travel itineraries, and transmits an optimal travel itinerary. The parser parses the travel-related query and ascertains a relevant attribute set, which produces attribute values. The processor receives a travel-related query from a user device, receives the user preferences from the database, ranks and weights the attribute values, associates values to the feasible travel itineraries, scores the feasible travel itineraries, and selects the optimal travel itinerary.

Abstract: Disclosed is an improved process for the continuous production of aromatic carboxylic acids by the liquid-phase oxidation of an alkyl aromatic compound with an oxygen-containing gas in the presence of oxidation catalyst which results in reduced wastewater generation, reduced condensing capacity requirements, and, optionally, increased power recovery, and. The process effectively utilizes the heat of reaction in the process of removing excess water generated from the reaction and minimizes the loss of solvent used as the carrier for the reaction catalyst by removing reactor off-gas directly into a water removal column for distillation. A portion of the overhead aqueous vapors are removed from the top of the water removal column as a vapor distillate, with the remaining overhead aqueous vapors being condensed then subsequently refluxed to the fractionating zone of the water removal column.